Fürstenzug

The Fürstenzug, or Procession of Princes, is a monumental mural on the outer wall of the Stallhof along Augustusstraße in Dresden's Altstadt, in Saxony, Germany. It is about 102 metres long and shows a procession of 35 rulers of the House of Wettin, from Margrave Konrad of Meissen in 1127 to King Georg in 1904, on horseback and in order of reign, followed by scientists, artists, craftsmen and soldiers. Originally painted in sgraffito in the 1870s, it was replaced between 1904 and 1907 with some 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles to make it weatherproof, and it survived the bombing of 1945 largely intact, which is why it is often described as one of the largest porcelain artworks in the world. Visitors simply walk along the wall and read the figures, with the names of the rulers written beneath them. The procession can be seen from Augustusstraße itself, where the street is narrow, and from the Stallhof courtyard side near the Johanneum. A full walk takes 15 to 20 minutes, though photographers may stay longer to capture the whole length. The best light falls on overcast days or in the morning, when glare is limited, whereas strong midday sun produces reflections on the tiles. The mural is free and open at all times, and crowds are heaviest in the middle of the day and in summer when tour groups pause in front of it. Early morning and evening are quiet. The Fürstenzug sits between the Neumarkt and Schlossplatz, so it is only three minutes from the Frauenkirche, and the Verkehrsmuseum and Residenzschloss are right next to it.