After a sumptuous breakfast, our coach left southwards to the region of Saxon Switzerland. Saxon Switzerland which is on the border of the Czech Republic is one of the most unique landscapes in Germany and lies to the south of Dresden. It was named Saxon Switzerland as there was a Swiss painter Adrian Zingg who came at the end of the 19th Century. He worked in Dresden and he came here and it reminded him of his native land in Switzerland and so he named it as Saxon Switzerland. The people in the administration didn't like this as they preferred it to be known as the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which was the original name. However the people liked it and the name got stuck and the national park too is known as the Saxon Switzerland National Park. This was only the beginning of several places in Germany being named as Switzerland. There are as many as 120 Switzerlands within Germany although most of them are smaller areas. This place is an all time favourite amongst painters, hikers and lovers of nature. As you arrive here, there is a Panorama restaurant and the Berghotel Bastei. On a sunny day, you can sit out in the Biergarten and also get a view of the stunning scenery of the region Saxon Switzerland is one of the favourite holiday destinations of not only the people of Germany but all those who visit the region of Saxony as well as the Czech Republic. It is possible to do a day trip here or stay in Saxon Switzerland and do the neighbouring Ore Mountains as well. .
 

There was an ocean here millions of years ago and later the oceans evolved into the romantic scenery that you find here at the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. Although we were greeted with wet weather, we were simply overawed by the unparalleled nature on display comprising of forests, mountains and gorges in the midst of a green landscape. The beauty of wild flower meadows and the Bastei (Bastion) rock formation provides stunning sceneries of deep ravines, bizarre rock towers and huge table rocks which have been created on the grounds of a former ocean. Truly, photographers and painters can spend days capturing various dimensions of natural beauty of this region. Located 30 kilometres from Dresden, Saxon Switzerland lies between the Ore Mountains and the Lusatia Mountains extending from the town of Pirna and across the Czech Repubic border to the town of Decin in Bohemia. The German part of the mountains covers a region of 368 kilometres of stunning landscape and this region was created when the rivers flowing from the peaks of the Ore Mountains deposited sediments and seashells as the water flowed to the sea, almost 66 million years ago. The land was formed by erosion of water and wind which gives the distinctive features of sandstone blocks, valleys and vertical walls descending in several steps and broken up into rock towers. The Czech Republic side of the mountains is known as Bohemian Switzerland. The place has over 1100 climbing peaks and is a haven for international climbers from across the globe. The region originally had the Slavic settlers and is believed to have had a number of fortresses around to protect the trade routes. Even today you find the Konigstein Fortress and the Hohnstein Castle. There are hardly any remains of the other castles and fortresses except the Bastei or the castle on the Falkenstein, which today is a climbing peak.
 

This region is the origin of free climbing, with ropes and bolts being used for protection but never meant for climbing. The region comprises of over 1200 kilometres of hiking trails and 14000 climbing routes thru which mountain climbers can conquer over a thousand free standing peaks. There is also the Elbe cycle path or you can board a steam paddle boat along the Elbe river to discover the beauty of the region. This region was made a national park only during the last days of East Germany, rather before the German reunification. It in incredible to note that the famous Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady) as well as the Zwinger in Dresden were built with the famous sandstone from the Elbe Valley. Even the historic Brandenburg Gate in Berlin was built from the sandstone that you find here in Saxon Switzerland. It is here that Germany's first ever landscape photographs were captured way back in 1853 near the Bastei rock formation.

The famous Bastei Bridge too was built around the 1850s and later reconstructed out of wood due to increase in the number of tourists and we had the opportunity to cross the Bastei Bridge, the first building in Europe that was intended only as a tourist attraction. For nature lovers it is strongly recommended to have an overnight stay at one of the 3 wellness hotels in this region- Berghotel Bastei, the Park Hotel or the Lindenhof Hotel. There are a variety of wellness packages available in some of these properties. A good option would be to stay in Saxon Switzerland where a double room would cost 50 Euros per night for a 4 star accommodation and then do a day trip to Dresden which is one hour away and during peak seasons accommodation in Dresden can be 3 to 6 times more expensive than the tariffs you find in Saxon Switzerland. After a halt for about an hour at Saxon Switzerland we headed to the region of Upper Lusatia which lies to the east of Dresden, En route we halted for lunch at the Rammenau Castle. The building which is a museum today comprises of a treasure chest of late Baroque and early Classicist interior architecture and has various rooms of diverse styles including a Chinese Room, a Birds Room, a Bulgarian Room and a Hunting Room. The Mirror Room is mainly used for concerts and the International Linen Festival of Upper Lusatia takes place here every August. The Neo-classic interior design with its valuable porcelain, stylish salons and illusionist wall painting along with the grand staircase are some of the highlights of this wonderful baroque castle.
 

Our next stop was at the easternmost city of Germany- Gorlitz which has a Silesian influence and is located on the Polish border and comprises of 35000 inhabitants. It is 1 hour 15 minutes from Dresden and can be reached either by road or by rail. If you arrive by train, you will be impressed by the art nouveau styled train station. Gorlitz is the centre of Lower Silesia's Upper Lusatia region and is one of the most interesting towns in Saxony. Upper Lusatia has changed hands very often it was Hungarian, Bohemian, Austrian, partly Prussian and most of the time Saxony. After World War II, the borders were changed, the eastern part of Upper Lusatia became Poland, the western part in German territory was part of East Germany and Gorlitz was part of it. Hence, you find a Silesian influence here in Gorlitz. Lots of people here are from Silesia, which is part of Poland. The history of the town has a strong influence of the Sorbs and till date they are able to preserve their culture and later in the day we were going for a Sorbian evening at the Bjesada restaurant in Bautzen. Gorlitz, is one of the few places where the synagogues survived the war and the city has a great influence of various religions. We did a short walking tour of Gorlitz although we didn't have time to visit the Holy Grave - a true to life replica of the grave of Jesus that you find in the holy city of Jerusalem. Very few towns possess an unspoilt old town as Gorlitz which boasts of over 4000 architectural monuments dating from different eras and due to the Via Regia- the city on the banks of the River Neisse was part of the old trading town between various regions of Bohemia and Silesia. Having escaped destruction during WWII, Gorlitz looks pretty much the same as it was in 1945, and hence is one of the most beautiful towns in Germany. From Renaissance to Art Nouveau, the town is a feast for lovers of architecture. Large parts of the old town have been restored to its former glory and after WWII, the town of Gorlitz has been divided with a large part of it in Germany and a smaller portion of it in Poland which is known as Zgorzelec.

 
The major highlights of the city tour include the City Hall Steps which date back to the 16th Century, the Oberlausitz Library of Science - one of the most beautiful European Library, the Church of St. Peter and Paul, a late-gothic hall church and the Church of Holy Trinity. Our brief halt at Gorlitz included a visit to the Strasbourg arcade, a shopping arcade which was built by a Jewish merchant. Jews normally have German names and very often they use names of places from where they originally came from. Probably, in this case that is why it is known as Strasbourg arcade as the person who built it might have originally come from Strasbourg. Interestingly the spires of St Peter's Church in Gorlitz and other areas of the town as well is where the movie Around the World in 80 days starring Jackie Chan was shot, although in the movie certain clips are shown as Notre Dame de Paris, although shot in Gorlitz. Our next halt was at the medieval looking town of many towers- Bautzen which lies approximately 54 kilometres West of Gorlitz. As we approached Bautzen, the city was visible from a distance as it has a city comprising of many towers. What is unique about the town is its picturesque location and the upper town is situated on a granite plateau above the Spree River. Bautzen is a historical town and a former capital of Upper Lusatia. The town is situated close to the north border of the Czech Republic in German Saxony. The Spree river runs across the town and creates many amazing curves cut into a narrow valley. Close to the river are remains of Middle Age walls with many tower bastions.
 

The Alte Wasserkunst or Old Waterworks is the place from where you can watch the river in the valley as well as view water facilities partially cut into a rock. The remains of the Ortenburg castle are situated close to the tower. A natural centre of the town is the square with its historical buildings of Peter's Palace and an old Town Hall. Quite specific is the town tower called Reichenturm or the leaning tower of Bautzen. This "leaning tower" dates from 1490 and is 1,44 m off its axis. The tower is accessible for the public and during a strong wind visitors can feel the movements. Thanks to its great position and many sights, the town attracts many visitors. Close to Bautzen is the small town of Kleinwelk which offers a Dinosaurus stone park and an amazing labyrinth and "Miniature's town". Bautzen is also the centre of the Slavic minority of the Sorbs and the Sorbs have been able to sustain their own culture and language over centuries. We experienced the Sorbian Culture and along with their tradition and customs over a Sorbian dinner at the Bjesada restaurant. The 1000 year old town continues to preserve the Slavic language and traditions which is reflected by the bilingual road signs in Bautzen. Traditions such as the artistic decoration of the Easter eggs, the Easter Riding or the “Witch Burning” have remained alive here through the centuries. After a traditional Sorbian dinner with a cultural event we took a short walk of the medieval town centre before heading back to Radebeul. The next day we had yet another exciting tour to the city of Johann Sebastian Bach as well as a visit to the city where European porcelain was invented.

To be continued

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