The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) in Dresden, Germany is a museum that contains the largest collection of treasures in Europe. It is a part of the Dresden castle. It was founded by August der Starke (Augustus II the Strong) in 1723. It features a unique and rich variety of exhibits from the period of baroque to classicism. The name comes from the malachite green painted columns of the "Pretiosensaal" although these are currently covered in mirrors. It has been completely reconstructed and was reopened on 1 September 2006. It is often referred to as a walk-in treasure chest. It contains nine rooms, each with its own exhibition theme.
The crown jewels used by the Saxon kings of Poland and some reminders of the Polish monarchs, like a 14th century cup of Queen Jadwiga of Poland, illegally appropriated by Frederick Augustus I, Elector of Saxony are also displayed in the Grünes Gewölbe.
During World War II three of the nine rooms were damaged by bombs, but the treasure itself was kept safely at the Festung Königstein. The Soviet army seized the treasures in 1945, but gave them back in 1958 to the German Democratic Republic.
The Grünes Gewölbe is a famous part of the Dresden State Art Collections. In 2009 Barack Obama was received within by Chancellor Angela Merkel.