The Green Vault, or Grünes Gewölbe, is Dresden’s extraordinary treasury museum, housed in the Royal Palace in the heart of the old town. Created by Augustus the Strong in the early 18th century, its collection of goldsmiths’ work, jewels, ivory and amber was designed to display the wealth and political ambitions of the Saxon court.
The museum has two distinct parts. The Historic Green Vault recreates the theatrical splendour of Augustus’s treasury in a sequence of richly decorated rooms, restored after wartime destruction. The New Green Vault takes a different approach, presenting individual masterpieces in cases where their intricate workmanship is easier to study. Among its highlights is the Court at Delhi on the Birthday of the Great Mogul, an elaborate jewelled tableau populated by tiny figures.
Book a timed ticket for the Historic Green Vault in advance, especially during busy travel periods, and check ticket options if you plan to visit both sections. Allow two to three hours for the pair, and leave time for the palace’s other collections, including the armoury. The Royal Palace is an easy walk from Dresden’s central old-town sights.