Dresden - Florence on the Elbe

Some years ago in summer I had a short city-trip to Dresden with my family. The following photos were taken while we shipped along the river Elbe on a paddle steamer.

Dresden is sometimes referred as Florence on the Elbe because of similarities in architecture and art. One special architectural masterpiece, which would not fit into Florence at all, is the Loschwitz Bridge.

After a two-year construction time, the bridge was completed in 1893 when it was a masterpiece of technology to build a bridge of this length without river piers supporting it. Today its technology is less of a miracle but it is a much-loved symbol of the city.

The paddle steamer fleet of Dresden is the oldest and biggest in the world. It consists of nine wheel steamers, two salon ships and two motor ships and was formerly known as the White Fleet. The ships connect Meißen via Dresden to Saxon Switzerland along the river Elbe where they pass some remarkable castles, vineyards and villa quarters.

The weather was great almost the complete tour. Only for half an hour the sky darkened and a heavy summer rain shower forced us to sit inside of the boat.