111op

I thought that I looked at this a few weeks ago, and tickets were still available. Now supposedly there're no tickets until mid December....

http://www.skd-dresden.de/en/museen/...chung_HGG.html

Can this be true?

I've not called them yet.

Thanks.

Bird

111op,

Ingo would know better than me, but this seems hard to believe.

I bought a day pass that allowed me to visit the Old Masters Picture Gallery in the Semper Museum and the Green Vault - which I think was located in the Albertinum. No advanced ticket purchase was required.

I enjoyed the Green Vault, but the Old Picture Gallery really knocked my socks off.

111op

Well they restored the palace and moved the Green Vault there. There're now to parts -- a "historic" GV and a newer GV. It's the historic section that requires reservations.

I find it hard to believe also. Hordes of tourists descending upon Dresden in October? But if you check avilability online tickets for 2 are available for January *2007*. Change it to 1 and you're looking at November....

I'm dying to cross the Sistine Madonna off my list of paintings.

111op

By the way, I don't have very much time in Dresden. I'm planning to see Alte Meister and the Green Vault. That's it. Is there anything else I absolutely shouldn't skip?

I should be there around Oct. 5-6, taking the train from Berlin. After Dresden I'll go to Leipzig for a few hours. I've not picked a date yet.

Thanks.

kopp

Hello 111op,

Oh, you will love Dresden! We were there in July for 3 nights. It's really a beautiful city. I wrote a trip report of my time in Dresden and Berlin, if you're interested. You should be able to find it if you click on my name.

I hope you can get tickets to the Green Vault. It's absolutely amazing, and we only saw the small part that was open then.

Happy travels!

Bird

Wow -

I didn't think the new museum that houses the Green Vault was going to open until 2009.

One thing that struck me about Dresden was that the city was packed with tourists - very few who spoke English. For instance, the Semper Opera was packed full of tour groups the day I visited. It was like LA traffic during rush hour.

What will happen when more tourists start invading?

PalQ

Bitte: tell me more about the Green Vault and what i would see in it? Paintings? jewels? ???

111op

Thanks kopp. I've been popping in from time to time to read your report.

That's very odd, Bird. When were you there? Maybe I just underestimate the power of Dresden. But this is Dresden in Germany -- not Florence in Italy.

I've no clue what's in the Green Vault. The link I gave gives you some info. I believe it's a very important royal collection. Every guidebook raves about it. Actually parts of it were shown in Versailles, and I was thinking of seeing the stuff there, but I just didn't make it in the end.

Now I'll try to see this in Dresden.

111op

Ok, I'll add Frauenkirche. I forgot to list that. But I think that I'll have to skip everything else.

Bird

I would recommend taking a paddle steamer on the Elbe river. I was stunned by the beauty of the Saxon plains and meadows. You could get off the boat at Schloss Pillnitz or Meissen.

It probably is too late to get a ticket to see a concert in the Frauenkirche, but that would be something I would highly recommend.

You could contact the hotel you are staying at and see if they could help you make some arrangements.

Good luck.

111op

Thanks. I'll squeeze in what I can. I'm not planning to spend the night in Dresden, having already booked my hotel in Berlin for five nights. I know that Dresden deserves more than I've time for, but there's always the next trip.

Ingo

I am sorry, but there is indeed only a very little chance you get to see the Historic Green Vault. Only 100 visitors per hour are allowed - they sell 75 % of the tickets long in advance (and they are sold out till January, as you noted), the remaining 25 % are sold on the previous day starting 2 pm and the current day. I doubt, however, you'll get a ticket on the day you are visiting - they will be sold out by 3 am the previous day

To clarify what the Green Vault is - an unparalleled collection of precious things like jewellery, works of gold, silver, crystal, ivory, all sorts of precious stones etc.

There is a New Green Vault in the Royal Palace - where about 1000 pieces are on display in modern style designed rooms, and there is a Historic Green Vault in the Royal Palace, just reopened after endless years of restoration. Here you can see about 3000 pieces in original surrounding - the rooms built in the 16th century, redesigned in the early 18th century in Baroque style. Simply gorgeous. Breathtaking.

The special thing about the Green Vault is that it is the only Royal collection which is (almost) completely preserved from the Baroque times. The quality of the pieces is outstanding, the value not to calculate (probably some billion $). The reason why only 100 people at once can visit the Historic Green Vault is that the pieces are (mostly) not behind glass, but openly put in front of mirrors, on tables etc. - danger of theft, damage, and pollution.

Well, there is much more to see and do in Dresden. The opera house is famous, so is the Zwinger with its collections. Not only the Picture Gallery Old Masters, but also the Porcelain collection and the armoury. In early Oct you'll have the chance to see a stunning exhibit - Paintings of the early 20th century which have once been in private collections in Dresden and are now to find all over the world in famous galleries (From Monet to Mondrian, Exhibition building at Brühl's Terrace). See the catholic Cathedral as well, have a quick look at the mural called procession of the princes. One day is definitely not enough!

Re: crowds - yes, it is packed at the moment. But only in the historical centre, fortunately for the locals like me

GSteed

German TV 'DW' just did a 30 minute video of the Green Vault. It included the reasons for its original creation. It was a political statement.

111op

Thanks.

Ok, I called them. Yes, Ingo, you're right -- it's all sold out in October. However he said that 200 tickets go on sale each day.

They start being sold at 10 am.

I asked him what my chances are. He said, "Today a colleague saw 6 people in the queue at 8:30 am."

I guess I'll have to take the early train from Berlin and try my chances.

I'll call again -- but Ingo, are you sure that it's all gone by 3 am the night before?

By the way, do you know what went to Versailles from Dresden? I'm just curious. There was a very important piece called "Obeliscus Augustalis." Is that the piece to look for? I bet it's probably in the historic section anyway.

Oh sigh.

111op

I must say that I'm not terribly excited about this -- I looked at bahn.de. The earliest train that will get me in leaves at 5:42 am and gets in at 7:53 am.

I hope that will be early enough.

Surprised that the fastest trains to Dresden run just every 2 hours. Some of the hourly trains take about 3 hours to arrive.

111op

More on the Green Vault:

http://www.dresden.de/eng/04/007/01/...02.html?part=p

111op

Pictures for those interested:

http://www.germany.info/relaunch/inf...908/misc2.html

Ingo

Oops, must make a correction. I just walked by and asked at the ticket desk: Like you wrote, 111op, they do not start selling tickets 2 pm on the previous day. They sell the tickets for the current day, starting 10 am. I was told to show up at 7 am to make sure to get tickets ... no way I am doing that.

I am not sure which pieces went to Versailles. I only read that the exhibit there was excellent. There has also been one in the Kreml in Moscow recently which got enthusiastic reviews too. The Obeliscus Augustalis is on display in the Room of the precious things as far as I know - in the Historic Green Vault. An unbelievable piece. Have seen it before in another exhibit.

If coming from Berlin get off at railway station Dresden-Neustadt and take the bus No. 6/11 to Postplatz. Saves you at least 15 minutes. From there it is just a 300 yards walk to the Royal Palace.

Trains from Berlin to Dresden are unbelievably slow. It is a shame.

I.

111op

Thanks for the confirmation, Ingo. I can't get in before 8 am. I guess that will have to be my best shot. Maybe I can pay for you to get my ticket for me.

My small map of Dresden in Michelin only shows the Hbf. It looks to be about 2km away from the museums. Is the Dresden-Neustadt station about the same distance away? I think that I should probably just take a taxi. I checked the schedule and the train would get in at Dresden-Neustadt 9 minutes before it pulls in at Hbf.

Thanks again!

111op

I found a map around the Dresden-Neustadt station here:

http://www.sachsen.de/en/wu/smwa/sta...t_re_smwa.html

I can see that it's about the same distance from Zwinger as Hbf. My Michelin map gets cut off right around the Neustadt station, but I can guess and fill in the blanks.

Thanks for the very useful advice, Ingo. I'll get off at the Neustadt station.