Dresden Altstadt

The Inner Old Town (Innere Altstadt) forms the historic core of Dresden, the capital of Saxony, and stretches along the left bank of the Elbe from the Terrassenufer to the Town Hall. The district's boundaries follow the line of the fortifications that were torn down in the early 19th century and that can still be traced today in a ring of streets and green spaces. After its almost complete destruction in the air raids of February 1945, the area lost its role as the city's main shopping center, a function that had already shifted to the Seevorstadt. Today the area is characterized by a high concentration of hotels, while new residential and commercial space is being built around the Altmarkt and Neumarkt. Population density remains low because most of the buildings are put to commercial use and rents are high. As the city's top tourist destination, the Inner Old Town is home to numerous iconic landmarks, including the Frauenkirche, the Zwinger, the Semperoper, the Residenzschloss, and the Catholic Cathedral and the Kreuzkirche. Key gathering places are the Altmarkt, the Neumarkt, the Theaterplatz, and the Schlossplatz. The cityscape is rounded out by green spaces such as the Brühl Garden (Brühlscher Garten) and the pond at the Zwinger.