The mural contains over 23,000 individual Meissen porcelain tiles.
Only a few tiles had to be replaced after the firebombing of Dresden in 1945.
The original 1870s sgraffito design began to fade after only two decades due to pollution and weather.
The figures are arranged chronologically by their historical reign order.
The artist, Wilhelm Walther, included a self-portrait at the very end of the procession.
The artwork serves as a visual genealogy of the House of Wettin, which ruled Saxony for over 800 years.
The Fürstenzug is a 102-meter-long mural located on the outer wall of the Stallhof in Dresden's Augustusstraße. It depicts the procession of 35 Saxon margraves, dukes, electors, and kings from the House of Wettin spanning the years 1127 to 1904. The original mural was painted in sgraffito technique between 1871 and 1876 by Wilhelm Walther. Due to weathering, the mural was transferred onto approximately 23,000 Meissen porcelain tiles between 1904 and 1907. It is one of the world's largest porcelain artworks. The imagery identifies each ruler by name, including the final two kings of Saxony, George and Frederick Augustus III. The wall survived the 1945 firebombing of Dresden with relatively minor damage, unlike much of the surrounding city. It remains an outdoor installation accessible 24/7 as part of the public streetscape.
Stand at the far end near the entrance to the Stallhof courtyard to capture the scale and perspective of the full length.
Walk the entire length of the wall to observe the subtle changes in artistic detail and tile glazing.
Look for the small commemorative plaque near the end of the wall that details the tile restoration process.
Visit during the evening to see the mural under specialized floodlighting, which highlights the texture of the porcelain.
Do not attempt to touch the porcelain surface, as the oils from skin can accumulate on the tiles over time.
