Matthias Donath Book order

Moritzburg Palace is one of the most magnificent hunting palaces of the electorates and kings of Saxony. From the hunting residence of Duke Moritz of Saxony, after whom the place was named, arose a baroque residential complex which continues to enchant visitors to this day. The palace itself rises on an artificial island in the middle of the Moritzburg pond area. The four massive round towers are reflected in the water. On the inside one can admire the exquisite interior decoration of the 18th century. Belonging to the Moritzburg surroundings are ponds and forests, gardens, a miniature lighthouse and the fascinating Little Pheasant Castle. With its exotic roof finial emulating examples from East Asia, this little palace served Elector Friedrich August III of Saxony and his family as a private retreat. Until 1918, the Moritzburg hunting grounds counted among the favourite hunting areas of the Saxon kings. Huge antlers and exotic trophies on the interior of the palace recall the passion for hunting of the Wettins and the splendor of the court of August the Strong.

Es heißt, der Zwinger sei gefrorene Musik – der sächsische Sandstein scheint in aufbrausender Bewegung erstarrt zu sein. Erbaut zu Beginn des 18. Jahrhunderts, besteht er aus Pavillons und Galerien, die einen Festplatz umgeben und eine beschwingte Kulisse von betörender Schönheit formen. Der Zwinger verkörpert die Dresdner Barockkultur und ist eine der wichtigsten Sehenswürdigkeiten der sächsischen Residenzstadt. Der Band stellt Entstehung und Geschichte des berühmten Prachtbaus vor und führt durch die faszinierenden Gebäude und Gärten.

The Burgberg in Meissen is a more powerful symbol of the state's medieval origins than any other place in Saxony. It was here that, after 1471, the Wettin Electors and Dukes of Saxony built the Albrechtsburg, the first modern residential palace in Germany. With it they created a masterly building whose bold architectural solutions and design ideas continue to impress us up to the present day. In 1710, the famous Meissen porcelain manufactory found a home in the Albrechtsburg, which was empty at the time. After 1864 the castle was converted into a monument to Saxon history. The guide to the castle offers an extensive overview of the castle's eventful history and explains the whole building in detail – both the outstanding architecture and the unique 19th-century murals.

Many of the buildings erected during the era of National Socialism are still standing in downtown Berlin today. In this architecture guide Matthias Donath, building and art historian, presents thirty typical examples of Third Reich architecture. Almost all of the buildings from this period are preserved except for the Reich Chancellery where only traces remain. In addition to ministries, administration centers and embassies, the author describes bunkers, office buildings and a house of the Hitler Youth. The Tempelhof Airport and Olympic grounds are well-known even outside of Berlin. The buildings presented in the book show how diverse the architecture was during these years. The author explains their different functions as well as their intended political message and how they were used for propaganda. Historical photos show the original buildings. Visitors to Berlin and Berlin residents curious about their city’s history will find this book illuminating. The sites are easy to find with the help of a map. Thirty buildings from Berlin’s inner districts are described in this architecture guide, including traces of the Reich Chancellery, various ministries, the Reich National Bank, air-raid and anti-aircraft bunkers, embassies, the Tempelhof Airport, the exhibition and convention grounds, business offices, a model house for the Hitler Youth, the Reich Sports Field (Olympic stadium) and the ensemble at Fehrbelliner Platz.