From fishing village to provincial capital
Founded on the site of a Slavic fishing village as a merchant settlement and sovereign castle, Dresden has been the residence of Saxon dukes, electors and later kings since the 15th century. The city experienced both glorious and tragic times, it was a splendid center of European politics, culture and business, especially in the 18th century, and only two centuries later became synonymous with apocalyptic destruction.
Today, around 540 000 inhabitants. With 328.31 km², Dresden ranks 4th after Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne in a comparison of large German cities.
Beyond the region, Dresden works closely with many other cities and stakeholders worldwide within the framework of networks and projects. There are partnerships with 13 cities.
This information has been taken from here.