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Holger,
Kurz gesagt, Ausgezeichnet!!
Dresden’s Frauenkirche (also its’ Cathedral), was Germany’s largest (as-built)
Lutheran Cathedral. The original’s photos give little clue to the massive scale
of the building. It’s like stepping inside an 18 story atrium.
The original, an 18th century Baroque masterpiece, survived for 2 centuries
until 13 February 1945, when (mostly) British and US bombers started their
carpet bombing of Dresden near the end of the war. The ensuing firestorm so
depleted the oxygen supply that 245,000 Germans (mostly women, children and
elderly) died in a senseless conflagration (Dresden was not a military target).
This was a one day greater loss of life than from the atomic bombs dropped on
either Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
The British bombers later very much regretted their action (although during war
times, orders were orders), and had been haunted by it for decades. Part of the
rebuilding of the Cathedral was donated by the the fundraising activities of
surviving British bombers and their children. The top of the cathedral was a
gift of the British people.
Luckily during the war, most of Dresden’s vast treasures, artwork, furniture and
entire palace rooms (of the Dukes, Electors and Kings of Saxony) were hidden in
distant bunkers. After the war the communist East Germans rebuilt the city, the
vast city palace, known as the Dresden “Zwinger”, and the fabulous Dresden
Semper Opera House.
But the atheist government refused to rebuild the cathedral, and it remained a
ruin for over 40 years, until after German Reunification in 1990. Rebuilding
was started so that it could be completed for Dresden’s 800th Birthday in 2006.
Holger, now you have to build the neighboring Zwinger and Semper Opernhaus out
of Lego! :-)
“Ein Lego Meisterwerk der Deutscher Barocke!”
Gary Istok
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Hi Gary,
many thanks for your bi-lingual feedback and comments!
While gathering information I used several websites and two nice books. I know
most of the whole history of the church right now. Even when it was build in the
18th century the folks didn’t know how it would look like in the end.
It was planned to make the big dome as a wooden construction covered with
copper. While building higher and higher they realized the enormous costs. So
they’ve decided to use sandstone instead of copper. That caused trouble with the
stability and statics of the main columns and the other walls of the church. In
the 20th century they did lots of repairs to keep the church alive.
Modern CAD technic helped to plan the new rebuild Frauenkirche and I hope it
will be there for many many years. The color will change and within 100 years
all the tan sandstone will become darker. Perhaps I have to rebuild the church
in 2106 in old and new darkgrey?
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Holger, now you have to build the neighboring Zwinger and Semper Opernhaus
out of Lego! :-)
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First of all I have to finish the inside with more benches, altar and organ.
Should I go on and google for zwinger and Semper Opera?
Holger
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