Wednesday, May 11, 2011

the Dresden cable car

Draht is cognate with English "thread" but in German means a wire and drahtseil = wire rope.  The Dresden drahtseilbahn is a little less in length and altitude difference than that of Wellington.
Ascending from the inner district of Loschwitz it has climbed 95 metres in altitude over a distance of 547 metres since 1895 and has been listed as a historical monument since 1984. The similarlities with the Wellington one continue with its two short tunnels, a 102-metre viaduct and a passing loop in the middle. Unlike Wellington, however, it is not a straight line.  The two cars can carry 60 passengers each.

The attractive surrounding landscape makes a trip on the cable car a worthwhile experience. From the upper station you get a view of the Elbe River valley and urban Dresden. The nearby “Luisenhof” restaurant mentioned in these early postcards is still there, from which you can set out on a walk through the Weisser Hirsch villas.

Ther is also a schwebebahn nearby, a separate post about that soon.

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