My objectives for Friedrichstadt:

• Modification of the Dresden fair (Messe Dresden) to an attractive conference centre
• Renovation and urban restructuring within the frame of the European funds for regional development

The farmers of the village Ostra, first mentioned in 1206, in the present day area of Friedrichstadt were subordinated to the Bishop of Meißen until 1559. By then Ostra became a protectorate of the elector of Saxony.

1568 Elector August dissolved the town in order to establish a supply post. The inhabitants were forced to move and were compensated with estates in what is today Neuostra (75^th city district). Due to the near vicinity of the Elbe following the establishment of a zoological garden in the 18^th century, the name Ostragehege established itself. In the vicinity near to the city the suburb of Ostra was created, which since 1730 carries the name of elector August II Friedrichstadt.

Since 1736 the Marcolinipalais (later city hospital), the Matthäuskirche with the crypt of Pöppelmann was created in the later named Friedrichstraße. In the second half of the 19^th century the changing industry and transport facilities have altered the picture of Friedrichstadt. 1873/75 the Berlin train station was built as a passenger and freight depot. As early as 1894 it was included in the railroad yard.

The river Weißeritz was relocated to Cotta in 1893 and thus rendered additional building land. For that reason the market hall, the cigarette factory “Yenidze”, the Wettiner train station (now train station Mitte) and the cold storage warehouse were created. The architect Erlwein created until 1919 the, at that time, most modern cattle and slaughterhouse. In September 1^st the new fairgrounds and exhibition centre was opened here.

Because of the bombings 1944/45, Friedrichstadt was marked by deterioration and abandonment.

At first reconstruction began with the most important industrial and infrastructural facilities such as the cold storage warehouses, markets, the harbour, the slaughterhouse, the tram workshop Waltherstraße, the marshalling yard & freight depot and the tram reparation depot.

Also the Palais Brühl Marcolini, situated within the Friedrichstädter hospital, was reconstructed soon and was complemented with several additions.

Since 1974 curators of monuments partially restored several baroque facades of the Palais Brühl-Marcolini and of the Friedrichstraße.

Whereas the layout of the Friedrichstraße was mostly preserved, the working residential district was comprehensively modernised in 1976. Plain living flats were built which shaped the cityscape.

A cultural heritage preservation plan was established in 1993 for the preservation of the Friedrichstadt. The conservation of architectural goods is paramount. Its implementation was met with many difficulties as unresolved ownership and financing issues restricted its purpose. Meanwhile with the help of the funding scheme of urban/ city development plan EFRE of the European Union it is possible to counteract the decay of city structures.

The Dresdner Friedrichstadt, a city district, is currently on the move.