Old Masters Picture Gallery, Dresden (must see)

Augustus, Elector of Saxony, first founded an Art Chamber in 1560. During the 18th century, Augustus the Strong and his heir Frederick Augustus II made significant additions. In 1754, Electors added Raphael’s Sistine Madonna to the collection. The growing collection moved to the Semper Gallery in 1855.

The paintings were stored during World War II and then confiscated by the Red Army. The surviving paintings were returned to Dresden in 1955, and the Old Masters Gallery re-opened in 1960.

The Old Masters Picture Gallery underwent a 50 million dollar renovation completed in 2020. Classic paintings are now displayed amongst the museum's impressive sculpture collection.

Seven hundred paintings were rehung among 420 sculptures. Visitors can see priceless paintings by Rembrandt, Titian, and Raphael. Popular artworks include Vermeer’s Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window, Rembrandt’s Ganymede, and Titian’s Zinsgroschen.

Artworks are now hung on vibrant walls and grouped by region and time period. For example, Italian works are hung on crimson walls, while French and Spanish works are featured on blue walls.

Image Courtesy of Wikimedia and Ingersoll.

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.

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Create Your Own Self-Guided Walk to Visit This Sight

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

Dresden Introduction Walking Tour

Walking Tours in Dresden, Germany

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 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.

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

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

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