Germany · Saxony, Dresdner Zwinger

The Dresden Zwinger was built in the early 18th century during the reign of August the Strong, who was Elector of Saxony and also King of Poland. The complex was constructed according to plans by the architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann; the sculptor Balthasar Permoser played a major role in creating its rich sculptural decoration. Originally, it served for court festivities, tournaments and housing delicate orange trees. The name “Zwinger” derives from fortress construction and refers to the space between two fortification walls.

The Kronentor belongs to the Baroque part of the complex. Its onion-shaped cupola is crowned by a replica of the Polish royal crown, thereby referring to the connection between the Saxon electorate and the Polish monarchy under August the Strong. The Zwinger was initially open towards the Elbe. It was not until the 19th century that the courtyard was enclosed by the Gemäldegalerie, built according to designs by Gottfried Semper.

Today, the building complex houses several collections of the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden. These include the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, the Porzellansammlung and the Mathematisch-Physikalischer Salon. The Zwinger was severely damaged in the air raids on Dresden in February 1945. Reconstruction began immediately after the end of the war; individual areas were gradually reopened for museums and visitors.

The German federal states series presented the states in the order of their presidencies in the Bundesrat. Saxony assumed the chairmanship for the 2015/2016 term of office according to the regular rotation. For each state, a building was generally selected that was closely associated with its history and public image. The Zwinger represents both the Baroque residential culture of the Saxon court and Dresden’s role as a city of museums and the arts. Its destruction and reconstruction also connect the building with the history of the city in the 20th century.