Paul Smit  Mick Palarczyk | Features, Photos and TextTwo faces, one philosophy |
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FEATURE (Category: Europe | Germany | winter | cultural-historical | scenic drives)
Germany, Sachsen (Saxony): Around Dresden
Germany, Sachsen (Saxony): Around Dresden
This feature is an exploration of the area around Saxony's capital, including the Dresden/Elbe Valley UNESCO world heritage site (please read excerpts of the article). That is a stretch of castles and palaces along the river, including the restored heart of Dresden itself. The trip starts in porcelain city Meissen and sheds light on two inventions, both done in the Albrechtsburg castle: porcelain and the ribless cellular vault. The scenic drive ends in Zittau, near the spot where Germany, Poland and Czechia meet, with a touching story about Zittau's famous Lent Cloth. On the way we visit walled Bautzen, meet artist Franz Gruss and his dinosaurs and hike in the Elbsandsteingebirge with its table mountains and national park.
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7417] 'Franz Gruß.' Franz Gruß creates real scale prehistoric animals from concrete, like this mammoth. His work can be seen at the Sauriergarten (Dinosaur garden) in Großwelka (photo), the Saurierpark (Dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka and the Urzeitpark (prehistorical park) in Sebnitz, all close to Bautzen. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115970_ZN9z5-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7417] 'Franz Gruß.' Franz Gruß creates real scale prehistoric animals from concrete, like this mammoth. His work can be seen at the Sauriergarten (Dinosaur garden) in Großwelka (photo), the Saurierpark (Dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka and the Urzeitpark (prehistorical park) in Sebnitz, all close to Bautzen. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7424] 'Curious Diplodocus.' A Diplodocus from the Jura period seems very curious about the children, but being a herbivore he would never harm them. The photo was taken in the Saurierpark (dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka, near Bautzen. The animal was designed and built from concrete by Franz Gruß. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16117646_JTnqz-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7424] 'Curious Diplodocus.' A Diplodocus from the Jura period seems very curious about the children, but being a herbivore he would never harm them. The photo was taken in the Saurierpark (dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka, near Bautzen. The animal was designed and built from concrete by Franz Gruß. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7429] 'Two Polacanthuses.' Two Polacanthuses seem to trust nobody. The photo was taken in the Saurierpark (dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka near Bautzen. The animals were designed and built from concrete by Franz Gruß. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16116047_35tzd-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7429] 'Two Polacanthuses.' Two Polacanthuses seem to trust nobody. The photo was taken in the Saurierpark (dinosaur park) in Kleinwelka near Bautzen. The animals were designed and built from concrete by Franz Gruß. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7445] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' The GDR had grandiose plans for the citizens of Bautzen: a modern-workers life in new high-rises outside of town. The old centre of one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany was allowed to rot away. In 1989 only 1,300 people were still living within the impressive city walls. Without the Wende historical Bautzen would never have made it to the Third Millennium. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115843_XQinr-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7445] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' The GDR had grandiose plans for the citizens of Bautzen: a modern-workers life in new high-rises outside of town. The old centre of one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany was allowed to rot away. In 1989 only 1,300 people were still living within the impressive city walls. Without the Wende historical Bautzen would never have made it to the Third Millennium. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7442] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' The GDR had grandiose plans for the citizens of Bautzen: a modern-workers life in new high-rises outside of town. The old centre of one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany was allowed to rot away. In 1989 only 1,300 people were still living within the impressive city walls. Without the Wende historical Bautzen would never have made it to the Third Millennium. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115846_xNKgU-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7442] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' The GDR had grandiose plans for the citizens of Bautzen: a modern-workers life in new high-rises outside of town. The old centre of one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany was allowed to rot away. In 1989 only 1,300 people were still living within the impressive city walls. Without the Wende historical Bautzen would never have made it to the Third Millennium. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7447] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned. Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115793_RmBGi-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7447] 'Unspoilt yet restored Bautzen.' In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned. Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7463] 'Bend of Tolerance.' To the sharp observer, a bend halfway up the St Petri Dom is visible. It is the consequence of an expansion for which there wasnt any room. Before it, the cathedral is Protestant, after it Catholic. It has been this way since 1524, when Luthers Reformation revolutionised society. During the thirty-year religious war Germans killed each other in great numbers. In Bautzen, however, the bend created tolerance. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115840_tBYxv-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7463] 'Bend of Tolerance.' To the sharp observer, a bend halfway up the St Petri Dom is visible. It is the consequence of an expansion for which there wasnt any room. Before it, the cathedral is Protestant, after it Catholic. It has been this way since 1524, when Luthers Reformation revolutionised society. During the thirty-year religious war Germans killed each other in great numbers. In Bautzen, however, the bend created tolerance. Photo Paul Smit.")
![Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7458] 'Colorful Bautzen.' In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned. Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit.](http://paulsmit.smugmug.com/photos/16115811_YcqGT-Ti.jpg "Smit & Palarczyk > [GERMANY.SACHSEN 7458] 'Colorful Bautzen.' In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned. Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit.")
[GERMANY.SACHSEN 7453
'Market square of Bautzen.'
In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned, like here on the Hauptmarkt (main market square). Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit. 
[GERMANY.SACHSEN 7453
'Market square of Bautzen.'
In GDR times Bautzen was dark brown. Since 1989 colour has returned, like here on the Hauptmarkt (main market square). Thanks to large scale restauration Bautzen is again one of the most beautiful middle-sized historical cities of Germany. Photo Paul Smit. All rights reserved. No permission for reproduction, including copying or saving of digital image files or text, is granted without prior written authorisation from the author.
