Here, where we stand in the Ostragehege, history whispers from the soil beneath our feet. The Ostragehege is an inner-city landscape in Dresden. It is located west of the Altstadt district. It largely belongs to the Friedrichstadt district. The Ostragehege consists of the Große and the Kleine Ostragehege.
Let’s start with a bit of etymology. The name Ostragehege comes from the village of Ostra. Ostra was first mentioned in 1206. The name has Sorbian roots. Ostra means island. This describes the character of the area well.
Originally, this landscape was a broad floodplain of the Elbe. Hans Erlwein developed it for construction in the early 20th century. He created Germany’s largest slaughterhouse at the time. This included the Alberthafen and Hafenmühle.
The Kleine Ostragehege was southeast of the former Weißeritz riverbed. Today, it’s where you will find the Theaterwerkstätten, the Landtag, Erlweinspeicher and the Kongresszentrum. Today, Ostragehege generally refers to the Große Ostragehege. It includes the Sportpark Ostra in the eastern Flutrinne Ostragehege area. It also encompasses the former slaughterhouse grounds to the north. The Messe Dresden and the Dynamo training center are located here. The central Flutrinne has a large parking lot that is also used for events and concerts. The western part of the Flutrinne remains natural.
The Ostragehege’s roads include Pieschener Allee, Magdeburger Straße, and Schlachthofstraße. Also Rudolf-Harbig-Weg, Messering, and Zur Messe. The Ostragehege lies in the core zone of the former Dresden Elbe Valley World Heritage Site. Its width defines one of the broadest sections of the cultural landscape.
The first documented mention of Dresden in 1206 also mentions the village of Ostra. At that time, Ostra belonged to the Bishop of Meißen. Its location protected it from floods. This made it an important settlement in the Elbe Valley.
In 1559, Elector August acquired the Vorwerk or farm from the Bishop of Meißen. He gradually created a large agricultural operation. This covered about 553 hectares. The village of Ostra was dissolved. The farmers were given new land in Leubnitz and Zschertnitz. In 1696, the enclosure of a Tiergarten area led to the name Große Ostragehege.
In 1842, the Bramsch press yeast and spirits factory was established in Ostragehege. In 1856, the Elbstation opened near the Marienbrücke. It was used for coal shipping.
In 1891 to 1893, the Weißeritz riverbed was moved to improve flood protection. It now flowed into the Elbe west of the Ostragehege. The Alberthafen construction began in 1891 and finished in 1895. The Ostragehege lost a large part of its Übigauer Allee due to the harbor construction.
In 1900, Dresden decided to build a new slaughterhouse. The slaughterhouse construction took place from 1906 to 1910. The area lost its untouched character. In 1917, the Kammergut Ostra was dissolved. The agricultural land was divided into parcels. Since 1919, the Dresdner Sportclub 1898 used facilities and the Heinz-Steyer-Stadion in the Ostragehege.
During the Dresden bombings of February 1945, the Heinz-Steyer-Stadion was a target marker. After the war, the southern Ostragehege served as a landfill for rubble.
Since 2007, the OSTRALE International Exhibition of Contemporary Arts has taken place in the Ostragehege. In 2008, around 8,500 visitors viewed over 100 art spaces.
Today, the Ostragehege is a fascinating blend of history, sport, culture, and nature. It invites exploration and reflection. As you wander through this landscape, remember the layers of time. Consider the people who shaped it.