Elbe Valley

Extending about 20 kilometers (about 12 miles) from the Pillnitz Palace in the southeast to the Übigau Palace in the northwest, the area known as the Elbe Valley includes the majority of the city of Dresden.

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004 due to its diverse architecture, cultural landscape, and outstanding land use, the Elbe Valley boasts everything from 16th century monuments and parks to 20th century suburban villas to valuable natural features that make the area a true gem in Germany’s crown.

The historic skyline of Dresden’s Old Town is the centerpiece of the Elbe Valley. Visitors to this area can enjoy a wealth of sights, including the Royal Palace, the Cathedral and Church of Our Lady, the Semper Opera House – a magnificent high Renaissance style building, and the late Baroque-style Zwinger Palace.

Renaissance fortifications and late 19th century palaces also line the banks of the beautiful Elbe River, making a trip down this body of water seem like travel to a different time and place. Terraced slopes along the river still produce grapes for German’s wine industry and small villages maintain their old charm and delight visitors young and old.

Don’t miss an opportunity to see the magnificent Blue Wonder steel bridge and remember to take a ride on the single-rail suspension cable railway and the funicular that are still a part of the Elbe Valley landscape more than 100 years after they were constructed.

A must for any visitor is a journey on a paddle steamer through the Upper Elbe Valley of Dresden. The Saxon Steamship Company offers passenger sailings daily on its fleet of 8 paddle wheelers, providing some of the best views available of this picturesque countryside.

Three of the valley's best known buildings are a trio of castles not far from Neustadt towards the Blue Wonder. The castles - Albrechtsberg Castle, Lingner Castle (aka Villa Stockhausen) and Eckberg Castle - are located adjacent to one another.

Albrechtsberg Castle is a large palatial villa built in the mid 19th century by Prince Albrecht of Prussia. The building's classical design was inspired by ancient Greek and Roman buildings as well as Italian Renaissance villas. The castle was declared a national historic monument in 1977. Today it is used for a multitude of events; the whole castle as well as individual rooms can be rented for all sorts of occasions.

The adjacent Lingner Castle was built between 1850 and 1853 for Baron Von Stockhausen, Chamberlain of Prince Albrecht of Prussia. The Prince himself stayed here until his own castle was finished in 1854.
The villa was built in classicist style after a design by architect Adolph Lohse.

The third castle is the Eckberg Castle, a Tudor style building constructed between 1859 and 1861. It was designed by Christian Friedrich Arnold, a student of Gottfried Semper. The castle is now operated as a luxury hotel.

Note: In 2006, the World Heritage Committee determined that plans to build a bridge across the Elbe would have “such a serious impact on the integrity of this cultural landscape and its outstanding universal value,” that it decided to include Dresden Elbe Valley on the List of World Heritage in Danger with plans to consider delisting the site from the World Heritage List if the plans are carried through. The city is currently reconsidering the plans for the bridge.