Brühlsche Terrasse

Brühlsche Terrasse rises above the Elbe in central Dresden, north of Neumarkt Square and the Frauenkirche. The riverside promenade forms a historic architectural ensemble known as the “Balcony of Europe.” From Schlossplatz, a sculpture-lined staircase leads up beside Dresden Castle and the Augustus Bridge. Wheelchair access makes the elevated riverside setting available to more visitors.

The terrace began as part of Dresden’s fortifications, rebuilt after the Schmalkaldic War in the mid-sixteenth century. Count Heinrich von Brühl received the grounds in the eighteenth century after introducing tax reforms. In the early nineteenth century, Prince Nikolai Grigorjevich Repnin-Volkonski opened the area to the public. Architect Gottlob Friedrich Thormeyer then connected Schlossplatz and Augustus Bridge with the grand staircase.

Allied bombing destroyed the ensemble during the Second World War, and reconstruction restored its earlier appearance. The Academy of Fine Arts and the Albertinum now stand along the promenade. Johannes Schilling created several statues, while monuments honour Gottfried Semper and Johann Friedrich Böttger. Above the Elbe, Dresden’s river, sculptures, and historic buildings share one memorable view.