Sächsische Schweiz (district)

The Sächsische Schweiz (English: Saxon Switzerland) is a former district (Kreis) in the south of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Neighboring districts were (from west clockwise) Weißeritzkreis, the district-free city Dresden and the districts Kamenz and Bautzen. To the south it borders the Czech Republic.

This article is about the district. For the more known landscape with the same name, see Saxon Switzerland.
Sächsische Schweiz
District
CountryGermany
StateSaxony
Adm. regionDresden
Disbanded2008-08-01
CapitalPirna
Area
 • Total887.88 km2 (342.81 sq mi)
Population
 (2001)
 • Total147,180
 • Density170/km2 (430/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Vehicle registrationPIR
Websitewww.lra-saechsische-schweiz.de

History

The district was created in 1994 when the two districts Sebnitz and Pirna were merged. In August 2008, as a part of the district reform in Saxony, the districts of Sächsische Schweiz and Weißeritzkreis were merged into the new district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge.

Geography

The district is named after the landscape - the Saxon Switzerland - as it is the most mountainous region of Saxony. To the west are the Ore Mountains, and to the east the Lausitzer Bergland (Lusatian Mountains). The river Elbe flows through the Elbsandsteingebirge and separates the two mountain ranges. The highest elevation of the district is the 644 m (2,113 ft) high Oelsener Höhe in the southwest of the district, the lowest elevation is the valley of the Elbe at the boundary to Dresden which is 109 m (358 ft) above sea level.


Coat of arms
The coat of arms symbolizes the geographical location of the district. The two green areas stand for the forests in the two mountain areas, the white wavy line in the middle symbolizes the river Elbe. The coat of arms was created by Horst Torke, Pirna.

Towns and municipalities
Towns Municipalities
  1. Bad Gottleuba-Berggießhübel
  2. Bad Schandau
  3. Dohna
  4. Heidenau
  5. Hohnstein
  6. Königstein
  7. Liebstadt
  8. Neustadt in Sachsen
  9. Pirna
  10. Sebnitz
  11. Stadt Wehlen
  12. Stolpen
  1. Bahretal
  2. Dohma
  3. Dürrröhrsdorf-Dittersbach
  4. Gohrisch
  5. Kirnitzschtal
  6. Lohmen
  7. Müglitztal
  8. Porschdorf
  9. Rathen
  10. Rathmannsdorf
  11. Reinhardtsdorf-Schöna
  12. Rosenthal-Bielatal
  13. Struppen

See also

Media related to Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz at Wikimedia Commons

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