The best city hikes and walks in the Saxon Elbland

Albrechtsburg Meissen in Saxony is considered the oldest castle in Germany. Built from 1471 by Arnold von Westfalen as a residence for the Wettins, it is considered the first castle construction in Germany that transformed a fortress into a representative residential building. It stands on a castle that was first mentioned in 929.

The Markt-Apotheke in Meißen is one of the traditional health facilities in the historic old town. It is centrally located and serves the pharmaceutical supply of citizens and visitors. The pharmacy combines modern pharmaceutical advice with the long history of the city of Meißen, which is considered the origin of Saxony.

The circular route leads from the entrance at the hollow path behind the Burglehnhaus below the Mittleres Torhaus, the Steinerne Brücke, the Kornhaus, the Albrechtsburg and the Cathedral to the former Bishop's Palace with the Amtsstufen. It runs halfway up the mountain at the foot of the imposing building walls and above the castle park. Several signs inform visitors about the history of the castle ensemble, the park and the surrounding area. From the circular route, you have wonderful views of Meißen, the Elbe river and the Elbe wine villages. At various points, stairs lead up to the castle hill.

The steps to Meissen Cathedral, often part of historical ascents like the Amtsstufen or the Rote Stufen, are historic paths on the Burgberg. They lead to the Gothic cathedral, begun in the 13th century. Many of these staircases have been renewed and renovated over centuries and shape the access to the cathedral square.

The Old Town Bridge in Meissen is a 205-meter-long road bridge spanning the Elbe at river kilometer 82.2. It carries State Road 177 with three lanes and pedestrian and cycle paths on both sides, connecting Meissen's old town with the districts on the right bank of the Elbe. See: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altstadtbr%C3%BCcke_Mei%C3%9Fen

The historical circular trail in Meissen is an approximately 1.2 km long walking path at the foot of the castle hill, offering beautiful views of the old town and the Elbe River. It connects the area around the Cathedral Square and the Albrechtsburg Castle with the Amtsstufen (official steps). Along the way, panels provide information on the history of the castle complex, and you pass the Granary, the Stone Bridge, and the Middle Gatehouse.

Torhaus zu Meissen …or also called the middle castle gate, secured the access to the castle complex in the Middle Ages. In 1580, the grain scribe Schulze, the owner of the neighboring property, also received the gatehouse from the Elector. For a long time, the buildings were in one hand. See: https://www.torhaus-meissen.de/torhaus/

The first Meissen Elbe bridge was documented in the 13th century, and the Meissen Cathedral, St. Afra Monastery, and a city wall were also built at that time. Outside of this, on the other side of the Triebisch River, lay the Neumarkt (New Market), where a Jewish community had settled, which had been exterminated in 1349. In the 15th century, the bourgeois half-timbered houses gave way to larger stone buildings. During this period, the Meissen Frauenkirche (Church of Our Lady) was rebuilt, as were the town hall and the Franciscan church. Furthermore, the city wall, which had largely been demolished in the 16th century, was reinforced. In the 16th century, a hospital existed in what is now the old town, which was supplied with water by canals. During the Thirty Years' War, numerous Meissen residents fell victim to the plague, and a fire set by Swedish troops destroyed over half of the old town.