Next stop is Dresden and Leipzig. Dresden doesn't seem to have much connection to our Lutheran Heritage, except that it is an important city in Germany. It is the capital of Saxony, and it is renowned for its fine art and china. According to the "official" itinerary I have received from my tour agency, we will be seeing the Semper Opera House and the Zwinger Palace. The Opera House has been rebuilt twice - the first time after a fire in 1869 and again after World War 2. This building holds the honor of premiering many of Richard Wagner's famous operas. Aha! Here is the "Lutheran" connection - Wagner! Natuerlich! (That's German for "duh!")
The Zwinger Palace is a major landmark and an excellent example of baroque architecture. Augustus the Strong had just returned from a trip through France to see Louis XIV and decided he wanted a palace just as grand as Louis'. He was elected King of Poland in 1697 and had the palace built not long afterward. The Semper Opera House is located on the palace grounds.
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