Yenidze (Tobacco Mosque)

The Yenidze in Dresden is a former cigarette factory built to look like a mosque, complete with a colored glass dome and a chimney disguised as a minaret. Nicknamed the "Tobacco Mosque," this quirky landmark stands just west of the Old Town and makes one of the most photographed buildings in the city. If you are searching for unusual things to do in Dresden, a short stop here is easy to add to a walk through the center.

Where it is and how to get there

The Yenidze is at Weißeritzstraße 3 in the Friedrichstadt district, about 1.5 kilometers from the Old Town. Dresden is roughly two hours from Berlin by train. According to the City of Dresden, tram lines 6 and 11 stop at "Kongresszentrum/Haus der Presse" right beside the building. I could not confirm parking details.

A factory in Oriental style

The building was constructed in 1908 and 1909 to a design by architect Martin Hammitzsch for Hugo Zietz, owner of the Yenidze cigarette company, which was named after a tobacco town in the former Ottoman Empire. It rises 62 meters. After 1924 it belonged to Reemtsma, bombing in World War II destroyed nearly a third of it, and from 1953 it served as the GDR's tobacco office. It was renovated as a protected monument in 1996.

What to see

• The facade: striped minaret, dome and ornament make for great photos
• The dome: home to a restaurant and the Yenidze Theater
• The beer garden: billed as Dresden's highest, with views across the city center
• The entrance: colorful tile and ornament on the portal

Visiting (as of October 2026)

The Yenidze is mainly an office building with a restaurant, not a museum. Viewing the exterior is free at any time. I could not confirm regular opening hours for the dome restaurant, beer garden or tours, and the listing for the site mentions changing event times, so check with the restaurant or theater before you go. Plan 30 to 60 minutes for photos, longer if you dine under the dome. The theater stages productions made for the venue with themes from India and the Orient; language of performances is not stated in our sources.

Nearby

The Dresden Congress Center, the Marienbrücke bridge and the Erlweinspeicher (now the Saxon state parliament) are close by. The Zwinger and Semperoper in the Old Town are about a 1.5-kilometer walk.