Dresden is the capital of Saxony. Its inner city was pretty much destroyed by the Royal Air Force and the United States Army Air Force towards the end of World War II and many of the historic buildings lay in ruins.
After the war, it became an industrial center for the German Democratic Republic (the old East Germany.) Many of the historic buildings were renovated or rebuilt, but more were razed by the Soviet and East German authorities.
After Germany's re-unification, a massive urban-renewal effort was launched and is still underway. The center of Dresden is being totally rebuilt according to the old plans. The façades of the houses are meticulously renovated to reflect the original details.
And here and there, one can still find traces of its communist past.
Dresden after the bombing in 1945
photo credit: Richard Peter
