Meissen Old Town

Picturesque medieval streets, a majestic castle, dreamy cafes and vineyards. Caspar David Friedrich loved Meissen and the nearby Holy Cross Monastery. Several drawings were created here. His watercolor “View of Meißen” shows the city from the right bank of the Elbe.

The ruins of the Cistercian monastery complex “Heilig Kreuz”, which Friedrich liked to draw, were taken over by the Meißner Hahnemann Center in 2012. Christian Friedrich Samuel Hahnemann was the founder of homeopathy. The Kupferstich-Kabinett Dresden houses other works by Friedrich related to Meißen, including “View from the Chapter Hall” and “Gothic Church Tower in Meißen”.

Caspar David Friedrich is also part of the program of the Meißen Literature Festival in June 2024. All information about the festival: literaturfest-meissen.de

Meissen: city history
In 929, King Henry I had Misnia Castle founded, under which Meißen would soon develop into a small market settlement. At the end of the 12th century, this settlement finally became a city and received city rights, which are first documented in 1332.
Around the year 1250, construction began on the Meissen Cathedral, which is still preserved today, a sacred structure that was only completed in the 14th century. Construction of the Albrechtsburg began in 1470, which - like the cathedral - also dominates the modern cityscape of Meißen. By the way, the castle was built under Arnold of Westphalia.
For a very long time, Meißen was economically dominated by cloth making. However, this almost came to a standstill in the horror and confusion of the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). It was not until 1710 that the city began to gain new importance, when the porcelain factory, which is still known worldwide today, was opened under August the Strong.
Meißen's historic city center was severely affected by the Elbe flooding in 2002. The causes of this once-in-a-century flood were, above all, heavy, long-lasting rainfall and the flooding of the surrounding area by the Elbe and its tributaries.
Text/Source: Goruma
goruma.de/staedte/meissen/stadtgeschichte

Great old town with a very beautiful cathedral high above the Elbe. Expensive stairs and paths lead up from the old town to the cathedral.