The Frauenkirche, Dresden

On the night of 13/14 February 1945, British and American bombing hugely damaged Dresden. Today, much of Dresden’s beauty has been restored through local initiative, although many of the wounds of war are still visible and the city has a strong partnership with Coventry, which was heavily damaged by German air attacks, although with fewer casualties.  The most important urban reconstruction project was that of the Frauenkirche (‘Church of Our Lady’) and the surrounding Neumarkt district. This symbol of the city, considered the world's finest Protestant church, was rebuilt using original drawings and photographs following German reunification in 1990. Rubble from the ruins of the original church was used. It was completed in 2005, a year before the 800th anniversary of the city’s birth.