Chocolate lovers will find plenty to enjoy in Dresden. Foto: Lisa by pexels.
The capital of Saxony was once regarded as Germany’s chocolate capital. At the Dresden Chocolate Museum, this sweet chapter of the city’s history comes to life, while chocolate makers, cafés, and restaurants continue the tradition in delicious ways.
What many people do not know is that the first milk chocolate was invented in Dresden, not Switzerland. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Saxon capital developed into a center of the German chocolate industry. This rise was made possible by several factors, including the city’s excellent transport links, its proximity to the sugar beet industry, and the long tradition of Dresden’s confectioners and pastry chefs.
The First Milk Chocolate Came from Dresden
The history of chocolate in Dresden is, of course, also part of the permanent exhibition at the Dresden City Museum. The exhibition features typical luxury and consumer goods from the period. Alongside chocolate, these also include cigarettes, which were likewise produced in Dresden. Foto: Karla Kallauch
The history of chocolate in Dresden began in 1823, when Gottfried Heinrich Christoph Jordan and August Friedrich Timaeus founded the company Jordan & Timaeus in Dresden’s Neustadt district.
In 1839, the two entrepreneurs placed a newspaper advertisement promoting their new product: “Chocolate made with donkey’s milk, without spices, suitable both for cooking … and for eating raw in 24 small bars …” The advertisement appeared in the Dresdner Anzeiger on May 22, 1839.
This provides evidence that milk chocolate was being produced in Dresden more than three decades before Daniel Peter developed his Swiss version in 1875. In its early days, however, Dresden milk chocolate probably tasted considerably more bitter and less creamy than the milk chocolate we know today.
Camondas: The Dresden Chocolate Museum
The Dresden Chocolate Museum invites visitors to learn more about the city’s long chocolate-making tradition—with tastings included! Foto: Camondas
The Dresden Chocolate Museum on Schloßstraße demonstrates just how closely cocoa, technology, and entrepreneurial spirit were intertwined in the city. Visitors can learn how chocolate is made from cocoa beans, how to recognize high-quality products, and why Dresden was once regarded as Germany’s chocolate capital.
The museum was founded by Ivo Schaffer, who has run the Dresden confectionery shop Camondas since 2008. The name combines “cacao” with “le monde,” the French term for “the world.”
The exhibits include historical packaging, advertising materials, and numerous chocolate molds. Dresden entrepreneur Anton Reiche holds a special place in the museum’s history. In the 19th century, he developed a process that allowed molds to be made from less expensive tinplate rather than copper. This made it possible to produce large quantities of chocolate Santa Clauses, animals, and fantasy figures. At its peak, his factory employed around 1,800 people and supplied chocolate manufacturers in many countries.
The C. C. Petzold & Aulhorn Chocolate and Confectionery Factory, founded in Dresden in 1843, is credited with creating the first chocolate-filled Advent calendar. An example of this historic calendar, which is said to have been introduced to the market in 1938, can also be seen at the Dresden Chocolate Museum.
Simply irresistible: This chocolate ice pop is in high demand. Foto: Camondas
In addition to exploring the Dresden Chocolate Museum independently, visitors can book guided tours, tastings, and hands-on workshops. These include ice cream tastings and chocolate-lollipop-making workshops for children.
The museum is also connected to a chocolate shop where visitors can sample and purchase artisanal chocolates from around the world. One of its most popular products is its chocolate ice cream on a stick, which has become a must-try for many tourists.
Although Dresden’s large chocolate factories are no longer in operation, the city’s passion for artisanal treats remains. One place where visitors can experience this tradition is Bäckerei Wippler (Wippler Bakery).
This family-owned business combines more than 100 years of Dresden baking and pastry-making heritage with contemporary recipes and high-quality ingredients. Alongside cakes, tarts, and stollen, chocolate also plays an important role.
Among its special creations are “Webers Freikugeln”. These seven marzipan pralines, filled with pistachios, nougat, chili, and ginger, evoke the famous Wolf’s Gorge scene from Carl Maria von Weber’s opera Der Freischütz. Weber composed the opera while living in Dresden, and it premiered in Berlin in 1821.
Dresden’s restaurant scene also demonstrates that cocoa is not just for desserts. At Schmidt’s Restaurant in Hellerau, one of Dresden’s many outstanding fine-dining restaurants, chef Olaf Kranz focuses on artisanal cuisine, regional ingredients, and the Slow Food philosophy.
He uses chocolate not only in sweet dishes but also as a bitter or spicy element in savory dishes and sauces.
One example is Schmidt’s Chocolate Chicken, which combines chicken, vegetables, port wine, and chocolate. A shelf-stable canned version of the dish is also available from the restaurant’s online shop.
In the 18th century, hot chocolate was considered a precious and fashionable drink at European royal courts. Jean-Étienne Liotard’s famous pastel paintingThe Chocolate Girl also reflects this history.
Created in Vienna around 1744, the painting depicts a maid carrying a glass of water and a cup of hot chocolate on a tray.
In 1745, the art dealer Francesco Algarotti purchased the painting directly from the artist for the Dresden Pastel Cabinet. Today, it is one of the best-known works in Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and is closely associated with the city’s reputation as the “City of Chocolate.”
The “Dresdner Schokoladenmädchen” or “Dresden Chocolate Girl” brand also draws on this sweet history. The brand is run by Dresden-based event manager Ronny Kürschner together with Peggy Junke. Its product range includes handmade organic chocolate bars, pralines, and chocolate cake.
The Dresdner Schokoladenmädchen brand sells chocolate in a wide variety of flavors, all wrapped in colorful packaging. Inside the wrapper, customers can learn more about the history of Dresden’s historic chocolate companies. Foto: Karla Kallauch
There is also a real-life “Chocolate Girl” who serves as an ambassador for Dresden as a city of chocolate. The role is currently held by Dresden student Vivian Rücker, who works for a chocolate manufacturer in the Dresden Elbland region alongside her studies.
In this way, Dresden’s chocolate tradition continues to thrive beyond the museum.
The capital of Saxony was once regarded as Germany’s chocolate capital. At the Dresden Chocolate Museum, this sweet chapter of the city’s history comes to life, while chocolate makers, cafés, and restaurants continue the tradition in delicious ways.
What many people do not know is that the first milk chocolate was invented in Dresden, not Switzerland. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, the Saxon capital developed into a center of the German chocolate industry. This rise was made possible by several factors, including the city’s excellent transport links, its proximity to the sugar beet industry, and the long tradition of Dresden’s confectioners and pastry chefs.
The First Milk Chocolate Came from Dresden
The history of chocolate in Dresden began in 1823, when Gottfried Heinrich Christoph Jordan and August Friedrich Timaeus founded the company Jordan & Timaeus in Dresden’s Neustadt district.
In 1839, the two entrepreneurs placed a newspaper advertisement promoting their new product: “Chocolate made with donkey’s milk, without spices, suitable both for cooking … and for eating raw in 24 small bars …” The advertisement appeared in the Dresdner Anzeiger on May 22, 1839.
This provides evidence that milk chocolate was being produced in Dresden more than three decades before Daniel Peter developed his Swiss version in 1875. In its early days, however, Dresden milk chocolate probably tasted considerably more bitter and less creamy than the milk chocolate we know today.
Camondas: The Dresden Chocolate Museum
The Dresden Chocolate Museum on Schloßstraße demonstrates just how closely cocoa, technology, and entrepreneurial spirit were intertwined in the city. Visitors can learn how chocolate is made from cocoa beans, how to recognize high-quality products, and why Dresden was once regarded as Germany’s chocolate capital.
The museum was founded by Ivo Schaffer, who has run the Dresden confectionery shop Camondas since 2008. The name combines “cacao” with “le monde,” the French term for “the world.”
The exhibits include historical packaging, advertising materials, and numerous chocolate molds. Dresden entrepreneur Anton Reiche holds a special place in the museum’s history. In the 19th century, he developed a process that allowed molds to be made from less expensive tinplate rather than copper. This made it possible to produce large quantities of chocolate Santa Clauses, animals, and fantasy figures. At its peak, his factory employed around 1,800 people and supplied chocolate manufacturers in many countries.
The C. C. Petzold & Aulhorn Chocolate and Confectionery Factory, founded in Dresden in 1843, is credited with creating the first chocolate-filled Advent calendar. An example of this historic calendar, which is said to have been introduced to the market in 1938, can also be seen at the Dresden Chocolate Museum.
Camondas Chocolate Museum // Schloßstraße 22, 01067 Dresden // Daily, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. // camondas.de
Chocolate Ice Pops
In addition to exploring the Dresden Chocolate Museum independently, visitors can book guided tours, tastings, and hands-on workshops. These include ice cream tastings and chocolate-lollipop-making workshops for children.
The museum is also connected to a chocolate shop where visitors can sample and purchase artisanal chocolates from around the world. One of its most popular products is its chocolate ice cream on a stick, which has become a must-try for many tourists.
Camondas locations
Schloßstraße 22, Daily, 10 a.m.–6 p.m. // An der Frauenkirche 20, Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m. // Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. // Am Altmarkt, Webergasse 1, Monday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. // Camondas Eis-Kontor, Schloßstraße 5, Monday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.–7 p.m.
Handmade Chocolate in Dresden
Although Dresden’s large chocolate factories are no longer in operation, the city’s passion for artisanal treats remains. One place where visitors can experience this tradition is Bäckerei Wippler (Wippler Bakery).
This family-owned business combines more than 100 years of Dresden baking and pastry-making heritage with contemporary recipes and high-quality ingredients. Alongside cakes, tarts, and stollen, chocolate also plays an important role.
Among its special creations are “Webers Freikugeln”. These seven marzipan pralines, filled with pistachios, nougat, chili, and ginger, evoke the famous Wolf’s Gorge scene from Carl Maria von Weber’s opera Der Freischütz. Weber composed the opera while living in Dresden, and it premiered in Berlin in 1821.
Kaffee Wippler // Körnerplatz 2, 01326 Dresden-Loschwitz // konditorei-wippler.de
Chocolate Meets Savory Cuisine
Dresden’s restaurant scene also demonstrates that cocoa is not just for desserts. At Schmidt’s Restaurant in Hellerau, one of Dresden’s many outstanding fine-dining restaurants, chef Olaf Kranz focuses on artisanal cuisine, regional ingredients, and the Slow Food philosophy.
He uses chocolate not only in sweet dishes but also as a bitter or spicy element in savory dishes and sauces.
One example is Schmidt’s Chocolate Chicken, which combines chicken, vegetables, port wine, and chocolate. A shelf-stable canned version of the dish is also available from the restaurant’s online shop.
Schmidt’s Restaurant // Moritzburger Weg 67, 01109 Dresden // Tuesday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m. and 5–10 p.m.
Saturday, 5–10 p.m. // schmidts-dresden.de
The Famous Dresden Chocolate Girl
In the 18th century, hot chocolate was considered a precious and fashionable drink at European royal courts. Jean-Étienne Liotard’s famous pastel painting The Chocolate Girl also reflects this history.
Created in Vienna around 1744, the painting depicts a maid carrying a glass of water and a cup of hot chocolate on a tray.
In 1745, the art dealer Francesco Algarotti purchased the painting directly from the artist for the Dresden Pastel Cabinet. Today, it is one of the best-known works in Dresden’s Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister and is closely associated with the city’s reputation as the “City of Chocolate.”
© Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden, Foto: Herbert Boswank
A Historical Figure Becomes a Brand
The “Dresdner Schokoladenmädchen” or “Dresden Chocolate Girl” brand also draws on this sweet history. The brand is run by Dresden-based event manager Ronny Kürschner together with Peggy Junke. Its product range includes handmade organic chocolate bars, pralines, and chocolate cake.
There is also a real-life “Chocolate Girl” who serves as an ambassador for Dresden as a city of chocolate. The role is currently held by Dresden student Vivian Rücker, who works for a chocolate manufacturer in the Dresden Elbland region alongside her studies.
In this way, Dresden’s chocolate tradition continues to thrive beyond the museum.
dresdner-schokoladenmädchen.de
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