The Zwinger palace with the Kronentor and moat in Baroque Dresden

The Zwinger presents itself in all its Baroque grandeur, with the facade reflected in the moat waters. In the foreground the Kronentor, the famous crown gate topped by the golden dome supporting four Polish eagles, symbol of the Saxon-Polish union under Augustus the Strong. The complex, designed by Matthaus Daniel Poppelmann and completed in 1728, was conceived as an orangery and venue for court festivities. Today it houses important museum collections including the Old Masters Gallery. The balustrades adorned with statues and corner pavilions testify to the opulence of the Saxon court.

Zwinger Dresden, Kronentor, Saxon Baroque, Augustus Strong, Poppelmann, Dresden museum, architecture