Stretching 101 metres along the outer wall of the Stallhof on Augustusstrasse, the Fürstenzug is the world's largest porcelain tile picture — a parade of the rulers of Saxony from 1127 to 1904, painted larger than life and marching in chronological order. It was created as a monument to Saxon dynastic continuity and remains one of the most striking public artworks in Germany, even if the subject matter — a dynasty's self-glorification — is not subtle.
The procession shows 35 margraves, electors, and kings on horseback, along with artists, craftsmen, and scholars. Augustus the Strong appears near the end of the sequence, larger than the others. The surrounding figures include miners, farmers, and artisans intended to represent the productive base on which the dynasty's wealth rested. Looking at it from Augustusstrasse at night, when the city is quiet and the gold lettering catches the streetlights, is one of the genuinely memorable experiences Dresden offers.