Dresden Palace Chapel shines in new splendor: opening in November!

Dresden Palace Chapel shines in new splendor: opening in November!

On Monday the time had finally come: the majestic castle chapel in Dresden was handed back over to the State Art Collections (SKD) after extensive renovation work. This beautiful chapel, which was built in 1553 and was the central church of the Protestant Electorate of Saxony for over a hundred years, now shines in new splendor. Although it was severely damaged during World War II, restoration has made remarkable progress in recent years. The most significant innovations include state-of-the-art lighting and audio-visual systems, transforming the chapel into a multifunctional event space.

The entire expansion of the chapel will take place over three years, starting in 2023, and was carried out in several stages. As part of the renovation work, not only was the organ and music gallery on the east side restored, but also the elaborate loop-ribbed vault was restored using traditional technology with bricks and sandstone ribs. In total, the costs of this extensive renovation amounted to around 12 million euros, of which 3.75 million euros came from federal funds. The latest construction phase alone cost 8.4 million euros.

Viewing and booking

From mid-November, visitors can view the impressive castle chapel on guided tours. Anyone who gets a taste for it and would like to use the chapel for their own events will have the opportunity to book this unique room from December. This represents a great opportunity to hold events in a historical atmosphere, be it weddings, concerts or other cultural events.

The castle chapel is not only architecturally remarkable, but was also the place of work of the famous composer Heinrich Schütz in the 17th century. Their return to the focus of Dresden's cultural scene is another sign of how important the preservation of cultural sites is for a city's identity.

A look at the past

The history of the castle chapel is just as exciting as its architecture. It regained its spatial cubature and shape for the first time in 1988. Before that, she had been a shadow of her former self for decades. From 2010 to 2013, the vaulted ceiling was finally restored to its historic form, a crucial step in the revival history of this important site.

Overall, it is clear that the restored castle chapel is not only a home for art and culture, but also an impressive example of successful monument protection and modern use. The chapel will inevitably become a central contact point for culture enthusiasts in Dresden. Certainly a place where many unforgettable memories are created.