Meißen

Meißen or Meissen is a German city in the federal state of Saxony (Germany ) . It is located on the banks of the Elbe river near Dresden.

Meissen was built by King Henry I around 928 as a fortress against the aggressive Slavs and flourished as the seat of the Margrave, the burgrave and the bishop up. In the 15th century it suffered from the Hussites. In 1548, deliberations on the Augsburg interim took place here. In the Schmalkaldic War (1547) Meissen was occupied by the imperial troops, in the Thirty Years’ War in 1637 surprised by the Swedes and burned in large part, 1645 conquered by the same. Also in the Seven Years’ War, the city suffered multiple tribulations. On March 13, 1813, the French Marshal Davoul had the Elbbrucke burn down. On June 15, 1866, it was blown up by the Saxons when the Prussians invaded. As a bishopric, the city was a cultural and spiritual center until the beginning of this millennium.

It has an international reputation due to the porcelain that is manufactured and exported there since 1708. The name of the city written with double “s” instead of “ß” (Meissen) is also a registered trademark belonging to said porcelain manufacturing (Staatliche Porzellanmanufaktur Meissen)

Access : Coordinates: / 51.166667, 13.483333
– By boat : Meissen is reachable by steamboat on the Elbe. The Saxon Steamship, the world’s oldest paddle steamer fleet, connects the city daily with Dresden.
– By train : the city is still connected by the S-Bahn line S1 to Dresden, Pirna and the Saxon Switzerland. From Leipzig you have to change now in Coswig near Dresden.
– By car : from Dresden, Meissen is best reached via the B6.from Radebeul, you can cross the Elbe at Niederwartha or use the road on the right bank of the Elbe.from Berlin take the A13 and exit at Symbol: AS 21 Radeburg, then continue on the S 177 to Meissen.
From Bavaria, Leipzig, Erfurt) you drive on the A14 to the exit Symbol: AS 37 Nossen-Ost and from there on the B 101 to Meissen.
– By plane : Dresden Airport is the nearest airport with good domestic and intra-European connections.the airfield Riesa Gohlis with its 1400 m long (1000 m paved) runway available For private pilots and helicopters
– By bicycle : By Elbe Cycle Route , The Elbe cycle route is part of an international network of cycling routes throughout Europe, with 37 river bike routes in Germany is the most popular route for cyclists in this country.

Get around:
– by Public transport : There are three urban bus lines (A,B,C), many regional buses and a sight-seeing route/ Generally, the city center of Meissen is relatively compact, so that it is usually cleverer to leave the car and explore the city on foot, Walk at the old town itself and its old beautiful houses.

Highlights :

•  Bischofsschloss – The Bishop’s Castle ,Domplatz 4, The Bishop’s Castle in Meissen is the former residence of the bishops of the Diocese of Meissen in Saxony. It shapes the cityscape together with the Meissen Cathedral and the Albrechtsburg and is used by the district court of Meissen.The residence of the bishops is located since the 10th century on the southeast corner of the castle hill
•  Historische Altstadt – Historic old town , past the Frauenkirche and the oldest restaurant in Europe,the old city gates, charming houses , Gasthauses have attractive window box plantings , antique shops, local souvenirs , shops with local wines , he city square was typical of most old towns – a spacious cobble stoned area surrounded by a large Rathaus, a church (Frauenkirche), patio eateries, and other buildings
•  Albrechtsburg Castle , Domplatz 1, 01662 Meissen, Saxony, Open : 10:00 am – 6:00 pm , The Albrechtsburg is a Late Gothic castle located in the town centre of Meissen in the German state of Saxony. It is situated on a hill above the river Elbe, adjacent to the Meissen Cathedral.
•  Meissen Porzellan Manufaktur & Museum , Talstra?e 9, 01662 Meissen , Meissen Porcelain manufactory museum , The porcelain manufactory MEISSEN is the most traditional manufactory in Europe , Built in the style of a neoclassical hall with almost 10,000 museum objects , this museum dedicated to the porcelain that has made the town famous. open : Monday to Sunday 9:00 to 18:00
•  Dom Zu Meissen -Meissen Cathedral , Domplatz 7, 01662 Meissen, Sightseeing: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm,Meissen Cathedral or the Church of St John and St Donatus (German: Mei?ner Dom) is a Gothic church in Meissen in Saxony, The present-day hall church was built between 1260 and 1410, the interior features Gothic sculptures of founder Emperor Otto and his wife Adelaide of Italy
•  Stadtmuseum Meissen – Municipal Museum.- City Museum , Heinrichsplatz 3, Exhibitions / events / tours: Tue – Sun 10am – 6pm , Permanent exhibition on the history of the city “Meissen as the cradle of Saxony” in the cloister “grave slabs from five centuries” ,Special exhibitions and traditional Christmas exhibition
•  Schloss Siebeneichen- Siebeneichen castle , The castle Siebeneichen in Meissen was built in the 16th century by Ernst von Miltitz.The castle is located on the southern Elbe slope opposite the Spaargebirge upstream of the Mei?ner old town in the district Siebeneichen.
•  Domherrenhof – Domherrenhof fortified tower , on Burgberg in the old town . The fortified tower and wine cellar are part of the fortification work of the so-called Afra- and Domfreiheit from the 12th century. Until 2008, the building was the seat of the district council.The main house dates from the 15th century, other parts were added in the 19th century and in the first half of the 20th century
•  Postmeilensaule- or just post column , is a Distance pillar – obelisk shape milestone, which specifies distances and walking times to an eighth of an hour exactly, located in the city park.
•  The Protestant Frauenkirche “Church of Our Lady” in the old town of Meissen is a late Gothic hall church. It belongs to the municipality of St. Afra Meissen in the church district Meissen-Grossenhain the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony.For the first time in 1205 the church was mentioned in a document by Bishop Dietrich II of Meissen as the chapel of St. Mary of the Market.Opening hours: Mon – Sat 10:00 to 17:00, Sun 12:00 to 17:00
•  Heinrichsbrunnen: Replica of a medieval market fountain from 1862 with King Henry I as a fountain figure. The fountain is located on the Heinrichsplatz in front of the Franciscan Church (Stadtmuseum – Municipal Museum).
•  Mosaic pictures at the middle castle gate: The two mosaic pictures are from the year 1890 and show St. George on the left and the evangelist Johannes on the right. The designs are by Wilhelm Walter the creator of the Duke’s train in Dresden.
• Tierpark Meissen Siebeneichen- City zoo , Siebeneichener Str. 63, Open: 9:00 am – 6:00 pm , The parents and children are interested to see the approx. 400 animals in the Tierpark Siebeneichen in Mei?en. Among the 85 species of animals are exotic wild animals but also pets known in this country.
• Rathaus Meissen – Meissen Town Hall , Markt 1, The Meissen Town Hall is a late Gothic building was built mainly in the years 1472-1480 under the influence of Arnold von Westfalen. located on the market square of the city of Meissen in Saxony
• St. Afra Kirche – Monastery of St. Afra , Freiheit 12, The Augustinian Monastery St. Afra in Meissen was founded in 1205 by Bishop Dietrich II of Kittlitz.In 1543, the first princely and provincial school in Saxony was founded here , the Evangelical Academy of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony has been housed in the former monastery since 1991.
• Bahrmannsches Brauhaus – The Bahrmann brewery , An der Frauenkirche 3, The brewery Meissen is a Renaissance building in the old town of Meissen in Saxony.The Bahrmann brewery in Meissen was built on gothic foundations as early as 1570. The first documents mention of the square or building goes back to the year 1460
• Kleine Hoftheater Meissen – Small court theater , Markt 9, In the beautiful 3 Themenkellern of the restaurant in the next few months, many beautiful programs will be presented. Many stories will enthrall the audience, tears, excites and makes you smile or think.
• Nikolaikirche – The Meissen Nikolai Church , Neumarkt 29, At The 1220 mentioned for the first time Nikolaikirche is a church of the Evangelical Lutheran St. Afra community and Meissen’s oldest building. decoration from Meissen porcelain, it has been a memorial site for the Meissen victims of the First World War since 1929.
• Elbe River Cruises : The Saxon Steamship, the world’s oldest paddle steamer fleet, connects the city daily with Dresden.
• Wine tasting in Saxon Wine Route, Meissen is the easternmost wine area in Germany and on the northeastern edge of winegrowing in Europe.
• parks , 19 Stadtwald, Meissen Triebischtal. A beautiful large forest on the edge of the city south of the porcelain manufactory.
• Martinskapelle – Martin’s Chapel , The Protestant Martinskapelle on the Plossen is a Romanesque hall church in the district Plossen of Meissen.It belongs to the parish area St. Afra in Meissen in the church district Meissen-Grossenhain the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Saxony and is used as a funeral church.The hall church is of Romanesque origin and dates from the middle of the 12th century.
• Remains of the former stately manor of the Huttenburg in the district Triebischtal. The building complex was originally built around 1857 in the form of a castle with a tower, mansion and chapel in the Gothic Revival style.

Activities : Cycle tours on the Elbe Cycle Path , which leads through Meissen on the right bank of the Elbe. A nice destination for a day trip is of course Dresden / Wine tasting in Saxon Wine Route / a tourist bus doing several round trip tours daily / Guided tours/Tower tours at Dom Zu Meissen -Meissen Cathedral /   Tours in Meissen Porcelain Manufactory / Elbe River Cruises /

Go next : Dresden / Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel / Pirna /Rathen / Bad Schandau / Königstein / The Bastei