Vogelsches Gartenhaus

Hidden in plain sight, the Vogelsches Gartenhaus whispers stories of Dresden’s past. The Vogelsches Gartenhaus isn’t just one building. It’s two structures merged into one. Imagine two families, living side-by-side, their lives intertwined with the history of this unique garden house. The older section, a long building on the west side, dates back to before 1806. It originally served as an outbuilding for the property at Große Meißner Gasse 6. This property housed a tavern. First known as “Zum Blauen Stern”, it later became “Stadt London”. Now, picture the eastern section, a newer addition built between 1811 and 1814. Designed by Christian Friedrich Schuricht, this section served as a private garden house. It became the home of art historian Christian Leberecht Vogel, father of the famous Carl Christian Vogel von Vogelstein. The Vogelsches Gartenhaus has seen its share of changes. In 1936, it underwent renovations designed by Paul Wolf. This was part of a larger project to reshape the Neustädter Elbufer, the Elbe riverbank area. Years later, from 1984 to 1985, the Vogelsches Gartenhaus was meticulously reconstructed. It became part of the Hotel Bellevue, housing its administration and blending seamlessly into the hotel’s gardens. Theodor Vogel, a theologian and likely a descendant of Christian Leberecht Vogel, wrote a book called “Kindheitsparadiese” (Childhood Paradises) in 1921. He described his memories of the eastern part of the Vogelsches Gartenhaus in 1852. He recalled its solid sandstone construction. He mentioned a distinctive feature: a long, three-part “bull’s-eye” window in the finished attic. This window, along with the reddish hue of the building, made the Vogelsches Gartenhaus easily recognizable from afar. The Vogelsches Gartenhaus stands near the famed Canaletto-Blick, the spot where Bernardo Bellotto, also known as Canaletto, painted his iconic views of Dresden.