We’re up early due to the lack of shutters – it’s light at 5 am at the moment – so we have breakfast, pack up and cross the bridge to Neustadt or New Town as opposed to Altstadt or Old Town where we’re been staying. On the way, we see a wonderful trompe l’œil building. The Germans love painting their façades but I haven’t seen anything this sophisticated before.
Trompe l’oeil house along the Elb on the Altstadt side of Dresden
After reading Anda’s post about the singing drain pipes in Travel Notes and Beyond, I am eager to see Kunsthof Passage in the student district. We are not disappointed.
The entrance to Kunsthofpassage
To quote Anda, “Kunsthofpassage is one of Dresden’s best kept secrets. The passage is actually a series of five small courtyards – not visible from the street – that were turned into an art experiment, called the Ginkgo project. A group of artists – sculptors and designers – took a bunch of old buildings and redesigned their façades, giving each building and courtyard specific motif and a theme of its own. The project was completed in 2001.” I shall let you read Anda’s post for more details and just provide a few photos.
The Courtyard of the Light decorated with metal mirrors
The Singing Drainpipes that make music wwhen it rains
The Courtyard of Metamorphoses
We walk through the passage and out onto the other side, then turn left twice. On the way, we see lots of other fun street art. We are reminded of Budapest in particular.
The façade of Louise’s which appears to be a kindergarten
More artwork in Neustadt
A wonderful way to decorate a blind wall
Our next destination is Pfund’s Molkerei, founded in 1880 and said to be the world’s most beautiful dairy shop. Its hand-painted tiles and enamelled sculptures are all handmade by Villeroy & Boch. You can buy wine, cheese and other dairy products and eat in the upstairs café restaurant. It is, indeed, very beautiful.
Inside Pfund’s Molkerai dairy shop
But next door is more fun – a brush and broom store. I could buy half the shop. Germany is a very clean country and I can see why. There is a broom for every household task! We settle for some wooden clothes pegs, a nail brush and a sort of mini-rake to clean Velcro. The saleswoman is very enthusiastic about all her products and gives us several demonstrations.
Inside the broom shop
We go back to the car park further along the street where there is another exceptional example of trompe d’oeil. It seems wasted on a parking lot!
Trompe l’oeil all in the parking lot on Bautznerstrasse
As we drive towards Meissen, we see a very impressive mosque which is surprising because I haven’t seen any women in veils or other signs of Muslims, but then, we haven’t ventured any further than Altstadt, Neustadt and Renault! I learn later from Anda that Yenidze is a former cigarette factory that functions now as an office building. “Yenidze” was the name of a tobacco company that imported tobacco from Yenidze, in Greece. So there you go!
Yenidze, once a cigarette factory and now an office building
OTHER POSTS ABOUT CYCLING IN GERMANY
Cycling in Germany – Tips & Tricks Cycling in Germany #1 – Kobern-Gondorf on the Moselle Cycling in Germany #2 – Rhine from Saint Goar to Lorch Cycling in Germany #3 – Cochem to Zell on the Moselle Cycling in Germany #4 – Koblenz where the Moselle meets the Rhine Cycling in Germany #5 – Bad Schaugen to Pirna along the Elbe Cycling in Germany #6 – Bastei Rocks, Honigen and over the border to Czech Republic Cycling in Germany #7 – Dresden: accommodation & car trouble and Baroque Treasure Cycling in Germany #8 – Dresden Neustadt: Kunsthof Passage, Pfund’s Molkerei, a broom shop & trompe l’oeil Cycling in Germany #9 – Country roads around Niderlommatzsch on the Elbe Cycling in Germany #10 – Meissen on the Elbe Cycling in Germany #11 – Martin Luther Country: Torgau on the Elbe Cycling in Germany #12 – Martin Luther Country: Wittenberg on the Elbe Cycling in Germany #13 – Wörlitz Gardens and the beginning of neo-classicism in Germany Cycling in Germany #14 – Shades of Gaudi on the Elbe: Hundertwasser Cycling in Germany – Turgermünde, the prettiest village on the Elbe Cycling in Germany #16 – Celle & Bremen Cycling in Germany #17 – Windmills & Dykes Cycling in Germany #18 – Painted façades from Hann. Münden to Höxter Cycling in Germany #19 – Bernkastel on the Moselle: a hidden treasure Cycling in Germany #20 – Trier & the Binoculars Scare Cycling along the Danube – A Renaissance festival in Neuburg, Bavaria Cycling along the Danube – Watch out for trains! Cycling along the Danube – Regensburg & Altmuhle Cycling along the Danube – The Weltenburg Narrows Cycling along the Danube – from its source to Ehingen Cycling along the Danube – Ehingen to Ulm Cycling along the Danube – Singmarigen to Beuron Cycling along the Danube – Binzwangen to Mengen including Zwiefalten Eurovelo 6 – Cycling around Lake Constance Eurovelo 6 – Moos to Stein am Rhein and Steckborn on Lake Constance Heading home to France after a month’s cycling holiday
Ah, so the area that the nice TI young man brought us through was the Kunsthofpassage. Fun to know the name. It was all rather whimsical and clever! So glad you didn’t get in a hail storm after your visit to the Pfunds Molkerei! We didn’t see the broom shop but that sure would have been fun!
Thanks for the posts…
When you commented about Neustadt, I thought we couldn’t leave Dresden without going there. I, too, am glad we didn’t have the hail storm. What a pity you missed that wonderful broom store!
Great photography! I like your post. I never have time to write when I travel, I think you are very prolific!
Thanks Anda. If I wait until I get home to write up the trip, I never remember it (or get around it). We had a wonderful time in Plovdiv last year but I didn”t write the post immediately and still haven’t got around to it which is sad. I’m hoping I’ll eventually do it. While I write my post, Jean Michel writes up the travel log, that way we are both writing at the same time.
Those courtyards are eccentric but gorgeous. Beautiful shots!
Are they just wonderful? I love clever things like that.
I love all these places! Great photos of the trompe l’oeil, I didn’t see that when I was there. I often see broom shops at the markets in Germany. I think the Germans are obsessed with cleaning every nook and cranny.
What a pity you missed the trompe l’oeil. I think they are so good.
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