The Green Vault
The richest collection of historic jewellery and goldsmith work in Europe.
Mach240390 — CC BY 4.0 · Palau Islands, Micronesia (1862 - 1862) Details on Google Art Project — Public domain · Palau Islands, Micronesia (1862 - 1862) Details on Google Art Project — Public domain · Palau Islands, Micronesia (1862 - 1862) Details on Google Art Project — Public domain
An institution of fifteen museums in Dresden, among the oldest and richest art collections in Europe, originating in the cabinet of curiosities assembled by the Electors of Saxony in the sixteenth century. The jewel is the Green Vault in the Residenzschloss: the treasure chamber of Augustus the Strong from the early eighteenth century, the richest collection of historic jewellery and goldsmith work in Europe. It is shown in two parts — the Historic Green Vault, rebuilt with its original mirrored walls, entered in limited numbers on a booked time slot, and the New Green Vault with a more modern presentation. In the Zwinger, the Old Masters Gallery holds Raphael's Sistine Madonna — whose two small angels at the bottom the whole world knows without knowing the painting — along with Vermeer, Rubens and Rembrandt. One essential practical point: this is not one museum but fifteen in scattered locations on different tickets. Do not try to cover them. Choose two. The Historic Green Vault in particular needs a booked timed slot in advance and sells out early.
The richest collection of historic jewellery and goldsmith work in Europe.
Raphael's painting whose angels the world knows without knowing the painting.
The Old Masters Gallery in the Zwinger is among Europe's most important.
The Residenzschloss and the Zwinger, central Dresden
Kupferstich-KabinettAugustus the Strong founded this collection in seventeen twenty, making it one o1 minute walk4.4
The Coin CabinetThe Münzkabinett in the Residenzschloss is one of the oldest coin collections in1 minute walk4.5
Dresden CastleDresden Castle was the seat of the rulers of Saxony for more than four hundred y1 minute walk4.6
Historic Green VaultThe Historic Green Vault is the treasure chamber of Augustus the Strong, ruler o1 minute walk4.8
Turkish ChamberThis collection emerged inside the Saxon electors' armoury as early as fifteen n1 minute walk4.9The Old Masters Gallery in the Zwinger first — the broadest, the easiest and the least complicated to book. Then the New Green Vault if you have not booked the historic one, or the Historic Green Vault if you booked early. Those two give you the essential Dresden. Add the Mathematics and Physics Salon if historic scientific instruments interest you.
In November 2019 thieves broke into the Historic Green Vault and stole sets of historic jewellery valued in the hundreds of millions, in one of the largest art thefts in modern history. Those involved were later arrested and a large part of the pieces was returned in 2022, some damaged. The incident changed the museum's security arrangements entirely.