Embark on a captivating journey along the Elbe River

Walk into any bakery or café in Dresden and you are likely to see a large, eye-catching display of golden rectangles: the classic Dresdner Eierschecke, a delicious sheet cake with three layers. The word eierschecke loosely translates as “egg suit.” The name makes partial sense, considering that each layer of this traditional cake features eggs as a key ingredient. Still, the “suit” may require a little historical context. In 14th-century Germany, a Schecke was a type of men’s frock coat that consisted of three parts: a medium-length tunic; a wide, high waist belt; and the lower part of the suit. The resemblance of the cake’s three layers to this ensemble led to its unusual name.

The base layer of a Dresdner Eierschecke is typically made from a sponge or yeast dough. A thin, custard-like middle layer—the “belt”—is made from butter, egg, sugar, milk, vanilla and a fresh, yogurt-like cheese called quark. The top layer is a creamy, yellow vanilla pudding to which whipped egg whites have been added. In some parts of Germany, you might also find Eierschecke variations with apples, raisins or poppy seeds. All three layers come together to create a taste experience that is sweet but not too sugary.

The German satirist Erich Kästner once described the Dresdner Eierschecke as “a type of cake which, to the detriment of humanity, has remained unknown to the rest of the world.” You may wish to remedy this situation as you travel throughout Saxony and Thuringia, where this three-layered sheet cake is a regional favorite. You may find Eierschecke in food halls, bakeries, coffeehouses and restaurants throughout Dresden all year.

The entrance to Wittenberg’s Castle Church is known across the globe as the door to which Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses, thus ushering in the Protestant Reformation. Also known as All Saints’ Church, this iconic chapel has undergone numerous iterations throughout its more than 500-year history.

Construction of the church began in 1490 and was completed in 1509. As such, it was still quite new when Luther committed his infamous act on October 31, 1517. This building—including its original wooden doors—was destroyed in 1760 during Europe’s Seven Years’ War. Though quickly rebuilt and consecrated in 1770, the church’s replacement was also badly damaged during Wittenberg’s conflict with Napoleon and his troops in 1813. A new set of bronze doors bearing a Latin inscription of the 95 Theses was unveiled in 1858 in honor of the 375th anniversary of Luther’s birth.

Between 1885 and 1892, with the support of Emperor Wilhelm II, the Castle Church underwent a complete renovation. It was during this time that the church’s soaring 289-foot-high tower was added. Today, it can be seen from nearly everywhere in Wittenberg. Encircling the tower is a tall porcelain frieze displaying the first line of Luther’s most famous hymn, “Ein Feste Burg is Unser Gott” (“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”).

Above the church’s striking doors is a mural painting by August von Kloeber. The work depicts Jesus Christ on the cross along with kneeling images of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, Luther’s friend and fellow Reformer. Luther holds his 1522 translation of the Bible’s New Testament from ancient Greek and Hebrew into German—the first of its kind, and a feat which made a lasting impact on the modern German language. Melanchthon is depicted holding one of the Reformation’s most important documents, the “Confessio Augustana.” In the background is a view of Wittenberg as seen from the Elbe River’s southern bank, including both St. Marien’s Church (where Luther preached) and the Castle Church itself.

In 1996, Castle Church was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was renovated yet again between 2013 and 2016, to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of Luther’s historic deed. Though Martin Luther passed away in nearby Eisleben, it is fitting that the famed theologian was entombed in the Castle Church—the site of a seemingly simple act that would go on to change the world.

The eastern German state of Brandenburg—namesake of Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate—boasts links with many influential German composers, but none more so than classical baroque master Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750).

Among the composer’s most famous works are the Brandenburg Concerti—six instrumental pieces which today are considered some of the best-loved orchestral compositions of the era, written out by hand by Bach himself and presented to Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, in 1721. This act all but assured Bach’s place in Brandenburg’s history; however, given the relatively meager scale of the margrave’s court orchestra, it is likely that the concerti most associated with the Brandenburg court were never actually performed there.

Years later, in 1747, Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, invited Bach to Sanssouci Palace, the king’s magnificent summer home in Potsdam. After an evening at the palace spent perusing and playing Frederick’s fine collection of new fortepianos, the great composer improvised a three-part fugue based on a complex 21-note theme given to him by Frederick himself. This fugue managed to incorporate the king’s theme a total of 12 times within a single 17-minute piece, and would go on to become the first movement in Bach’s famous Musical Offering—a series of works sent from Bach, now back home in Saxony, to Frederick the Great a mere two months later.

Bach’s legacy has been recognized in Germany throughout the centuries. In 1901, composer Wilhelm Kempff founded the Bach Society in Potsdam; over 100 years later, in 2007, the Brandenburg Bach Society was established. Since the year 2000, Bach’s life and work have been fully celebrated at the Potsdamer Bachtage, or Potsdam Bach Days. This annual September event features two weeks of concerts, workshops and readings honoring Johann Sebastian Bach and his work. Emphasis is placed on adherence to the composer’s original intention, such as casting only one singer or instrumentalist per composed voice. The event attracts musicians and vocalists from across the region and provides a fitting tribute to Bach’s enduring legacy and global appeal.

Once called “Florence of the Elbe” for its great beauty, exquisite art and architecture, Dresden is a port city located on the broad basin of the Elbe River.

Leveled by bombs

In February 1945, near the close of World War II, the British Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Forces carried out four devastating bombing raids on Dresden. More than 20,000 people were killed and more than 90% of the city lay in ruins. The Baroque Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) was one of many architectural casualties.

Restoration

In the decades following the war, some of Dresden’s former landmarks were rebuilt at great cost and effort. The Zwinger palace buildings were rebuilt in the 1950s and 1960s, and their art treasures—which fortunately had been evacuated during the war—were reinstated. In the 1980s, the Semperoper (Saxon State Opera) was rebuilt to match its former glory. As a reminder of what Dresden had endured, ruins of the Frauenkirche were left in place for many years.

A bond forged by suffering

In 1956, Dresden entered into a sister-city relationship with Coventry, England, which suffered some of the worst attacks on any British city by the Luftwaffe during the Coventry Blitzes of 1940 and 1941. More than 1,200 civilians perished and Coventry's cathedral was destroyed. In 1990, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the organization “Call from Dresden” was formed to request international assistance in rebuilding the Lutheran Frauenkirche.

A British charity, the Dresden Trust, was formed in 1993, and raised £600,000 from 2,000 people and 100 companies and trusts in Britain. Perhaps the most symbolic gift to the restoration project was a 26-foot-high orb-and-cross that included the medieval nails recovered from the ruins of the roof of Coventry Cathedral.

Frauenkirche rises

During the painstaking, seven-year reconstruction project, architects used 3D computer technology to analyze old photographs as well as the pieces of rubble that had been carefully catalogued. In 2005, the fully restored Frauenkirche was formally consecrated. Today, with much of Dresden’s glory remarkably restored, it can rightfully be called “the Florence on the Elbe” once again.