Schloßplatz

Schloßplatz in Dresden is one of the historic sites of the Old Town and, together with the surrounding buildings, forms an important architectural ensemble. The architecture of the square reflects several different eras, since construction took place over the course of centuries. To the west stands the Catholic Court Church (Katholische Hofkirche), the only building that gives the area a distinctly Baroque character; a bridge connects it directly to the Residenzschloss. To the east lies the palace itself, whose oldest section is the Georgenbau. The square is also defined by the Hausmannsturm, the tallest tower in the city, and by the grand staircase to the Brühl Terrace, which closes off the area on the side facing the Elbe.

On the square, you can discover several monuments and historical markers. In front of the Saxon Parliament Building (Sächsisches Ständehaus) stands the monument to King Frederick Augustus I, while in front of the entrance to the Court Church, a paving stone marks the spot where Napoleon Bonaparte reviewed a troop parade in 1813. A Stolperstein, one of the brass memorial plaques set into the pavement, also commemorates the Sorbian chaplain Alojs Andritzki. Since the Augustus Bridge was closed to car traffic, Schloßplatz has been largely traffic-calmed and serves as a quiet meeting spot. It connects key routes through the Old Town, such as Schloßstraße to the Altmarkt and Augustusstraße, where the famous Procession of Princes (Fürstenzug) begins.