Residenzschloss with the Green Vault

The Residenzschloss at Taschenberg 2 in Dresden's Altstadt, in Saxony, Germany, was the residence of the electors and kings of Saxony for centuries. Largely destroyed in 1945, it was rebuilt over several decades and now houses several of the State Art Collections of Dresden. The best-known is the Green Vault, one of Europe's richest treasuries, assembled by Augustus the Strong. It is divided into two parts. The Historic Green Vault recreates the original Baroque rooms, where jewels, ivory carvings, gold and silver pieces and precious objects are displayed on mirrored walls without glass cases, and entry is by timed ticket only. The New Green Vault shows the same collection in modern displays, with individual pieces such as the Court of the Grand Mogul Aurangzeb. The wider palace also contains the Turkish Chamber with its Ottoman objects, the Numismatic Cabinet with coins and medals, the Armoury and the Hausmannsturm, a tower whose viewing platform looks over the Altstadt. The inner courtyard has Renaissance sgraffito decoration worth a pause. Visitors should allow two to four hours, depending on how many parts they see. Photography is restricted in the Historic Green Vault. The palace is usually busiest from late morning through the afternoon, and tickets for the Historic Green Vault can sell out days ahead, so booking online is advised, especially in summer. Weekday mornings are quieter. The best vantage point for photographing the exterior is from Schlossplatz or the Hofkirche side, and the Hausmannsturm gives an overview of the rooftops. The palace sits beside the Katholische Hofkirche, the Fürstenzug and the Zwinger, all within a short walk, so a single day can easily cover the Baroque core of Dresden.