The Royal Palace is a very fine and extensive building and the interior is well worth seeing, particularly the superb Riesen-Saal where Augustus II used to give his magnificent fetes. One of the last and most brilliant fetes given here was that given by the King of Saxony to the Emperor Napoleon just before the Russian campaign, at which the Emperor and Empress of Austria and most of the Sovereigns of Germany assisted, to do hommage to the great Conqueror.
The Schloss-gasse or Castle Street leads from the Palace into the Markt Platz where the markets and fairs are held. In this place, in the Schloss-gasse and in another street parallel to it, that leads from the porcelain Manufactory to the Grosser Platz (Grande Place), are the finest shops and greatest display of wealth. On the Grosser Platz stands the Frauen-Kirche, a superb Protestant church, and which may be considered as the cathedral church of Dresden. The Platz is large. There is great cleanliness in all the streets of Dresden, and the houses are well built and uniform; but there are few other very prominent edifices except those I have mentioned. On going outside the town by the gate of Pirna stands, almost immediately on the right, on turning down a road, the Gardens and Palace of Prince Anthony. Leaving this on your right and proceeding along the chaussee or high road which is nearly parallel to the river, at the distance of three-quarters mile from the Gate, stands the Palace and Gardens called Der Grosse Garten (grand garden), which you leave on your right, if you continue your route on the chaussee towards Pirna. I have not yet visited the Grosse Garten. There is likewise a fine promenade on the banks of the Elbe, but quite in an opposite direction to the Pirna gate, for to arrive at it from this gate, you must traverse the Pirna street and Grosser Platz; and on arrival near the bridge direct your course to the left, which will lead you out of one of the gates into an immensely long avenue of elm trees parallel to the river which forms the promenade.
DRESDEN, Oct. 10th.


