Saxon Switzerland National Park (German : Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz), is a national park in the German Free State of Saxony, near the Saxon capital Dresden. It covers two areas of 93.5 km2 (36.1 mi2) in the heart of the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which is often called (the) Saxon Switzerland (German : Sächsische Schweiz).
The national park adjoins Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Czech : České Švýcarsko) in the Czech Republic.
The National Park is situated in the centre of a natural area of almost 710 km2 (274 mi2). This region, called Saxon Switzerland is cultivated by humans in many places. Smaller towns and villages such as Bad Schandau or Königstein in the district of Sächsische Schweiz are part of this region.
40% of the area of the National Park is covered almost completely by woodland. The status of National Park, which grants the highest natural protection in Germany, was attributed in 1990. The park lies – in two geographically separate areas – within the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge.
Saxon Switzerland is an intensively fissured and rocky canyon landscape. The highest peak of the National Park, the Großer Winterberg, is at 556 meters (1,814 feet) above sea level, and is only a short distance from the valley of the Elbe river at 110 to 120 meters (360 to 390 feet). It offers several different habitats and microclimate zones due to its strong vertical division. The National Park still hosts some forms of forest without human intervention, which is unusual in central Europe. The special forms of mountain forest and gorge forest are endangered in Europe generally. Because of the sabulous soil and fissures, many places in this area are drier than normal for the temperate zone.
This region includes the Bastei area, the Lilienstein and the Polenz valley. In the west it is bordered by Wehlen and Lohmen, in the north by Lohmen and Hohnstein, in the east by Hohnstein and Goßdorf and in the south by Porschdorf, Rathen and Wehlen. The municipality of Waitzdorf lies entirely within the western region. Important peaks are the Lilienstein (415 m), the Bastei (305 m), the Hockstein and the Brand (317 m). The Grünbach and the associated lake of Amselsee and the Polenz are the only noteworthy bodies of water.
The eastern region includes the area of the Schrammsteine rocks, the Großer Winterberg mountain, the Großer Zschand valley and the hinterland of Saxon Switzerland (Hinterer Sächsischen Schweiz). To the west it is bordered by Bad Schandau and Altendorf and to the north by Altendorf, Ottendorf and Hinterhermsdorf. To the east and south it is bordered by the Bohemian Switzerland National Park. From Schmilka to Bad Schandau the Elbe forms the southern boundary of this region. Important peaks are the Großer Winterberg (556 m), the Kuhstall (337 m) and the Raumberg (459 m). The Kirnitzsch is the only noteworthy body of water. [1] [2]
The definition of national Park is, in some cases, in conflict with tourism and recreation. One objective is to raise the inviolate area to 75%, which means limiting the areas of hiking and climbing.
The development of the network of paths in today's national park took place in the first half of the 19th century and completed at the beginning of the 20th century. The historical route guides illustrate it thoroughly (e.g., Meinhold's route guide). The first hiking restrictions were declared as early as in the 1980s (Thorwalder Wände ridge path). Today the National Park has a marked network of 400 km of hiking trails, numerous mountain restaurants, and some 50 km of cycling trails. It is compulsory to use marked routes in the National Park. Though visitors may use all paths outside the core zone, only marked trails are allowed within the core zone.
The painter's way
The 'Painters' Trail' (Malersweg in German) is a 116 km long hiking trail that starts in the city of Pirna and follows the Elbe eastwards until Schmilka, where it crosses the river loops back to Pirna. It represents only a small part of the park area, but due to its beauty and being a well-developed trail, most visitors prefer it for hiking. The Bastei bridge is the first view of the Valley for many visitors and is extensively photographed and documented Archived 2020-09-30 at the Wayback Machine .
The peculiar form of the sandstone cliffs in Saxon Switzerland national park attracts crowds of climbers every year. However, since these cliffs are sandstone, it is important to treat them with caution.
The following rules, introduced at the beginning of the 20th century, are in place to preserve the national park sandstone:
Saxon Switzerland is a hilly climbing area and national park in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is located around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany, adjoining Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic. Together with the Czech part, the region is known as Saxon-Bohemian Switzerland.
The Elbe Sandstone Mountains, also called the Elbe Sandstone Highlands, are a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the North Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three-quarters of the area lying on the German side. In both countries, core parts of the mountain range have been declared a national park. The name derives from the sandstone which was carved by erosion. The river Elbe breaks through the mountain range in a steep and narrow valley.
Bad Schandau is a spa town in Germany, in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district of Saxony. It is situated on the right bank of the Elbe, at the mouth of the valley of the Kirnitzsch and in the area often described as Saxon Switzerland.
The Falkenstein is one of the best-known climbing peaks in Saxon Switzerland. It is situated near the rocky Schrammsteine ridge southeast of the town of Bad Schandau. The Falkenstein is nearly 90 m high and consists of sandstone. In the Middle Ages there were fortifications on top of the rock. Even today, the steps carved into the rock are still visible.
Rathen is a village in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, in Saxony, Germany, about 35 kilometres (22 mi) southeast of Dresden. The village occupies both banks of the river Elbe and, as of 2020, has 339 inhabitants. Rathen is a popular tourist destination, the main sights are the Bastei cliffs, the Amselsee, and the outdoor theater "Felsenbühne Rathen".
The Bastei is a rock formation rising 194 metres (636 ft) above the Elbe River in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains of Germany. Reaching a height of 305 metres (1,001 ft) above sea level, the jagged rocks of the Bastei were formed by water erosion over one million years ago. They are situated near Rathen, not far from Pirna southeast of the city of Dresden, and are the major landmark of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. They are also part of a climbing and hiking area that extends over the borders into the Bohemian Switzerland.
Sebnitz is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany.
Stadt Wehlen is a town in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany. It is situated on the western edge of Saxon Switzerland, on the right bank of the Elbe, 6 km east of Pirna, and 23 km southeast of Dresden (centre).
Lohmen is a municipality in the Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge district, in Saxony, Germany.
Mittelndorf is a village in Saxony, Germany, situated in the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge. It was one of the villages that composed the municipality of Kirnitzschtal. Since 1 October 2012, it is part of the town Sebnitz.
The Großer Zschirnstein is the highest hill in the Saxon and German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains.
This list shows the coats of arms of the municipalities in the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge in the German federal state of Saxony.
Hohnstein Castle is a medieval castle in the village of the same name, Hohnstein in Saxon Switzerland in the Free State of Sachsen in eastern Germany.
The Schrammsteine are a long, strung-out, very jagged group of rocks in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains located east of Bad Schandau in Saxon Switzerland in eastern Germany. To the north they are bordered by the Kirnitzsch valley, to the south by the Elbe valley and to the east by the Affensteine rocks. The high point of the chain lies at over 400 m above sea level (HN). The viewing point on the Schrammsteine lies at a height of 417.2 m above HN.
Saxon Switzerland is the largest and one of the best-known rock climbing regions in Germany, located in the Free State of Saxony. The region is largely coterminous with the natural region of the same name, Saxon Switzerland, but extends well beyond the territory of the National Park within it. It includes the western part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and is the oldest non-Alpine rock climbing region in Germany. Its history of climbing dates back to the first ascent in modern times of the Falkenstein by Bad Schandau gymnasts in 1864. Currently, there are over 1,100 peaks with more than 17,000 climbing routes in the Saxon Switzerland area.
The Bergtest near Wehlen is a traditional sporting event that has taken place annually since 1980, usually on the last Saturday in March, in the East German hills of Saxon Switzerland.
The Oberelbische Verkehrsgesellschaft Pirna-Sebnitz was a company that operated public transport services in the German state of Saxony. It was a member of the Verkehrsverbund Oberelbe, a transport association that manages a common public transport structure for Dresden and its surrounding areas.
Ulbersdorf is a village in Saxon Switzerland in the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge in southeastern Saxony, Germany. It was mentioned first in 1432 as Olbersdorff and is part of the town of Hohnstein since 1994.
The Schwedenlöcher is a gorge-like side valley of the Amselgrund near Rathen in Saxon Switzerland.