Dresden - Germany

I want to visit many, many cities in Germany, Dresden is definitely one of them. 

The 1st of these cards was from a friend, the 2nd and the 4th are officials and the other one was sent by Sandra.

Before World War II, Dresden was called “the Florence of the Elbe” and was regarded as one the world’s most beautiful cities for its architecture and museums. 

At the end of the war, Dresden was so badly damaged that the city was basically leveled. A handful of historic buildings–the Zwinger Palace, the Dresden State Opera House and several fine churches–were carefully reconstructed out of the rubble, but the rest of the city was rebuilt with plain modern buildings. - in: http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/battle-of-dresden

 In the last months of World War II, Allied bombers from the British Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force conducted several major bombing raids on the eastern German city of Dresden. Beginning on the night of February 13, 1945, more than 1,200 heavy bombers dropped nearly 4,000 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs on the city in four successive raids. An estimated 25,000 people were killed in the bombings and the firestorm that raged afterward. More than 75,000 dwellings were destroyed, along with unique monuments of Baroque architecture in the historic city center. - in: http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/02/remembering-dresden-70-years-after-the-firebombing/385445/

DE-8360341, sent by Heiko.

On the left bank of the Elbe is Dresden's historical centre with buildings from the Renaissance, the Baroque and the 19th century. Despite being devastated in the Second World War, the Altstadt (Old Town) has kept or regained its attractive buildings.

Photo: F. Ihlow, H. Voigt, F. Exss, Verlag

The most well-known symbol of the rebuilding of the city centre is Dresden Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady), the magnificent domed Baroque church which again dominates the Dresden skyline. After the Second World War, Neumarkt square and the symbolic ruins of the Frauenkirche remained almost untouched for half a century before also coming up for construction.

© Schöning GmbH & Co. KG

DE-5174131, sent by Manuela.

The Altstadt is the centre of city life: it is home to the city hall, the Saxon state parliament and important cultural institutions from the Old Masters Picture Gallery, Semper Opera House and the State Theatre to the Green Vault. Between Altmarkt and Neumarkt squares, Prager Strasse and Postplatz you will find plenty of places to shop, eat and drink. - in: https://www.dresden.de/en/tourism/attractions/sights/old-town.php