Description of the attraction
In the center of the Old Town there is a unique building - the Zwinger. The construction of this palace began at the beginning of the 18th century. under the Elector Friedrich August I. In 1710, according to the project of the architect Peppelmann, the French Pavilion, Baths of Nymphs, Longitudinal Galleries, etc. were built. By the end of 1728, the Bell, Porcelain and German Pavilions appeared. The construction of the Zwinger ceased with the death of Frederick Augustus I (August the Strong) in 1733.
Soon the Zwinger building began to be used for other purposes, now the precious collections of the Electors were kept here. The founder of the art gallery is considered Frederick Augustus II, the son of Augustus the Strong. By his order, whole collections of paintings were purchased and delivered to Dresden, including in 1754 the most valuable work - "The Sistine Madonna" by Raphael.
The Zwinger is considered to be one of the most interesting and significant late Baroque buildings in Europe. In 1855, Gottfried Semper completed the Zwinger with an Italian Renaissance art gallery. And today it is a real treasury, which contains unique collections: the world famous art gallery Old Masters, the Armory, a collection of porcelain. There is also a Zoological Museum and a Mathematics and Physics Salon.
