Sandstone is the building material used for the Frauenkirche and many other buildings in Dresden and its surroundings. This material was so popular because it is very strong, easy to work and available locally, among other things. Last but not least, it is also an optically attractive building material. 
 
The sandstone for Bähr’s Frauenkirche as well as the rebuilt church comes from the Posta quarries in the Elbsandsteingebirge (Elbe Sandstone Mountains) near Dresden. Whereas mining the sandstone was very hard work in the 18th century, the latest technical equipment is a great help today. Stone blocks are now either blast in a controlled way or cut using a high-pressure water jet. Computers help cut the blocks and contours precisely, though they cannot fully replace the stonemasons, who are still needed to modify and finish the ashlars.
 
In Bähr's time, the sandstone was brought to the Dresden Neumarkt by boat. The quarry and the church to be built were both located near the river Elbe and it stood to reason that this means of transport be used. Unlike 200 years ago, when the broken stones were mostly hewn on site, the raw material nowadays is processed in workshops and delivered in prefabricated blocks by overland routes only.