Dresden's main concert hall sits at the edge of the Altmarkt, an angular piece of East German modernism that looks aggressively out of place among the surrounding Baroque reconstruction — and is all the more interesting for it. Completed in 1969 as a prestige cultural project of the GDR, it was the home of the Dresden Philharmonic and a venue for state functions and pop concerts. The Socialist Realist mosaic wrapping the exterior is among the finest surviving examples of that genre in Germany.
The 2017 renovation gutted and rebuilt the interior while preserving the facade. The Philharmonie now performs in a completely redesigned hall with state-of-the-art acoustics. The building also houses the Dresden City Library (Städtische Bibliotheken), making it one of the more democratic spaces in the Altstadt — you can wander in, use the library, and look at the architecture without spending anything. Check the Philharmonie's programme if you're in Dresden for more than a day.