History

The history of Meissen County goes far back in time and will be briefly outlined below.

In the year 929, the German King Henry I had fortifications built on what is Meissen’s castle hill today. Over the course of time, the fortress evolved into the imperial castle of Meissen and became the seat of the margraves. The Margraviate of Meissen was the wellspring of the emerging Kingdom of Saxony which is why Meissen is often called the “cradle of Saxony.”

 

The eventful history continued. Starting in 1089, the Wettin dynasty took the country’s fate into its hands and established a tightly organized administrative structure as of the 13th century. The municipal administration of Meissen was first mentioned in historic documents dating back to 1334. Over the next few centuries, the administrative structures changed again and again. But a couple of other historic events are also well worth mentioning. Riesa was granted its town charter in 1623. In contrast to Grossenhain, which experienced a flourishing economy already around 1500, Riesa only managed to establish itself as a business venue in the 19th century.

 

Subsequent to the political change of 1989, the Free State of Saxony was newly founded in Meissen’s Albrechtsburg Castle on October 3, 1990. Today’s Meissen County is the result of two territorial reforms which culminated in the merger of Meissen County and the County of Riesa-Grossenhain in 2008.

The county with its singular cultural landscape and its fascinating history is a vibrant and powerful business, employment, and residential location in Saxony today.