Kunsthalle im Lipsiusbau

Between 1887 and 1894, a splendid building for the arts was constructed between the Frauenkirche and the Brühlsche Terrasse. With its glass dome nicknamed the “Lemon Squeezer” it occupies a prominent place in Dresden’s city silhouette. At the time of its construction, the “Lemon Squeezer” was a highly controversial issue as it was considered to be in competition with the dome of the Frauenkirche.

Today, however, it is regarded as an enrichment of the Historic Center. The richly decorated complex of buildings, carried out in neo-renaissance style, is known after its creator, professor of architecture, Constantin Lipsius as “Lipsius Bau”. Behind its entrance façade, which is reminiscent of a Greek temple, it used to house the art academy as well as the exhibition hall of the Sächsischer Kunstverein. For many centuries spectacular art exhibitions have taken place here: as early as 1905 painters of the newly founded artists’ group “Brücke” participated in presentations of the Kunstverein.
After its partial destruction in 1945, the exhibition building remained unused for several centuries. Reconstruction measures were completed in 2005. They were carried out by the state-owned enterprise Sächsisches Immobilien- und Baumanagement Dresden II and supervised by the Saxon Ministry of Finance. With the exhibition “Der Blick auf Dresden” (“Views of Dresden”) the impressive Great Hall and the cabinets were given back to their original purpose in October. With the exhibition building, now operated by the Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, the city of Dresden has regained an impressive location for art exhibitions.

After “Views of Dresden”  and “100 Years Ago. Rodin in Germany”  will take place “From Monet to Mondrian. Modern Masterworks from Private Collections of Dresden in the first half of the Twentieth Century”  of the Galerie Neue Meister from September 16, 2006 to January 14, 2007 at Palais Brühlsche Terrasse.