Andy's Germany Adventure: Day 8, pm

Monday, 17 January 2011, pm.

Again the pictures speak for themselves!

My top tourist tips:

1. Albrechtsburg

2. Dom

3. Frauenkirche and the old town around the market square

... and you can't really leave Meissen without doing the porcelain factory!

The Albrechtsburg was originally built as an armoury and fort in 900 and something, adapted to a palace, sacked by the Swedish, abandoned, and turned into a porcelain factory. What we see now is a 19th century restoration, but it is a fantastic building with vaulted ceilings, oak and tiled floors, heavy oak doors and frescos. You can just picture the mediaeval aristocracy doing their business and banqueting raucously. http://www.albrechtsburg-meissen.de/en/albrechtsburg_castle/

The Dom (Cathedral) is interesting because of its historical role in the reformation. And they have a few art works by Cranach. http://www.meiland.de/dom-zu-meissen/index.htm (German only) or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albrechtsburg

The Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) is pretty, and notable for the design of its tower and porcelain Glockenspiel, instead of bells. http://www.frauenkirche-meissen.de/ (German only)

And, yes the porcelain factory puts on a good show and has a museum of porcelain work old and new. http://www.meissen.com/. The web site is only in German but they do the tours in loads of languages, prerecorded. You see a video then move through four separate rooms where skilled workers show you the steps of the manufacturing process. See also wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meissen_porcelain.

I am no expert on porcelain, but as a tourist destination I have to say Meissen has the edge on Stoke-on-Trent!