Old town from the northern bank of the Elbe river

We walked along the northern bank of the river, and crossed over into
old town on the bridge that leads directly into the middle of town.

Almost completely devestated by WWII, and then 50 years of neglect and
disrepair behind the curtain of communism in east Germany... The "old
town" area of Dresden is quite a contrast of historic buldings all
battered and blackened, with the polish of reconstructed statues,
buildings and ornaments. The most striking contrast were the shiny
golden statues high atop the blackened buildings.