Renault

This was shown in October of that year and is called Renault Identité.
. In 2004, French typeface designer Jean-François Porchez was commissioned to design a replacement. Moreover, Dresden hosts many world-class research institutes:. This type family is said to have been designed not for prestige reasons, but mainly to save costs at a time where the use of typefaces was more costly than it is now. Dresden is home to a number of renowned universities:. Both the Renault logo and its documentation (technical as well as commercial) had used a specially designed typeface called Renault, developed by British firm Wolff Olins. Between five and eight thousand Neo-Nazis took part, mourning for the victims of what they call the Allied bomb-holocaust (German: Alliierter Bombenholocaust).

Renault has regularly topped the French car sales charts, fighting off fierce competition from Citroën and Peugeot. In 2005, Dresden was host to the largest Neo-Nazi demonstration in the post-war history of Germany. The Renault 12 (1970), Renault 5 (1972), Renault 20 (1976), Renault 25 (1985) and Renault Laguna (2002) have all achieved runners-up in spot in the competition. Affiliated with the radical right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD), they cite the bombing of Dresden in order to portray Germans as the real victims of the Second World War, and try to take advantage of anti-American sentiment to do it. Renault cars have performed well in the European Car of the Year awards: the Renault 16 (1966), Renault 9 (1982), Renault Clio (1991), Renault Mégane Scénic (1997), Renault Mégane (2003) and Renault Clio III (2006) have all won the award. In recent years, however, right-wing extremist skinheads have tried to instrumentalize the event for their own political ends. Conversly if the team is unsuccessful in future it can be expected that Ghosn will withdraw resources from the sport. Since reunification, the tone of the ceremonies has taken on a more neutral and pacifist tone.

In short he will continue Renault's investment in F1 as long as the team is successful and can use the resulting publicity for wider commercial gain. Similar ceremonies held during the period of communism were specifically directed at demonizing the Western Allies, above all the United States. However at the 2005 French Grand Prix Ghosn set out his policy regarding the company's involvement in motorsport:. Every year on February 13, the anniversary of the major British fire-bombing raid that destroyed most of the city, tens of thousands of demonstrators gather to commemorate the event. Questions have been raised regarding Renault's commitment to its Formula One team, particularly with the appointment of Carlos Ghosn as CEO. Dresden remains a major cultural epicenter of historical memory, owing to the city's destruction in World War II. 2004 saw the Renault team finish a close third in the Constructors' Championsip and in 2005 the team won both Constructors' and Drivers' titles (with Fernando Alonso). In 2004 the United Nation's cultural organization UNESCO declared Dresden and the surrounding section of Elbe river valley to be a "World Heritage" site.

Renault also took over the Benetton F1 team in 2001, and quickly became very competitive, Fernando Alonso winning Renault's first race in its second incarnation at the 2003 Hungarian Grand Prix. Disaster relief for the millennial flood came from around the world. However, the team were to win their first race on home soil in Dijon a mere two years later and by the early eighties, every front-running Formula One team used turbochargers. The destruction from this “millennium flood” is no longer visible, due to the rapidity of reconstruction. Initially, Renault's entry into Formula One in 1977 was ridiculed when the team's first design included such curiosities as a turbocharger. In 2002, torrential rains caused the Elbe to flood 9 m past its 1845 record height, damaging many landmarks (See 2002 European flood). In the late seventies and early eighties, Renault began to involve itself more heavily in motorsport, setting up a dedicated motorsport division called Renault Sport, and winning the Le Mans 24 Hours (once again in collaboration with Alpine) while achieving success in both rallying (with the Renault 5 Turbo) and Formula One. Volkswagen is currently manufacturing its Phaeton car model and the Bentley "flying spur" model at a modern factory located in central Dresden, delivered by city tramway.

Motorsport has long been recognised as an effective marketing tool for automobile manufacturers. The city has also attracted many new firms to the region (including AMD, Motorola, net-linx, Toppan Photomasks, Infineon Technologies, and Airbus Industries). See List of Renault vehicles. Many of the industries that made Dresden rich before the Second World War and disappeared under communism have resettled in the city including the optical industry, the high quality foodstuffs industries, and the watchmaking industries (including the Glashütte brand). Current members of the board of directors of Renault are: Yves Audvard, Michel Barbier, Alain Champigneux, François de Combret, Charles de Croisset, Carlos Ghosn, Jean-Louis Girdolle, Itaru Koeda, Marc Ladreit de Lacharrière, Dominique de La Garanderie, Bernard Larraouturou, Henri Martre, Jean-Claude Paye, François Pinault, Franck Riboud, Louis Schweitzer, Georges Stcherbatcheff, and Robert Studer. Dresden as a major urban center has developed much faster and more consistently than most other regions in the former East Germany, but the city still faces many social and economic problems which stem from the collapse of the communist system, including high unemployment levels. Renault, together with associated brands Dacia and Renault Samsung, aims to sell 4 million vehicles worldwide in 2010. After 1990 a completely new law and currency system was introduced in the wake of Communism’s downfall, and eastern Germany's infrastructure was largely rebuilt with funds from western Germany.

Renault retained its position as the leading brand in Europe with 1.8 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles sold and market share of 10.8%. East Germany had been the richest Communist country but was faced with competition from western Germany after reunification. The Group (Renault, Dacia, Renault Samsung Motors) posted a 4.2% increase in worldwide sales to a record 2,489,401 vehicles, representing a global market share of 4.1%. In 1990 Dresden--an important industrial centre of East Germany--had to struggle with the economic collapse of the Soviet Union and the other export markets in eastern Europe. For 2004 Renault reported a 43% rise in net income to €3.5 billion and 5.9% operating margin, of which Nissan contributed €1,767 million. The urban renewal process in Dresden will continue for many decades but public and government interest remains high and there are numerous large budget projects underway - both historic reconstructions and modern plans - that will continue the city's recent architectural renaissance. The most popular French car in Britain is currently the Renault Clio, which has been a strong seller throughout Europe since its launch 14 years ago. Despite the inner city’s almost total destruction in World War II, many areas in the central city have been restored to their former glory.

In 2004, Renault was the fifth most popular car maker in Britain behind the Ford Motor Company, Vauxhall Motors, Peugeot and Volkswagen. The new Frauenkirche was rebuilt according to historical drawings and photographs and is now open to public service since Reformation Day 2005. Renault also owns Samsung Motors (Renault Samsung Motors) and Dacia, as well as retaining a minority stake (20%) in Volvo Trucks. It was completed in 2005, a year before Dresden's 800th birthday. Nissan in turn took a 15 per cent stake in Renault in 2002. The church, once the city's symbol and considered the world's finest Protestant church, was rebuilt following German reunification in 1991 from the remaining pile of rubble of the original church's ruins thanks to private and corporate donations. Renault has a stake of 44.4 per cent in Japanese automaker Nissan together with which they form the Renault-Nissan Alliance. The most important urban renewal/reconstruction project was the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche (“Church of Our Lady”) and the surrounding Neumarkt district.

In 2005, Carlos Ghosn (also CEO of Nissan) has become Renault's CEO, Louis Schweitzer staying Chairman. The city still has many of its wounds from the bombing raids of 1945 but Dresden has undergone significant reconstruction in recent years. Louis Schweitzer has been the Chairman of Renault since 1992 and CEO from 1992 to 2005. Dresden has experienced dramatic changes since the reunification of Germany in the early 1990s. The government of France owns 15.7 per cent of the company. Local activists and residents, joined in the growing civil disobedience movement spreading across East Germany by staging demonstrations and demanding the removal of the undemocratically-elected communist government. The Laguna was the first car to achieve a 5 star rating and in 2004 the Modus was the first small car to achieve this rating. On 3 October 1989, (the so-called “battle of Dresden”), a convoy of trains carrying East German refugees from Prague passed through Dresden on its way to West Germany.

As well as its distinctive styling, Renault was to become known for its car safety - it is currently the car manufacturer with the largest number of models achieving the maximum 5 star rating in EuroNCAP crash tests. Among East Germans, Dresden also earned the nickname "the valley of the clueless" because the city's location in a valley prevented its residents from watching West German TV, an illegal but popular pastime among East Germans. The Avantime, a bizarre coupe/minivan hybrid, sold very poorly and was quickly discontinued while the luxury Vel Satis model did not sell as well as hoped. However, many of the bombed-out ruins of churches were razed by Soviet authorities in the 1960s instead of being repaired. Less successful were the company's more upmarket models. Many important historic buildings were rebuilt, although the communists leaders of the city chose to reconstruct large areas of the city in a bland socialist modern style for economical and ideological reasons, namely to break away from the city's past as the royal capital of Saxony and a stronghold of the German bourgeoisie. The second generation of the Laguna and Mégane featured ambitious, angular designs which turned out to be highly successful. After the Second World War, Dresden became a major industrial center in socialist East Germany with a great deal of research infrastructure.

In the twenty-first century, Renault was to foster a reputation for distinctive, outlandish design. The comradery is deeply supported by the populace in both cities. This new freedom allowed the company to venture once again into Eastern Europe and South America, including a new factory in Brazil and upgrades for the infrastructure in Argentina and Turkey. Today Dresden has a strong partnership with the English city Coventry, which was heavily damaged by German air attacks. It was eventually decided that the company's state-owned status was detrimental to its growth, and it was privatized in 1996. Fortunately, much of the city's beauty has been restored, thanks to the zeal of the populace in recreating the architecture of ‘old Dresden'. The return to success on the road was matched by a return to success on the racetrack - Renault-powered cars won the Formula One World Championship in 1992, 1993, 1996 and 1997 with Williams and in 1995 with Benetton. Others see it as a necessary military action taken to support the Red Army.

A revitalized Renault launched several successful new cars in the early 1990s, including the phenonemonally successful 5 replacement the Clio, the second generation Espace, the Twingo, the Laguna, and the 19. While some think that the bombing of Dresden was a tragic occurrence that Nazi Germany brought upon itself, others feel it should be treated as a war crime. He was replaced by Raymond Lévy, who continued along the same lines as Besse, slimming down the company considerably with the result that by the end of 1987 the company was more or less financially stable. It states definite figures of between 18,000 and 22,000 with estimates of final numbers of 25,000 and includes the interesting sentence "Since rumours far exceed the reality, open use can be made of the actual figures.". Although this succeeded in halving the deficit by 1986, Besse's treatment of the workforce resulted in him being assassinated by the left wing terrorist group Action Directe in 1986. "TB47" is probably a reasonable guide to the order of casualty numbers. The government intervened and Georges Besse was installed as chairman; he set about cutting costs dramatically, selling off many of Renault's non-core assets, withdrawing almost entirely from motorsports, and laying off many employees. The official "Final Report and Situation (TB47)" produced by Reich Commander of the Order Police a month after the bombings.

Although its cars were successful both on the road and on the track Renault was losing a billion francs a month and reported a deficit of 12.5 billion in 1984. However the West German Federal Archive in Koblenz discovered a genuine copy of TB47. The second-generation Renault 5, the European Car Of The Year-winning Renault 9, and the most luxurious Renault yet, the 25 were all released in the early 1980s, building Renault's reputation. Many of the higher estimates are based on a fake TB47 report (which has been visibly altered). The company's road car designs were revolutionary also - the Renault Espace was one of the first minivans and was to remain the most well-known minivan in Europe for at least the next two decades. The entire inner city (15 square kilometres) was utterly devastated, and other quarters were damaged to some degree, the many villa quarters, however, on average much less than others. In the late seventies and early eighties Renault increased its involvement in motorsport, with novel inventions such as turbochargers in their Formula One cars. At that time, Dresden's population was 600,000, but up to 200,000 refugees were living in cramped apartments and passing through Dresden as the Russians were now only fifty miles away.

Renault sold AMC to Chrysler in 1987 and the brand and its cars subsequently disappeared (though the subsidiary Jeep brand remained). Numbers between 25,000 - 140,000 have been used in official statistics with the communist authorities of Dresden increasing their estimates across time; estimates in Nazi Germany by the Ministry of Propoganda varied between 350,000 and 400,000. Renault sold some interesting models in the USA in the 1980's, especially the simple looking but fun Renault Alliance GTA convertible - a real automatic-top convertible with a simple but clean euro-style design with a gently sloping hood, as well as a 2.0 liter engine - big for a car of its class; and the ahead-of-its-time Renault Fuego coupe; Renault sold other models here in the 80's. Civilian death estimates vary wildly largely as a result of propaganda figures which received widespread publicity at the time, however the most recently available evidence from Friedrich Reichart of Dresden City Museum points to 25,000 deaths, which is less than the number that died in Hamburg, but Dresden was a smaller city. Unfortunately the American Renault-AMC partnership was not successful - the cars had so-so reliability and by the time the Renault range was ready to become established in the American market, the energy crisis was over, taking with it much of the trend for economical, compact cars. Although key industrial facilities were destroyed by the bombing (much of their capacity was quickly restored), the main goal of the "area bombing" was to create a fire storm (an objective inspired by the Luftwaffe's raids on Coventry, Bath and London but refined by Britain's Royal Air Force). Some consider the Jeep XJ Cherokee as a joint AMC/Renault project since some early sketches of the XJ series was done as a collaboration of both Renault and AMC engineers (AMC insisted that the XJ Cherokee was designed by AMC personnel; however, a former Renault engineer designed the Quadra-Link front suspension for the XJ series). The Red Army was approaching from the East and Dresden was one of two key rail routes with marshalling yards.

Renault continued to increase its control over AMC, eventually owning 55% of the company by 1980; the Renault-AMC partnership also resulted in the marketing of Jeep vehicles in Europe. However these targets were not the main reason for the city being bombed. This was one of a series of collaborative ventures undertaken by Renault in the late 1960s and 1970s, as the company established subsidiaries in Eastern Europe and South America (many of which remain active to the present day) and forged technological cooperation agreements with Volvo and Peugeot (for instance, for the development of the PRV V6 engine). Some 300 Jews were kept slave laborers at a camp in Dresden, of these the majority were killed before the war ended, along with almost all of the 6,000 Jews who lived in Dresden before the war (a famous survivor was Dresden native and writer Victor Klemperer). Previously, an AMC Rambler American was badged as a Renault Torino in Argentina (sold through IKA-Renault). These factories employed mainly local workers but also used Jewish slave labour. However, in the early part of the decade, when the energy crisis-hit continent required small, economical cars, Renault began to make plans to return through a collaborative partnership with the American manufacturer AMC. In addition many peacetime factories, such as the cigarette factories, had been converted to ammunition factories as part of the policy of "total war".

The energy crisis also provoked Renault's attempt to reconquer the North American market; despite the Dauphine's success in the United States in the late 1950s, Renault had virtually disappeared from North America by the 1970s. Dresden's reputation for culture is better known than its highly developed optics industry (Carl Zeiss later Praktica), which produced precision aiming devices during the war. Endangered like all of the motor industry by the energy crisis, during the mid seventies the already expansive company diversified further into other industries and continued to expand globally, including into South East Asia. Evidence uncovered after the war shows that Germany's Anti-Aircraft batteries employed "a flak militia of Juveniles" (Führer-Order 20/90/42). The formula was much the same however, and the Super5 inherited its styling lines from its father. Early in the war it had been considered too distant for the Allied bombers to reach in safety, but even when it had been bombed the majority of Dresden's anti-aircraft defences were redeployed elsewhere in Germany. The 5 remained in production until 1984 when it was replaced by the Super5. The city was not particularly well defended, because as a European cultural center, lacking industry, it was not seen as militarily strategic.

The company's compact and economical Renault 5 model, launched in 1972, was another success, particularly in the wake of the 1973 energy crisis. However at the time Allied forces had only recently regrouped from a German counteroffensive. As well as the 4 and 8, the company achieved success with the more upmarket Renault 16 launched in 1966, which continued Renault's reputation for innovation by being the world's first hatchback larger than subcompact size as well as the first hatchback with folding rear seats, which became and remains the universal standard hatchback design. In hindsight it is clear that the end of the war was approaching. Both cars continued Renault's motor racing traditions with great success in rallying, a tradition which was further upheld by collaborations with the Alpine company (which most famously produced the Renault-powered Alpine A110). Because the raging fires stopped at the river, the newer Neustadt ("new town") ironically became the older side of modern-day Dresden sustaining less damage. The 4 in particular was to continue in production until 1992. The Altstadt ("old town") side of the Elbe River full of its historical cultural treasures was the most damaged, and left smoldering.

In an attempt to revive its flagging fortunes, Renault launched two cars which were to become phenonemonally successful - the Renault 4 and Renault 8 in 1961 and 1962 respectively. It was carpet bombed on the early hours of Valentine's Day, February 13-14 1945. The car did not sell well in North America and it was outdated by the start of the 1960s. Dresden was not the only German city devastated by World War II bombing, but the bombing of Dresden in 1945 has become one of the most controversial events of that war. The 4CV's replacement, the Dauphine, sold extremely well as the company expanded production and sales further abroad, including Africa and North America. Main article: Bombing of Dresden in World War II. However, despite the success of its flagship model, the company continued to be blighted by labor unrest, and indeed continued to be well into the 1980s. The city has suffered repeated destruction: by fire in 1491, from bombardment by the Kingdom of Prussia in 1760, and during the suppression of the constitutionalist May Uprising in 1849 and the destructive Allied bombing raid of February 1945.

As with earlier Renault models, the company made extensive use of motor racing to promote the 4CV, the car winning both the Le Mans 24 Hours and Mille Miglia races as well as the Monte Carlo rally. In the early 20th century Dresden was particularly well-known for its camera works, such as Ihagee and Pentacon, which produced the Praktica , and the cigarette factories, one of which was in the impressive Yenidze, a building with a multicoloured glass roof shaped like a mosque which still stands today. In the years immediately following its nationalization Renault experienced something of a resurgence, led by the rear engine 4CV model, which was launched in 1946 and proved itself a capable rival for cars such as the Morris Minor and Volkswagen Beetle, its success (more than half a million sold) making sure it remained in production until 1961. The city’s population quadrupled from 95,000 in 1849 to 396,000 in 1900 as a result of industrialization. The Renault factories became a public industry (known as Régie Nationale des Usines Renault) under the leadership of Pierre Lefaucheux. The city also developed into an important center for the international sale of art works and antiques. His industrial assets were seized by the socialist provisional government of France. During the 19th century, the city became a major center of industry, including automobile production, food processing, and the production of medical equipment.

An autopsy later proved that his neck had been broken, suggesting that he was murdered. During the Napoleonic Wars the French emperor made it his base of operation, winning here a famous battle on August 27 of that year. He was, for this reason, arrested during the liberation of France in 1944 and died in prison before having prepared his defense. Between 1806 and 1918 it was the capital of the Kingdom of Saxony (which was from 1871 a part of the German Empire). During World War II, Louis Renault's factories worked for Nazi Germany producing trucks with work on cars officially forbidden. His son Frederick August II also reigned from Dresden as Augustus III of Poland from 1734-1763: during his reign the city was seat of a treaty that ended the Second Silesian War, and suffered heavy destructions in the Seven Years' War (1756-1763). This continued through the 1920s and it was not until 1930 that all models had the radiator at the front. His reign marked the beginning of Dresden's emergence as a leading European city for technology and art.

The pre First World War cars had a distinctive front shape caused by positioning the radiator behind the engine to give a so called "coalscuttle" bonnet. He also gathered many of the best architects and painters from all over Europe to Dresden. However, Renault struggled to compete with the increasingly popular small, affordable "people's cars" from Volkswagen and Fiat, while problems with the stock market and the workforce also adversely affected the company's growth. Because he planned to make Dresden the most important royal residence, Augustus set out to discover the Chinese secret of porcelain (‘white gold’); under his rule, European porcelain was invented in Dresden and Meißen. Between the two world wars, Louis Renault enlarged the scope of his company, producing agricultural and industrial machinery. From 1697-1706 and 1709-1733 Elector Frederick Augustus I ruled from Dresden as King August the Strong of Poland; the city is also known as Drezno in Poland. By the end of the war, Renault was the number one private manufacturer in France. From 1485 it was the seat of the dukes of Saxony, and from 1547 the electors as well.

Renault became the world's leading manufacturer of airplane engines, and the success of the company's military designs were such that Renault himself was honored by the Allies for his company's contributions to their victory. It was restoered to the Wettin dynasty about 1319. As well as cars, Renault manufactured taxis, buses and commercial cargo vehicles in the pre-war years, and during World War I (1914 - 1918) branched out into ammunition, military airplanes and vehicles such as the revolutionary Renault FT-17 tank. After the death of the former, however, the city became property of the King of Bohemia and , later, the Margrave of the Brandenburg. At the time, cars were very much luxury items, and the price of the smallest Renaults available being 3000 francs reflected this; an amount it would take ten years for the average worker at the time to earn. Since 1270, starting with Henry the Illustrious, Dresden became the capital of the margravate. The Renault reputation for innovation was fostered from very early on - in 1899 Renault launched the first production sedan car as well as patenting the first turbocharger. Founder of the city was Dietrich of Meißen, Margrave of Meißen.

Louis was to take full control of the company as the only remaining brother in 1906 when Fernand retired for health reasons. An ancient Slavic settlement known as Drežďany ("alluvial forest dwellers") on the northern bank of the river was joined in 1206 by a German town on the southern bank, the heart of the present day Altstadt (“old town”), while the Slavic part is called Neustadt ("new town"). Although Louis Renault never raced again, his company remained very involved, including their Renault AK 90CV winning the first ever Grand Prix motor racing event in 1906. Meißen is situated to the west of Dresden, most famous for the invention as well as production of European porcelain. Both Louis and Marcel Renault raced company vehicles, but Marcel was killed in an accident during the 1903 Paris-Madrid race. More east is Saxon Switzerland, a large prime climbing destination. The brothers immediately recognized the publicity that could be gotten for their vehicles by participation in motor racing and Renault made itself known through achieving instant success in the first city-to-city races held in France, resulting in rapid expansion for the company. In the northeast is the Bühlau quarter; in the east Kleinzschachwitz, another villa quarter.

Louis was a bright, aspiring young engineer who had already designed and built several models before teaming up with his brothers, who had honed their business skills working for their father's textiles firm; Louis handled design and production, Marcel & Fernand handled company management. Nearby, at a higher elevation, are the villages Bannewitz and Rundteil at the foot of the Erzgebirge mountains. The Renault corporation was founded in 1898 as Société Renault Frères by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. The major sights of Dresden include:. . The city now once again features a wealth of tourist attractions. However, Renault is correctly pronounced "Rhen-oh" (as it is commonly in the UK). Many of the city's greatest monuments were rebuilt in the decades following the war; this process was given new impetus and funding after the reunification of Germany in 1990.

When its cars were imported to and sold in the United States during the 1950s and 1960s, it was decided to pronounce the name as "Ren-ALT" in marketing to the American public, and the Anglicized pronunciation continues in common usage. The city area also reportedly had in some quarters the highest living costs in Europe before World War II. Renault S.A. is a French vehicle manufacturer producing small to upper-midsize cars, vans, buses, tractors and trucks. The style of architecture that predominated under August I of Saxony is known as Dresden Baroque. 2005 - Carlos Ghosn becomes president. Before the bombing raid of World War II, Dresden with its unmatched collection of baroque architecture was famous as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. 2002 - Benetton Formula One team formally becomes Renault F1. The Großer Garten (“big garden”) is the largest urban park in the city.

2001 - Renault sold its industrial vehicle subdivision (Renault Véhicules Industriels) to Volvo, which renamed it Renault Trucks in 2002. In 2002 Dresden was listed as one of Europe's greenest (large) cities: a third of its area is covered by the forested areas called Dresdner Heide. Renault vice-president, Carlos Ghosn was parachuted in to turn round the ailing firm. Because of its location in a relatively narrow river valley, Dresden's climate is much more characteristic of southern Germany and is considerably warmer than most other places in eastern Germany. 1999 - Renault purchased a 35 percent equity stake in Nissan the troubled Japanese car maker, injecting $3.5 billion to obtain effective control of the company under Japanese law. The Dresden University of Technology, is one of the world's oldest technical universities. 1996 - The company was privatized to create Renault S.A.. The city is often called the "Silicon Valley of Germany" because numerous computer hardware and hi-tech development firms have opened offices and research facilities in the region.

1992 - Louis Schweitzer becomes president of Renault group. Dresden is also an important center of the sciences and is home to many researchers. 1986 - On April 9 the government of France ruled against the privatization of Renault. Often seen as an important culture center, it is called the "Florence of the Elbe" (Elbflorenz in German) because of that. 1979 to 1987, Renault held majority ownership in the American Motors Corporation (AMC), which it sold to Chrysler Corporation in March 1987. Unlike many large cities in Germany, which feature a clearly defined inner city, Dresden has several important centers of social and economic activity spread throughout the city's area. 1898 - Louis Renault founded Renault. About an hour northwest of Dresden is Leipzig, another big city in Saxony.

Dresden is located at 51°03′N 13°45′E, in the southeastern corner of eastern Germany; about two hours south of Germany's capital, Berlin, and about two hours north of Prague, capital of the Czech Republic. . Today, Dresden is an important cultural, political, and economic center in the Eastern part of the Federal Republic of Germany. The controversial Bombing of Dresden in World War II and 40 years of GDR changed the face of the city dramatically.

Dresden has a long history as capital and Royal residence for the Kings of Saxony with centuries of extraordinary cultural and artistic splendor. Dresden is part of the metropolitan area Saxon Triangle with a population of over 3.2 million. The city’s population is 480,347 (as of December 2004) and the population in its agglomeration is 800,000. Dresden is the capital city of the German Federal State of Saxony and situated in a valley on the River Elbe.

- Columbus, Ohio; United States. - Salzburg; Austria. - Strasbourg; France. - Rotterdam; Netherlands.

- Hamburg; Germany. - Florence; Italy. - Brazzaville; Republic of the Congo. - Ostrava; Czech Republic.

- Skopje; Macedonia. - St.Petersburg; Russia. - Wroclaw; Poland. - Coventry; United Kingdom.

Leibniz Gemeinschaft: IÖR - Leibniz Institute of Ecological and Regional Development, IPF - Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research, IFW - Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research and FZR - Research Centre Rossendorf. Max-Planck-Gesellschaft: MPI of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, MPI for Chemical Physics of Solids and MPI for the Physics of Complex Systems. Fraunhofer Society: Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Sintered Materials IKTS, Fraunhofer Institute for Electron and Plasma Technology FEP, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits IIS, Fraunhofer Institute for Material and Beam Technology IWS, Fraunhofer Center Nanoelectronic Technologies CNT, Fraunhofer Institute for Photonic Microsystems IPMS, Fraunhofer Applications Center for Processing Machinery and Packaging Technology AVV, Fraunhofer Institute for Transport and Infrastructure Systems IVI as well as branches of other Fraunhofer Institutes headquartered elsewhere in Germany. The Palucca Dance School is the only college of Fine Arts in Germany devoted exclusively to the academic study of dance.

The Dresden International University is a private foundation, postgradual, university, founded few years ago in cooperation with the Dresden University of Technology; most students there have to prove some years of successful practise. Other universities include the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik, a school specializing on church music, the Evangelische Hochschule fuer Sozial Arbeit, the Fachhochschule der Wirtschaft and the Offizierschule des Heeres. University of Music - Carl Maria von Weber, founded in 1856. The Palucca School of Dance, founded by Gret Palucca in 1925.

The Dresden Academy of Art, founded in 1764, known for its former professors and artists like Otto Dix, Oskar Kokoschka, Canaletto or Caspar David Friedrich. The University of Applied Sciences Dresden, founded in 1992, with 5.000 students (2005). Dresden University of Technology with almost 35.000 students (2004), founded in 1828, is one of the oldest and largest technical universities in Germany. The Transparent Factory, Volkswagen's luxury car assembly plant with a glass exterior opened in 2002.

Unfortunately the observation deck is closed. Fernsehturm Dresden-Wachwitz - TV Tower of Dresden. Standseilbahn Dresden - the funicular cable railway in Dresden. Schwebebahn Dresden an aerial cable car similar to the Schwebebahn Wuppertal.

Blue Wonder historic bridge considered a "wonder" of 19th century engineering. The German military history museum (with exhibits dating back to the Stone Age). Many of these hold world records in collection sizes, just as an example the biggest porcelain collection of the world can be found in the Zwinger.