Saxon Switzerland Attractions Sächsische Schweiz
The name of "Saxon Switzerland" has been given since the Romantic period to an area of some 360sq.km/140sq.mi in the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Hills, the rest of which is in the Czech Republic. It is an upland region lying at an average height of 400m/1,300ft, much broken up and carved into bizarre rocky landscapes by the Elbe and its tributaries, between the Lusatian Fault in the north, the Eastern Erzgebirge (Gottleuba valley) in the west and the frontier with the Czech Republic in the south.
Landscape
In the course of time, the present varied landscape forms have developed: the canyon-like Elbe valley and the narrow valleys of its tributaries; the tracts of relatively level ground lying 100-120m/330-390ft above the Elbe valley with their covering of gravel and silt, now under cultivation; the tabular hills with steep rock walls (Lilienstein, 415m/1,361ft; Pfaffenstein, 429m/1,408ft; Königstein, 361m/1,184ft; Grosser Zschirnstein, 561m/1,841ft)), remnants of a once continuous sandstone plateau; rocky areas such as the Bastei (305m/1,001ft) and the Schrammsteine (386-417m/1,266-1,368ft) - labyrinths of stone, with rock buttresses, battlements and pinnacles, gorges and defiles. Tertiary basalts are found only at a few places, for example on the Grosser Winterberg (552m/1,811ft).
For many centuries this area was mainly a source of sandstone, used as building material in towns lower down the Elbe. Although Bad Schandau was frequented as a spa from around 1730, it was only in the early 19th C. with its romantic quest for the beauty of nature that the area was "discovered" and given the name of Saxon Switzerland. There is now an excellent network of waymarked paths and trails leading to the principal sights and natural beauties; and this is also a popular area with climbers.
Much of the Saxon Switzerland has recently been designated as a National Park.
For many centuries this area was mainly a source of sandstone, used as building material in towns lower down the Elbe. Although Bad Schandau was frequented as a spa from around 1730, it was only in the early 19th C. with its romantic quest for the beauty of nature that the area was "discovered" and given the name of Saxon Switzerland. There is now an excellent network of waymarked paths and trails leading to the principal sights and natural beauties; and this is also a popular area with climbers.
Much of the Saxon Switzerland has recently been designated as a National Park.
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