Yenidze: One Of The Most Unique Buildings In Dresden
Yenidze is one of the most unique and special buildings in Dresden due to the spectacularity of its architecture. And it is that its Muslim elements contrast, as we will see, with the style of the rest of the buildings in this German city. You want to know more? If so, keep reading, you are going to discover a very special place.
Yenidze’s story
This unique building is a design by the architect Martin Hammitzsh. It was built between 1908 and 1909 to house a factory for a tobacco brand, which gave the building its name and was characterized by its smoothness and aroma. As a curiosity, the name ‘Yenidze’ comes from a tobacco growing area located in the Greek part of Macedonia.
Likewise, since its owner, businessman Hugo Zietz, sold the tobacco factory in 1924, the building had several owners. For example, the VEB Importtabak company used it to store raw tobacco and supply said raw material to the tobacco industry in the German Democratic Republic.
During the Second World War the building suffered serious damage. The work that was carried out to rebuild it is reflected in the film Carbide and Sorrel , a comedy released in December 1963, directed by Frank Beyer and starring Erwin Geschonneck.
The Yenidze building was restored in 1996. Since then, at the top of the building – in its glass dome – you can find a restaurant from which you can enjoy magnificent views of the city of Dresden. There is also a theatrical space and, in addition, the building houses various offices.
Yenidze Features
Yenidze stands out for its external appearance. It is a building that resembles a mosque, and its towers look like minarets. It has an explanation: when it was built, the tobacco import company was under Turkish direction, therefore, they wanted to build a building with typical Middle Eastern ornamental elements.
Delving further into its architecture, it features Moorish and art nouveau design elements . In its access the pillars and the masonry of Arab airs stand out. But if there is something that draws attention, it is the front, in which granite, brick, painted plaster and colored concrete are mixed. And all adorned with mosaic inlays.
Of course, we must mention the fabulous glass dome. It was under it where the recreation areas for the employees of the old tobacco factory were located.
What else to see in Dresden
In addition to the Yenidze building, Dresden has to enjoy its monuments, starting with the cathedral of the Holy Trinity or Hofkirche, large and built in sandstone. Of the same material are the 78 figures of saints over three meters high that adorn it.
From Hofkirche we moved to the terrace of Brühl, a fabulous architectural complex that stretches along the banks of the Elbe. Some of the parts of which it consists are the building of the Academy of Graphic Arts, the Albertinum museum, the monument to Johann Friedrich Böttger or the Dolphin fountain.
Equally interesting is the Royal Palace in Dresden, one of the oldest buildings in the German city and the residence for years of the kings of Saxony. So are the Semper Opera, a true jewel of the theatrical world; or the Frauenkirche, a spectacular baroque church that is ruled by the Lutheran cult.
There are many more attractions: Zwinger, a Baroque palace dating from 1711 and notable for its large central square, with a garden and several fountains; Fürstenzug, the largest porcelain mural in the world; Pfunds Molkerei, a dairy of great beauty; or Kunsthofpassage, a passage with original facades.
By now you will have been able to see that Dresden offers numerous tourist possibilities, starting with getting to know one of its most unique buildings. Yenidze allows us to move to the Middle East without leaving Germany.
