Fischhaus Alberthafen

Dresden's most significant harbour is the Alberthafen, and on its bank stands the Fischhaus Alberthafen. Built in 1954, it first served as a cultural house for the harbour workers. A restoration in 1995 turned it into a maritime harbour restaurant, the role it still fills.

Around 200 guests find a seat, and the view from your table runs out over the water. The harbour itself predates the building by decades: construction ran from 1891 to 1895. It was designed for twenty ships and connects to the freight transport centre at Dresden Friedrichstadt station. The harbour area spans 42 hectares, but the basin once held far more water. Renovations in 1997 trimmed it to make room for commercial and logistics facilities. About seven hectares remain, divided into the harbour entrance, a turning basin and the main rectangular basin with north and south quays. Freight rules the traffic, though the water once steered the city's trade and logistics.

The house also holds Saxony's largest saltwater aquarium, 5,200 litres stocked with more than forty species of marine life. Wheelchair users move through the whole restaurant without steps. Your meal sits between two stretches of water, one behind glass and one beyond the quays.