Large parts of Dresden to be evacuated after 250kg WW2 bomb found

Much of the centre of the German city of Dresden will be evacuated on Wednesday, after the discovery of a large unexploded British World War Two flying bomb.

The 250kg (551lb) device was discovered near the former Carola Bridge, which collapsed in the Elbe River in 2024.

The fire brigade in Dresden says this is the city's largest evacuation to date for such an incident, affecting around 18,000 residents, tourists and commuters.

Much of the old town will be cordoned off by 09:00 (08:00 GMT), including some of the city's most famous buildings - the iconic Frauenkirche Lutheran church, the Residenzschloss Palace and the Semper Opera.

The police headquarters, Saxony's state parliament, several ministries, retirement and nursing homes, daycare centres and other social institutions are also located in the evacuated area.

The authorities are providing emergency accommodation at the Dresden Exhibition Centre from 07:00 (06:00 GMT), while additional buses and trams will be running to this location.

It is not clear how long it will take to defuse the bomb.

Dresden was attacked by British aircraft on 13 February 1945. In the days that followed, the British and their US allies dropped nearly 4,000 tons of bombs in the assault on the city.

The ensuing firestorm killed 25,000 people and ravaged the city centre, once known as the Jewel Box because of its Baroque and Rococo architecture.

Four other bombs were found during demolition work on the Carola Bridge last year.

The attack on Dresden is one of the most controversial Allied acts of World War Two. Some say it was strategically justified. Others argue it was a war crime.

It took many years before the renowned Semper Opera and Frauenkirche were rebuilt.

A British tenor, Stephen Chaundy, who is currently working at the Semper Oper, told the BBC that rehearsals have been cancelled on Wednesday.

Reflecting on the British bombing of Dresden in World War Two, he said: "The past casts a long shadow."