Meißen

Meißen (spelled "Meissen" in the absence of non-ASCII characters), 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.

Tourism

Tourism is a major economic force in Meißen today.

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Some of its attractions are:

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• The historic district: The area of the city located mostly around the market at the foot of the castle's hill. Its narrow serpentine streets make a picturesque scenery, complemented by several remarkable Renaissance buildings.
• The porcelain factory: Visitors can watch how the Meißen porcelain is manufactured, or have a look at the exhibition hall which displays around 3000 selected items, historical and modern.
• Albrechtsburg and the cathedral: The hill on which the castle and the cathedral are built offers a view over the roofs of the old town.
• Markets and festivals: From spring to autumn, several festivals take place in Meißen, for example the pottery market or the Weinfest, which celebrates the wine harvest.
• Wine: Meißen wine is produced at the vineyards in the river valley around the town.