On Going Outside The Town By The Gate Of Pirna
Stands, Almost Immediately On The Right, On Turning Down A Road, The
Gardens And Palace Of Prince Anthony.
Leaving this on your right and
proceeding along the chaussee or high road which is nearly parallel to
the
River, at the distance of three-quarters mile from the Gate, stands the
Palace and Gardens called Der Grosse Garten (grand garden), which you
leave on your right, if you continue your route on the chaussee towards
Pirna. I have not yet visited the Grosse Garten. There is likewise a fine
promenade on the banks of the Elbe, but quite in an opposite direction to
the Pirna gate, for to arrive at it from this gate, you must traverse the
Pirna street and Grosser Platz; and on arrival near the bridge direct
your course to the left, which will lead you out of one of the gates into
an immensely long avenue of elm trees parallel to the river which forms the
promenade.
DRESDEN, Oct. 10th.
I have been to see the Palace and grounds of the Grosser Garten. The
garden and park, for it unites both, is of great extent, and beautifully
laid out; but a number of fine trees have been knocked down and mutilated
by cannon shot during the battle of Dresden in 1818, when this garden was
occupied by the Allied troops and exposed to a heavy fire of fifty pieces
of cannon, from a battery erected by Napoleon on the opposite side of the
river, which completely commanded and enfiladed the whole range of the
garden. How the Palace itself escaped being knocked to pieces is wonderful;
but I suppose Napoleon must have given orders to spare it as much as
possible. This Palace is of beautiful structure and in the style of an
Italian villa; statues of the twelve Caesars and bas-reliefs adorn the
exterior. The columns and pilasters are of the Corinthian order. As for the
interior, it is unfurnished, and has been so since the Seven Years' war,
when it was plundered by the enemy, and has never since been inhabited by
the Electoral family. There is a superb rectangular basin of water in this
garden. These gardens are delightfully laid out; why they are not more
frequented I cannot conceive, but I have hitherto met with very few people
there, tho' they are open to all the world. They will form my morning's
promenade, for I prefer solitude to a crowd in a morning walk. But one of
the gardeners here tells me that on Sunday evening there is generally a
good deal of company, who come to listen to the music which is played in a
building fitted up for the purpose at one side of the garden. Wine, coffee,
beer and other refreshments are to be had; but beer is the favorite
beverage. Smoking is universal among the young men; the most ardent
admirers of the fair sex never forget their pipe.
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