Located in the heart of the Old Town of Dresden, vis-à-vis the Frauenkirche church, it has been housing the Dresden Transport Museum since 1956. The listed Renaissance building of 1591 has been connected with transport since its origin. During the years 1586 to 1591, Christian I, Elector of Saxony, extended the Residenzschloss (Dresden Palace) by a tournament ground and a building for housing the electoral stables, coach house and armoury.Two halls on the building’s ground floor provided plenty of space for carriages, coaches and 128 horses. Several building alterations followed – the last under the art-minded King John, whose name the building has been bearing since 1876. The Langer Gang colonnade, whichis now housing the Shipping exhibition, was built on an old town wall. On its outside front is the famous Fürstenzug, the Princely Procession porcelain mural. The Langer Gang colonnade linked the old Stallgebäude (Stable Building) with the palace, forming an ornamental façade facing the Stallhof (tournament ground). The former centre of chivalry games and show tournaments is now Europe’s oldest preserved Renaissance courtyard. The Johanneum is Dresden’s oldest exhibition building. Over the past centuries, it had been used as armoury, picture gallery, porcelain collection and historical museum before it eventually became the Dresden Transport Museum more than 50 years ago.