Saxon Switzerland (Bastei)

Saxon Switzerland is a national park in the German state of Saxony, near Dresden, where the Elbe River winds between tall sandstone towers. Its best-known sight is the Bastei, a group of jagged rocks that rise 194 metres above the river.

The Bastei is linked by a stone bridge built in 1851, which connects several rock pinnacles at a lookout point. The rocks were shaped by water erosion over a million years. The national park covers about 93.5 square kilometres, was founded in 1990, and borders Bohemian Switzerland National Park in the Czech Republic. It is a popular place for climbing and hiking.

The Bastei and its bridge

The name Bastei means 'bastion', because the steep rocks once formed part of the defences of Neurathen Castle. As the area became popular with visitors, a wooden bridge joined several rocks in 1824. In 1851 it was replaced by the stone Bastei Bridge, which still stands today. Painters also loved the place; Caspar David Friedrich based a famous painting on it. The nearby spa town of Rathen is the main starting point, and you can even reach it from Dresden by paddle steamer on the Elbe.

A park of rock and forest

The park is a canyon-like landscape of cracked sandstone cliffs and deep valleys. Its highest point is the Großer Winterberg, 556 metres above sea level, only a short distance from the Elbe valley at about 110 to 120 metres. Because the land is so steep, it has many different habitats and microclimates. About 40 percent of the park is forest, and some of it is left to grow wild without human help, which is unusual in central Europe.

On the globe

The model shows sandstone towers above the Elbe, linked by the stone Bastei Bridge. Look for the bridge between the rock pinnacles.