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Dresden's baroque Frauenkirche Lutheran church shows why the German city was once called the Florence of the North.

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But only a few years ago, the same church lay in ruins - a few stumps of brick left over from the wartime blitz.

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In February 1945, British bombers pounded the city in the final push to topple the Nazis, leaving tens of thousands dead.

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Much of Dresden's old beauty is gone forever but, boosted by German reunification, the city has been rebuilt and is thriving.

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International donations have helped restore some of its architectural set pieces, such as the Catholic Hofkirche.

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The Zwinger art galleries, another baroque masterpiece, have also regained some of their lustre.