The Sächsische Schweiz is the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains (Elbsandsteingebirge) in Lohmen, Germany – not far away from Dresden. Once there was a sea in this region which created beautiful sandstone rocks. Both parts – in Germany as well as in the Czech Republic – have been declared as nature protection areas.
Most visited place on the German side is the Bastei with the Basteibrücke and the Felsenburg Neurathen. The castle on high rocks existed from around 1250 (first document: 1289) until 1469. A private association preserved the area and you can walk on metal platforms around the old structures for a small fee.
The Bastei was part of the protection of the castle: there was a wooden bridge that could be destroyed if attackers were in sight. Painters like Caspar David Friedrich depicted the nice rocks there. In 1826 a restaurant was created there and in 1851 the wooden bridge was replaced by one made of rock – the one you still can use today to access the former castle.
You can get there easily by car. If you are lucky you can directly drive to the parking lot which is only 10 minutes on foot from the Bastei. In high season it made to be necessary to park in a car park further away and use a shuttle bus.
Sächsische Schweiz
Elbsandsteingebirge, Bastei
Lohmen
Germany
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