Grünes Gewölbe
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The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) in Dresden, Germany is a museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. It is a part of the Dresden castle. It was founded by August dem Starken (Augustus II the Strong) in 1723. It features a unique and rich variety of exhibits from the period of baroque to classicism. The name comes from the first green-painted room. It has been completely reconstructed and was reopened on 1 September 2006. It is often referred to as a walk-in treasure chest. It contains nine rooms, each with its own exhibition theme.
During World War II three of the nine rooms were damaged by bombs, but the treasure itself was kept safely elsewhere. The Soviet army seized the treasures in 1945, but gave them back in 1958 to the German Democratic Republic.
The Grünes Gewölbe is a famous part of the Dresden State Art Collections.
[edit] Exhibits
The whole collection consists of more than 4000 pieces, about 1000 are in the Neues Grünes Gewölbe, 3000 are in the original, historical Grünes Gewölbe. Due to the limited space only the most important and famous pieces are presented. Many of the works were made by the goldsmith Johann Melchior Dinglinger.
- One of the most important statue is the Mohr mit Smaragdstufe (Moor with Emeraldplate). It was created by Balthasar Permoser in 1724. The Statue is richly decorated with jewels and is about 64 cm high.
- Der Hofstaat zu Delhi am Geburtstag des Großmoguls Aurangzeb (Palace at Delhi of the Mogul Aurangzeb at his birthday) represents the imagination of European monarchs about Arabic Palaces in India. It is a miniature with about 150 persons and animals. It was created from 1701-1708. It costs as much as one palace.
- The Dresden Green Diamond is a Green brilliant with 41 carat, the green colour is unique because of its natural radiation. Another diamond is the Sächsische Weiße (Saxon White), it has 48 carat. Unique is a Sapphire of 648 carat, a present of czar Peter I of Russia.
- The Golden Coffee Service, which presents the cups and saucers and sugar bowls on an elaborate pyramidal etagère surmounted by the coffeepot, all in enamelled gold, a cabinetpiece unique in Europe. Augustus took the recently-completed ensemble with him to Warsaw at Christmas 1701, to dazzle the nobles of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of which he was the nominal ruler.
- The Dianabad (The "Bath of Diana"), in which a chalcedony bowl in a filigree is supported between the horns of a stag's head.
- The Obeliscus Augustalis, made in 1722, worth as much as one palace.
- The Juwelen-Garnituren (Jewel garniture) is the largest collection of jewels in Europe. They represented the claim of absolute power of the monarchs.
[edit] Rooms
The Historical Grünes Gewölbe consists of 9 rooms and one single entrance room:
- The Vorgewölbe with Martin Luther-Kabinett
- The Bernsteinkabinett with works of art made of amber.
- The Elfenbeinzimmer with many statues made of ivory.
- The Weißsilberzimmer
- The Silbervergoldete Zimmer
- The Pretiosensaal, most of the mirrors are made of quicksilver.
- The Wappenzimmer
- The Juwelenzimmer, including the Juwelen-Garnituren.
- The Bronzezimmer
- The Raum der Renaissancebronzen
[edit] External links
- The most important exhibits with pictures in german
- Pictures of three rooms and information in german
