Medieval pageantry comes alive at Dresden's Royal Palace in immersive new "Tournament Festival"
Aufgalopp — The multimedia tournament festival in the Great Hall © Dresden State Art Collections, Photo: Michael Dörfler.
DRESDEN.—
The thunder of hooves, the clash of steel, and the triumphant call of trumpets are once again echoing through Dresden’s Royal Palace. Beginning December 11, 2025, the Great Hall (Riesensaal) of the Dresdner Residenzschloss has been transformed into a vivid, multisensory journey into the world of Renaissance knightly tournaments with Aufgalopp — The Multimedia Tournament Festival, on view through January 4, 2026.
At the heart of the experience is one of the most extraordinary assemblies of original Renaissance armor for both horse and rider anywhere in the world. These spectacular objects—once symbols of power, prestige, and military prowess—are no longer static museum pieces. Instead, they are animated through an immersive installation that surrounds visitors with sound, moving images, and dramatic storytelling.
Designed for audiences of all ages, the installation recreates the charged atmosphere of Saxon tournaments from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Visitors find themselves in the middle of the action as lances splinter, swords ring out, and a herald summons knights to combat. The effect is theatrical and immediate, making history feel less like a distant past and more like a living spectacle.
Dresden was once renowned across Europe for its lavish festivals, many of which stretched on for weeks. Tournaments were always a centerpiece of these celebrations, drawing nobles, courtiers, and spectators by the thousands. Augustus the Strong, Elector of Saxony, embraced this tradition with particular enthusiasm, hosting grand events that combined political display with public entertainment. Historical accounts tell of crowds so large that spectators even climbed onto rooftops around the Altmarkt to catch a glimpse of the contests.
Those historical records—many commissioned directly by the rulers themselves—now form the backbone of this new presentation. Original equipment, archival imagery, and scholarly research have been woven together into an expansive audiovisual experience. Large-scale video projections fill the hall with animated scenes of combat, ceremonial processions, and richly detailed costumes, all closely linked to the actual armor and objects on display.
Sound plays an equally important role. Carefully reconstructed dialogues based on historical sources, newly recorded trumpet fanfares, and a powerful ambient soundscape immerse visitors in the excitement of tournament day. The experience begins subtly, with the herald’s voice heard from different corners of the hall, as if announcing the event to an assembling crowd. Gradually, anticipation builds. Guests overhear imagined conversations among tournament spectators discussing the armor and the unfolding drama—until the clashes begin and the Great Hall reverberates with the sound of battle.
Particular attention is given to the Saxon electors themselves, many of whom actively participated in these tournaments. Augustus the Strong, for example, famously competed in no fewer than 55 tournaments, using these events to demonstrate both his physical prowess and his authority as ruler.
The project is the result of several years of preparation by the Armory team of the Dresden State Art Collections, working closely with the institution’s Digital Unit and international specialists. Their goal was not only to present historical objects, but to restore the emotional intensity and cultural significance of tournaments as they were experienced centuries ago.
Each presentation lasts around ten minutes and runs Wednesday through Monday, every hour from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. No separate ticket is required beyond museum admission. After this initial special run, the Tournament Festival will return in February 2026 as a permanent feature of the Great Hall.
For visitors seeking a deeper connection to history—one that engages the senses as much as the intellect—this immersive revival of Dresden’s tournament culture offers a rare and memorable encounter with the spectacle, ambition, and drama of Renaissance court life.
