Dresden Armory The Dresden Armory ( German : Rüstkammer ) , also known as the Dresden Historical Museum ( German : " Historisches Museum Dresden " ) , is one of the world ' s largest collections of ceremonial weapons , armors and historical textiles . It is part of the Dresden State Art Collections and is located in Dresden Castle in Dresden . The Turkish Chamber ( German : " Türckische Cammer " ) is a separate collection within the Dresden Armory that is focused on art from the Ottoman Empire . History . The oldest weapons collection in Dresden , the City Armory ( " Städtische Harnischkammer " ) was founded in 1409 , containing the weapons used by the citizens to defend the city . It existed until the 17th century when it became obsolete . Besides this , two further armories were established shortly after . One was the Ducal Armory ( " Herzogliche Harnischkammer " ) , founded after Duke Albert was granted an independent dukedom in 1485 . Housed in Dresden Castle , it contained the personal weapons of the ruling House of Wettin . Furthermore , Prince Elector Augustus founded the Arsenal of the Saxon State ( " Kurfürstliches Landeszeughaus " ) containing Saxony ' s weapons of war , such as canons . The Ducal Armory ( " Herzogliche Harnischkammer " ) is the direct predecessor of today ’ s " Rüstkammer " . It was founded after Albert III , Duke of Saxony , ( " Albert the Bold " ) established Meissen as the centre of Albertine Saxony and named himself Margrave of Meissen in 1485 . A continuous growth in the collection of parade weapons occurred during the reign of his son , George , Duke of Saxony ( " George the Bearded " ) , who named Dresden the capital of his realm . After George ' s grandson , Duke Maurice , gained the title of Saxon prince elector in 1547 , the Ducal Armory was renamed Electoral Armory ( " Kurfürstliche Rüstkammer " ) and thus gained electoral status . It was located on the ground floor of the " Hausmannsturm " , the tower of Dresden Castle . Prince Elector Augustus initiated the museum era of the armory by taking an inventory of the electoral holdings . The inventory of 1567 mentions several buildings with holdings of the armory , listing more than 1 , 500 weapons . Much of the armory was displayed on carved wooden horses . The amory moved into the newly established Stable Building ( " Stallgebäude " , today ’ s Johanneum ) in 1591 , where it remained until 1722 . When Prince Elector Frederick Augustus I was made King of Poland in 1697 , the armory acquired royal status . Now named Augustus II ( " Augustus II the Strong " ) , he faced increased needs for representation , leading to the establishment of his treasure chamber , the Green Vault . As a result , richly adorned weapons were moved into the new museums , spoiling the integrity of the armory ’ s holdings . Furthermore , the armory had to be moved again , this time into the Secret War Chancellery ( " Geheime Kriegskanzlei " ) where it was housed from 1722 until 1832 . Nevertheless , the armory remained a favorite among visitors at this time . The son of Augustus II the Strong , Augustus III , established the Firearms Gallery in the Long Corridor of the " Stallhof " ( Stall Courtyard ) , which links the castle complex with the adjacent Johanneum . At the time , the Firearms Gallery was the most valuable of its kind in Germany ; today , its more than 3 , 000 firearms are an important part of the " Rüstkammer " . After the armory was acquired by the state in 1831 , it was renamed the Royal Historic Museum ( " Königliches Historisches Museum " ) and moved into the Zwinger building in 1832 . It remained there until 1877 , when it was moved again into the Johanneum . In 1913 / 14 , the parade weapons which had been placed in the Green Vault , were reintegrated into the armory collection . The artefacts from the Firearms Gallery and the Historic Museum were taken to Königstein Fortress during World War II . At the end of the war in 1945 , the collections were confiscated by the Red Army and transported to Leningrad . Since their return to Dresden in 1958 , part of the collection , now again named the Dresden Armory ( " Rüstkammer " ) , had been on display in the Semper Gallery of the Zwinger until September 2012 . After completion of the " Riesensaal " in Dresden Castle in February 2013 , the armory ' s collection has been exhibited there . Exhibition . Today ’ s exhibition comprises around 1 , 300 artefacts , representing less than 10 percent of the entire holdings . They are arranged in 121 showcases and six pedestal s . The exhibition is centered around knight hood . It includes parade and tournament weapons , firearms from the Firearms Gallery , racing and jousting equipment , and paintings of tournaments . The displayed items span three centuries , from the 15th to the 18th century . Turkish Chamber . The holdings of the Dresden Armory include objects belonging to the Turkish Chamber ( German : " Türckische Cammer " ) which formed a separate collection within the armory from at least 1591 . Over the course of several centuries , diplomatic gifts , purchased objects and booty gained in various battles against the Ottomans where assembled , creating one of the oldest and most significant collections of Ottoman art outside Turkey . The roots of the oriental collection in Dresden can be traced back as far as 1591 . At that time , the Turkish Chamber was still called " Ungerische Cammer " ( Hungarian Chamber ) , probably because Saxony at that time had primarily come into contact with the Ottoman Empire in Hungary . The first recorded use of the name Turkish Chamber dates from 1614 . The first inventory of the oriental holdings of the " Rüstkammer " was compiled on request of Elector Johann Georg II of Saxony . The inventory was completed in July 1674 and revised in August 1677 . It listed 385 items , divided into four groups : defensive weapons , reflex bows , pole weapons and flags , and finally saddles , bridles and caparison s . After the dramatic years of the Great Northern War , August the Strong decided to reorganize his troops and renew their equipment . A military review of the 27 , 000 - men - strong army was scheduled for June 1730 , requiring an encampment near Zeithain north - west of Dresden with large tents . The biggest tent in the current exhibition was brought to Dresden specifically for this event in 1729 . Originally , it consisted of a large roof section , two side walls and parts of an awning . One of the side walls and parts of the awning have been missing since the end of World War II . Nevertheless , it is one of the most magnificent surviving Ottoman tents in the world . Today ' s collection . Today ' s exhibition presents more than 600 individual pieces of art . The largest object in the Turkish Chamber is the three - mast tent brought to Dresden for the Zeithain encampment in 1730 . This long , wide and high tent gives the viewer a sense of being under a second sky of gold and silk . The tent is made of satin , cotton and gilt leather ; its restoration lasted 14 years . In addition , there are eight life - sized , carved wooden horses and a group of reflex bows with original strings , the oldest of which dates from 1586 . Also shown are weapons , suits of chain mail , helmets , flags and costumes .