2 Hour GDR/DDR Walking Tour: Explore Dresden's Socialist Past
Allow New Zealand anthropologist Dr Fraser Macddonald to take you on a fascinating tour into the architectural and social history of the GDR in Dresden. With special attention paid to the ideological and cultural significance of the buildings, Dr Macdonald will take travellers around the focal points of the GDR's urban planning developments in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. We begin at the southern end of Prager Strasse and take in many crucial architectural features before moving on to the famous Kulturpalast, where travellers will have the opportunity to look inside. We then move to the old town and discuss which buildings the GDR decided to restore after the war, which they chose to demolish, and which they simply ignored. We arrive finally on Neustadt Markt, the crown jewel in GDR urban planning in Dresden and discuss its historical and contested ongoing significance.
Options
2 Hour GDR/DDR Walking Tour: Explore Dresden's Socialist Past
What's included in 2 Hour GDR/DDR Walking Tour: Explore Dresden's Socialist Past
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
Prager Strasse
Prager Strasse was one of the main focal points of the spatial planning of the GDR regime and contains many architectural monuments from the time. We will see the famous three Interhotels Prager Strasse, the Interhotel Newa, as well as the enormous and iconic Prager Zeile
Cineplex Rundkino Dresden
Here travellers will see the legendary Rundkino (round theatre) and learn about its architectural and social history.
Pusteblumenbrunnen
While the number of dandelions has been reduced from five to three, this was yet another important spatial design feature of the GDR regime in Dresden and travellers will be able to get up close and learn more about it.
Inclusions
- Professional Guided Tour
- Entrance to Kulturpalast auditorium (tickets cost 8 euro)
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Infants will need to be carried
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You will make your own way to the meeting points
Meeting Points
- Please meet on the steps in front of the Korch Fachfleischerei und Imbiss im Kugelhaus, which is directly opposite the northern entrance of the Hauptbahnhof and at the southern end of Prager Straße
End Points
- The tour concludes at Neustädter Markt, where travellers will be able to either walk easily back across the bridge to Altstadt or take trams to any part of the city.
