Dresden Elbe Valley

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View over the river meadows and Dresden

The Dresden Elbe Valley is a World Heritage Site in Dresden, Germany. The valley, spreading some 20 kilometres through the city of Dresden, is one of the both cultural landscapes along the central-european river Elbe. This landscape gained its worth due to the fact that it is part of the urban area as well as part of the natural river banks and slopes.

Map of the area in Dresden

Famous parts of the Elbe Valley are Pillnitz with its castle and old village as well as the village of Loschwitz, technical building like the bridge Blue Wonder, the Standseilbahn Dresden or the Schwebebahn Dresden and the historic center with the famous buildings of Brühl's Terrace, Semperoper and Katholische Hofkirche (Roman Catholic Church of the former court). Parts of the area like Blasewitz are historic suburbs of the city while there are also industrial parts included.

In 2006, UNESCO World Heritage Committee placed the site on its list of World Heritage Sites in danger and threatens to remove the Dresden Elbe Valley from the World Heritage List. The committee was quoted saying that "plans to build a bridge across the Elbe would have such a serious impact on the integrity of property's landscape that it may no longer deserve to be on the World Heritage List. It therefore decided to inscribe Dresden Elbe Valley on the List of World Heritage in Danger "with a view to also consider, in a prudent manner, delisting the site from the World Heritage List in 2007 if the plans are carried through. "[1]

The responsible City council decided on 20th July 2006 in a first reaction to stop the invitation to bid for the contracts allowing to build the bridge.