The German state of Saxony is dotted with historic milestones

Europe has always fascinated historybuffs like me Her ancient palaces her antique artworks and her monuments to heroes and revolutionary battles have haunted me despite my many visits With every border Irsquove crossed within her patchwork Irsquove discovered yet another key to her magnificent past ldquoBut if you werenrsquot a travelwriter and merely a mortal with your leave days numbered how would you take in the best of European history in just one weekrdquo asks a close friend The task seems impossible until I stumble upon Saxony a place of superlatives when it comes to the continentrsquos legacy Europersquos highest fortress The Konigstein Fortress I walk across the oldest bridge in Dresden the Augustus Bridge just as the sun rises over the Saxon city The rays cast their golden reflection on the waters of the Elbe that flow beneath me As I wait for my guide I take in the gorgeous skyline carved spires reaching for the sky majestic domes belonging to palaces and sepiatoned buildings enclosing the serene Elbe To complete the pictureperfect scene a steamer sails by leisurely and I am mesmerised Almost on cue a voice adds ldquoNow you know why Dresden is referred to as the lsquoFlorence of the Elbersquordquo It is my guide Seema Prakash one of the few guides in Saxony who speaks fluent English German and Hindi Bath nymphs at the The Frauenkirche PicKiran Mehta She picks the perfect spot to introduce me to the 800yearold city which was once the cultural capital of Europe a title earned under Augustus the Strong It was his artistic vision that led to the creation of Dresdenrsquos most beautiful buildings But the bombing raids of the World War II saw it razed to the ground Subsequently all of Saxony fell behind the iron curtain But today the city has been rebuilt with German precision brick by brick to recapture its heyday The list of recreated monuments is large so I go with Seemarsquos favourite The Zwinger The Frauenkirche is carved entirely of stone and displays elements typical of protestant architecture The Zwinger ldquoIs it a palace or is it a cityrdquo I ask as I catch my first glimpse of the sprawling structure ldquoIt was Augustus the Strongrsquos party palacerdquo explaine Prakash Given the size and splendour of the Zwinger Augustus really knew how to party But today the Zwinger itself is cause for celebration since it is one of the best examples of Baroque the world has ever seen marked by exaggerated opulence gilded statues ornamented arches detailed fountains and so on Statue of Richard Wagner who was born in Leipzig u00a0PicKiran Mehta True to its intention the Zwinger has open courtyards which can hold many guests But my favourite among them is the cloistered inner courtyard because here lies the lsquoBath of the Nymphsrsquo a fountain carved out of angelic figurines With high walls that disconnect me from the outside I sit by this fountain and am instantly transported to another time and space I can almost picture the festivities in full swing women in voluminous taffeta gowns men in embellished coats and breeches with feathered hats to complete the look of yore But the chime of the Meissen bells on the roof brings me back to reality I step inside the Zwinger which today aptly houses many works of arts in different galleries I make my way to The Old Masters Gallery which showcases Raphaelrsquos Sistine Madonna bearing the famous little angels I admire the many Meissen creations at The Porcelain Collection I have to stop myself from touching the precious objects made from gold ivory and diamonds that lie stacked on unprotected shelves at The Historical Green Vault Room after room the Zwinger holds many treasures It is a lot to take in yet not nearly enough Sensing my desire to glimpse more of Dresdenrsquos past Prakash leads me to the Frauenkirche The Frauenkirche I look up at one of the largest domes in Europe Little wonder that it belongs to one of the most significant protestant churches in the continent This is the Frauenkirche For those like me who cannot pronounce the name it is The Church of Our Lady The church is carved entirely in stone and displays elements typical of protestant architecture But itrsquos the history which fascinates me mdash The foundation of the church was first laid down in the 11th century as a Roman catholic church But this house of worship converted during the protestant reformation Its faith was tested once again when it was destroyed during the horrific bomb raids and the rubble was deliberately left in the open for decades as a memorial Finally in the 1990rsquos an action group called for its rebuilding and it was reopened in 2005 I make my way to the viewing platform atop the dome 67 meters above ground and got a birdrsquos eyeview of this city But as I take in the sweeping sights I cannot help but marvel at the resilience of the Saxons and their ability to piece together their city after such immense destruction Is it pragmatism or it is spirituality that gives them strength Prakash explains it best ldquoA Saxon friend once told me that death isnrsquot the end of life but a part of itrdquo The Konigstein Fortress I hop onboard an iconic steamship a monstrous vessel which is part of the largest and oldest paddle steamer fleet in the world The Saxon Steamship Company With a forceful gust of steam and a piercing whistle which could probably be heard across the Elbe Valley my journey begins towards the town of Konigstein in Saxon Switzerland As the ship nears my destination and I take in the view I understand the meaning behind the regionrsquos peculiar name The sight before me is magnificent mdash jarring sandstone mountains in a variety of abstract shapes and sizes The beautiful rock formations seem to be reaching for the sky And the scene appears almost painted Yet it is a simple fortress atop the hill that captures my attention for it is the highest fortress in Europe I take a short bus ride from the town of Konigstein to this 750yearold military bastion named after the town And there as I walk around its outer walls and look onto the valley below time comes to a complete standstill even as I chase history Gewandhaus Leipzig I take a oneandahalfhourlong speedy road trip with Seema as we make our way from Dresden to Leipzig ldquoLeipzig was the main force behind the revolution that tore down the Berlin wall in 1989rdquo she informs But the city is known the world over not just for this peaceful uprising but for its music Leipzig is where Wagner was born where Bach spent a large part of his life and where Europersquos oldest civilian concert orchestra the Gewandhaus was born The orchestra was founded in 1743 under the name of the lsquoGrand Concertsrsquo But in 1781 the orchestra found its first real home in a trading house of the clothmakersrsquo guild or Gewandhaus as it is referred to in German The name of the venue caught on and the orchestra was renamed the Gewandhaus Even though I donrsquot catch a performance inside this worldfamous structure I can hear the music everywhere in Leipzig From the Bach Memorial where the composer stands against an organ to the Bach Museum to the Musikinstrumenten Museum which houses musical instruments spanning five centuries to the Leipzig Opera House and more With a melody playing in my head and a spring in my step my time in Saxony comes to an end As I mull over all I have seen in just one week I know that Saxony holds some of the best pages of Europersquos pastu00a0 Make it happen Getting there Fly Lufthansa from Mumbai to Dresden with a stopover in Frankfurt Best time to go The summer months from June to August when temperatures are mild But be prepared for a few showers Other remarkable sites in Saxony Europersquos largest monument mdash A tribute to the Battle of the Nations of 1813 this monument in Leipzig commemorates Napoleanrsquos defeat in the city Europersquos first winery experience mdash Schloss Wackerbarth lies in the town of Redebeul between the cities of Dresden and Meissen It houses Saxonyrsquos oldest production facility for sparkling wine and it is also Europersquos first vineyard to allow guests onto its estates to discover and experience the world of wine firsthand The most beautiful dairy shop in the world mdash Built in neorenaissance style the funds Dairy in Dresden has earned mention in The Guinness Book of Recordsu00a0