Kreuzkirche

The Kreuzkirche stands on An der Kreuzkirche 6, beside the Altmarkt in Dresden's Altstadt, in Saxony, Germany. It is the city's largest church by seating, and the home of the Dresdner Kreuzchor, a boys' choir with a history of more than 700 years. The present building, in a Baroque form with a later Neo-Baroque and Jugendstil interior, was rebuilt after the Seven Years' War and again after a fire and wartime damage, and its interior was reworked in the 1950s and 1990s into a plain, light hall with a tall, simple nave. Visitors see a large, uncluttered space where the lighting and acoustics make the choir particularly impressive. A tower with a viewing platform is open at set hours and gives a view over the Altmarkt, the Frauenkirche dome and the rooftops of the Altstadt, though the climb involves a long staircase. The church also contains a small exhibition on its history and on the Kreuzchor, and a cross-shaped memorial recalls the destruction of 1945. A visit takes 30 to 45 minutes, a little longer with the tower. The church usually closes for a midday break, so visitors should check hours before arriving. The most popular time is on Saturday late afternoon, when the Kreuzchor sings vespers, and on Sunday during services, when seating is limited, so arriving early is sensible. Other times are quiet, and early morning is ideal for photographs of the interior. The best exterior views are from the Altmarkt, which is busy with a market stall area and, in winter, the Striezelmarkt Christmas market, one of Germany's oldest. The Kreuzkirche is a few minutes' walk from the Frauenkirche and the Neumarkt, so it combines easily with a walk through the Altstadt.