Japanese Palace, Dresden

Japanese Palace, Dresden

The Japanese Palace is a baroque building on the banks of the river Elbe. The structure houses three museums, the State Museum of Prehistory, the Ethnological Museum and the Senckenberg Natural History Collections. All three museums have impressive permanent collections and temporary exhibits.

The Saxon Elector August the Strong, purchased the baroque style palace to house his vast porcelain collection in 1717. He wanted the roof the ceiling and walls to be made of porcelain. Architects, Poppelmann, De Bodt, Longuelune and Knoffel were entrusted with the task of restructuring the interiors to make a suitable repository for a porcelain collection. Though the dream of August the Strong was not completely realized, elements of his plan like the Japanese curved roof, the relief on the gable above the portal and the Chinese Hems in the inner courtyard conform to his original wish.

The sculptures within the building are in classic Chinoiserie style. The porcelain collection was never housed here as originally intended and the palace was used as the electoral library and a sculpture museum. The building was completely destroyed in 1945 and restored in 1954.

The Japanese palace is a major tourist attraction in Dresden because visitors get to see three varied collections in three distinct museums within one building.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Dresden. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

Download The GPSmyCity App

Japanese Palace on Map

Sight Name: Japanese Palace
Sight Location: Dresden, Germany (See walking tours in Dresden)
Sight Type: Museum/Gallery
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Dresden, Germany

Create Your Own Walk in Dresden

Create Your Own Walk in Dresden

Creating your own self-guided walk in Dresden is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Dresden's Architectural Jewels

Dresden's Architectural Jewels

If there is one thing Dresden is particularly famous for, it is the magnificent architecture. Although known primarily for its Baroque buildings, the city has several other architectural styles present too, such as Renaissance, Historicism, Modernism and Post-modernism.

Much of downtown Dresden was destroyed in February 1945 by Allied bombing, which in turn prompted the rebuilding of the...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.9 Km or 1.2 Miles
Dresden New Town Walk

Dresden New Town Walk

The Neustadt (New Town) of Dresden is a central district located on the north bank of the Elbe. Despite the name, this part of the city is not at all new and has been inhabited for as long as the Old Town on the opposite side of the river. Its “novelty” derives from "Neue Königliche Stadt" (New Royal Town), which is the title given to the area, formerly the district of Altendresden,...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.2 Km or 1.4 Miles
Dresden Introduction Walking Tour

Dresden Introduction Walking Tour

Dresden was likely settled on the banks of the River Elbe by Neolithic tribes as far back as 7,500 BC. But it also has a long and storied history as the long-time capital of Saxony. The Electors and Kings lived here for centuries, appointing the city with every cultural and artistic treasure.

Its modern form--and its name--comes from early Germanic people, who expanded East to mine the Ore...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.5 Km or 1.6 Miles