The Moritzburg Palace was King Augustus’ playground for hunting. Only a mere 20 minutes’ drive from town, he could feel that it was a great getaway place but still reduce the carbon footprint. The most impressive part of the palace were the mooseheads, of every shape and variety you could imagine. They really looked like branches from some sacred trees, each individually chiseled and honed.

The other distinguishing mark to this palace unlike others throughout Europe were the leather tapestries. They had a lot of animals in the Wald so they made use of the skins by sewing them together and adding embossing for depth and texture, as well as paint from gold and other colors. The formal gardens were clean if not a bit sterile, but the strolls throughout the forest and surrounding area were extensive and well worth a day’s visit.

Moritzburg was in the midst of celebrating its Music Festival. They highlight young musicians hosted by the Dresden Musikfestspiele’s own director, Jan Vogel. The performers were the ones I heard in Proschwitz Palace. This Palace and the church are used as venues for performances, and would be well worth planning as part of a weekend stay.

Photos, from top:
1. Overview of Backyard.
2. Horsemen taking stroll along the extensive paths throughout Moritzburg.
3. An intriguing enclosed garden surrounded by a wall of manicured trees
4. A typical horse cart taking a shortcut through the palace grounds
5. Evening view of Moritzburg.