article

Meißen, internationally most known for porcelain, is a town of approximately 35,000 near Dresden on the river Elbe in the State of Saxony in the southern part of eastern Germany. Points of interest are mainly the Meißen porcelain label, the Albrechtsburg castle, the Gothic Meißen Cathedral, the Meißen Frauenkirche, and the St. Afra high school for gifted children.

History

The city of Meißen, located in Saxony (state), in southeastern Germany. It lies on the Elbe River just northwest of Dresden. It grew out of the early Slavic settlement of Misni and was founded as a German town by King Henry the Fowler in 929. In 968 it became the seat of the margravate of Meißen, which passed in 1089 to the house of Wettin, electors of Saxony after 1423. The bishopric of Meißen, established in 968 and suppressed in 1581 after the diocese accepted the Reformation (1559), was re-created in 1921 with its seat at Bautzen. Meißen was chartered in 1205, when it was a bastion of the German colonization of the Slavic lands east of the Elbe. Meißen is famous for the manufacture of porcelain (production dates from the early 18th century), based on extensive local deposits of china clay (kaolin) and potter's clay (potter's earth). Other ceramics are also manufactured, and wine is produced. The city is dominated by a group of 13th- and 14th-century Gothic cathedral buildings and by Albrechts Castle.

In 963, the Diocese of Meißen-Dresden was founded, and Meißen became the seat of a bishop.

Around 1000, Meißen became a market town, and in 1150 it was officially documented as a city (Stadt).

The construction of the cathedral was started in 1260 on the same hill as the castle. This created a lack of space due to which the cathedral is one of the smallest cathedrals in Europe. The cathedral is also known as being one of the most pure examples of Gothic architecture. The first European porcelain was manufactured in Meißen in 1710, when the Royal Porcelain Factory was opened in the Albrechtsburg Castle. Later, in 1861, it was moved to the Triebisch valley of Meißen, where the Porcelain Factory of Meißen can still be found today.

Today

Meißen is also known as the birthplace of Karl G. Maeser. As the first president of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah and superintendent of the LDS Church educational system, Karl. G. Maeser was born, raised, and educated in Meißen. Now, as a result, the two cities share a sister-city relationship. The connection between Provo and Meißen through Karl. G. Maeser was the original inspiration for the sister-city partnership. It is the hope of both cities that the relationship will grow to include the exchange of delegations, including manufacturers, youth, academicians, scientists, artists, associations, clubs, tourists, technicians, and others, which will result in enriching the cultures of the respective cities. As of 2001 the two cities have been sending high school age students on a three week long exchange to gain more knowledge about their differences in society and culture.

* http://www.provo.org/img-imported/Mayor-Billings-at-a-table2.jpg

Tourism

Tourism is a major economic force in Meißen today.

With a history dating back more than a thousand years, Meißen has long been known as the "cradle" of Saxony. That the town is worthy of such a name is clearly seen in its buildings - records of stone which bear witness to the different epochs of not only Saxon history but also the history of the Holy Roman Empire with Germany at its centre.

This is manifest, for example, in the mighty ensemble of Albrechtsburg Castle and Meißen Cathedral on the hill above the town. With the romantic silhouette of the roofs of the Old Town below it, the hill offers a magnificent panorama and has become a favourite subject for photographers from the banks of the Elbe.

Long ago, in the Middle Ages, the Wettin Princes became the margraves of Meißen, thus marking the beginning of Saxon history. Albrechtsburg Castle is regarded as being the first castle to be used as a royal residence in the Germanspeaking world; built between 1472 and 1525, it is a fine example of late Gothic style. Today the castle, the former residence of the House of Wettin, is a museum which is just as popular with visitors as the cathedral, whose architecture is pure Gothic and whose Princes`Chapel is one of the most famous burial places of the Wettin family.

Equally imposing is the view from the 57-metre high tower of the Frauenkirche ( Church of Our Lady ), situated in the old market-place. From here, the visitor will be tempted to take a leisurely stroll through the narrow medieval streets, with their quiet squares and steep flights of steps, past century old patrician houses which today accommodate small shops, cafes and wine cellars.

Some of its attractions are:

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Meißen".

Home Page • arts • business • computers • games • health • hospitals • home • kids & teens • news • physicians • recreation• reference • regional • science • shopping • society • sports • world