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Article: Where WWII bombs once laid waste, a Dresden gem shines again; The newly reopened Green Vault displays artifacts amassed by King Augustus - if not his legendary ability to snap horseshoes bare-handed.(WORLD)
- Article from:
- The Christian Science Monitor
- Article date:
- October 5, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 The Christian Science Publishing Society. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Andrew Curry Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor
DRESDEN, GERMANY -- Augustus the Strong was one of Europe's most powerful - and colorful - monarchs.
King of Poland and Elector of Saxony, legend has it he snapped horseshoes with his bare hands and sired hundreds of children (all but one illegitimate).
In 1723, he began renovating his treasure chambers, filling eight rooms in a sunny corner of his palace.
When it was completed in 1730, Augustus's "Green Vault" contained everything from cameos carved onto cherry pits to gold wine buckets the size of washtubs. The objects were housed in exquisitely painted rooms covered ...