Großer Garten Dresden

Parks ·Dresden ·Open now

Sign up free — See who's going and message them.

Is this your place? Get the badge for your website

About

Großer Garten is Dresden’s largest park, about 1.2 km east of the historic centre. Laid out as a Baroque garden, it retains its formal structure but has changed substantially.

More photos 10

1 / 10
Großer Garten Dresden — The Palais illuminated at dusk, with flower beds in front
Großer Garten Dresden — The Palais illuminated at dusk, with flower beds in frontGroßer Garten Dresden — A small stone pavilion with a steep roof among treesGroßer Garten Dresden — A low stone garden building beside a gravel pathGroßer Garten Dresden — A tree-lined avenue leading toward the PalaisGroßer Garten Dresden — A broad park path crossing the QueralleeGroßer Garten Dresden — The sunny South Avenue running through the gardenGroßer Garten Dresden — A park avenue with a cyclist and distant PalaisGroßer Garten Dresden — The Herkulesallee avenue covered in snowGroßer Garten Dresden — The Palais lit warmly at dusk from an angled viewpointGroßer Garten Dresden — The Palais exterior in black and white, viewed from the side

Why go

  • The central pleasure palace, built from 1678 to 1693, now hosts exhibitions and concerts.
  • Five surviving Kavaliershäuser and the ruins of a sixth; Oskar Kokoschka lived in Pavilion A from 1917 to 1923.
  • Dresden Zoo and Dresden Botanical Garden, added in the late 19th century.
  • Volkswagen’s Transparent Factory at the northwest corner, on Straßburger Platz.

Opening hours

Today00:00 – 23:59Show all
Monday00:00 – 23:59
Tuesday00:00 – 23:59
Wednesday00:00 – 23:59
Thursday00:00 – 23:59
Friday00:00 – 23:59
Saturday00:00 – 23:59
Sunday00:00 – 23:59

Don't miss

  • CarolaseeFriedrich Bouché had the lake dug in 1882 and added new lawns.
  • Rhododendron garden and white gardenFriedrich Bouché added these gardens near the palace around 1895.Near the palace
  • Former park theatreOnly the foundations remain of the theatre built in 1719.Between the palace and the southern path

Photo spots

  • “Die Zeit entführt die Schönheit”Pietro Balestra’s marble sculpture, made in the first half of the 18th century.Palaisgarten
  • “Die Zeit enthüllt die Wahrheit”Near the Palaisteich, with renewed paths and a field maple hedge around its setting.Near the Palaisteich
  • Herkules and SilenCarrara-marble copies, each holding a small son.In front of the palace
  • Milon von KrotonAn art-marble cast.Near the main avenue

Shorts

History

The garden began as a Baroque design, but later changes mean it no longer fits that style in the strict sense. The palace, built between 1678 and 1693, burned in February 1945 and now hosts exhibitions and concerts.

  1. OriginsJohn George III commissioned the garden outside Dresden’s old walls.
  2. 1683Head gardener Johann Friedrich Karcher reshaped the grounds with diagonal and secondary paths.
  3. 1887Dresden’s first international horticultural exhibition took place here from 7 to 16 May.
  4. 1926The Flora Society’s centenary exhibition drew more than three million visitors.
  5. World War IIJews were barred from entering the garden.
Show all
  1. February 1945Bombing devastated the park and burned the palace. After the war, parts of the grounds became vegetable and potato plots.
  2. 1950The park railway opened on 1 June and still runs from April to October.
  3. 1979The garden became a protected monument.

Best time to visit

  • Visit between April and October if you want to ride the Parkeisenbahn. The garden’s scenery changes with the seasons.

How to get there

  • TramTram lines 1, 2, 4, 10, 12 and 13 serve the garden. Nearby stops include Straßburger Platz, Comeniusplatz, Großer Garten (Hygienemuseum), Lennéplatz, Querallee and Tiergartenstraße.
  • BusBus lines 61, 63, 75 and 85 serve the garden.
  • On footFrom Dresden’s historic centre, the Bürgerwiese connects to the park. The city-facing main avenue ends by the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum.
  • ParkingParking is possible on surrounding streets or at Georg-Arnhold-Bad. Cars cannot enter the garden.

Accessibility

  • Electric wheelchairs, bicycles, strollers and scooters These can be secured at the railway’s starting station, without liability for loss.

Sources: Großer Garten - Wikipedia · Dresden - Wikivoyage (see) · Startseite | Großer Garten · Anreise | Großer Garten · Großer Garten (Dresden) - Wikipedia · Grand Jardin de Dresde - Wikipedia · checked 10 Oct 2026

Where
Hauptallee 10, Dresden

Plan from here: Evening walk →

Questions and answers

Can visitors ride the park railway at Großer Garten Dresden?

Yes. The Dresdner Parkeisenbahn carries visitors through the park from April to October.

Can a foldable wheelchair travel on the railway at Großer Garten Dresden?

Yes. Foldable wheelchairs travel free in a designated luggage compartment.

Where can electric wheelchairs, strollers, bicycles and scooters be left at Großer Garten Dresden?

They can be secured at the railway’s starting station, without liability for loss.

Where is the administration of Großer Garten Dresden?

At Kavaliershaus C, Hauptallee 10.

Who shaped the later gardens at Großer Garten Dresden?

Friedrich Bouché directed the park’s gardening from 1873 until his retirement in 1922.

How invme works
  1. See who's going — faces, not ticket counts.
  2. Write to someone who shares your interests — no swipes, no matches, no paywall.
  3. Pick the event or the place to meet at — and go together.
Join free

Reviews on invme

Sign in to review
Loading comments…