Saxony is a federal state of the Federal Republic of Germany, located in the eastern part of the country. It was newly created in 1990. From 1919 to 1933 there was a federal state of the Weimar Republic called the "Free State" in the area.

Topographically the Free State of Saxony can be divided into three parts: the plains, the hills and the Middle German mountains. The plains include the area around Leipzig and the northern part of Upper Lusatia. Both of these plains were formed by Pleistocene glaciers and the deposition of rivers.

A characteristic feature of them is the underground deposits of lignite. The hilly area to the south of the plains is characterised by loess deposits and high quality soils. It is formed by terminal moraines.

The central mountain range of Saxony is not clearly demarcated from west to east. To the south-west the Vogeland extends into Bavaria, Thuringia and Bohemia. The Erzgebirge is its northern boundary and the Erste Mountains lie to its south-east.

To the east, the Erzgebirge is the fault line of the Erzgebirge, which is divided into two branches, east and west (occasionally the Erzgebirge is divided into three branches, east and west). From west to east the mountains decrease in height. The highest point in Saxony (1215 m) is therefore also located in the western branch of the Erzgebirge. To the south of the state the terrain plunges towards the Eger Valley.

The southern part of the Erzgebirge along the ridge is a national park. The Elbe breaks through the Erskine in the east and forms a deep valley in the mountain range.

To the north-east of the Elbe Valley the Lusatia fault forms a clear boundary between the Erzgebirge and the Lusatia Plateau. The Lusatian Highlands gradually transition into the Czech Republic in south-eastern Saxony as the Lusatian.

Saxony is home to the following famous attractions.

1. Finely crafted architectural splendour: Saxony's palaces, castles and gardens

More than a thousand palaces, castles, gardens and manor houses bear witness to Saxony's fascinating history, including the Pillnitz Palace with its Oriental/Chinese decorations, the Cinderella Castle Moritz and the majestic Augustusburg.

The oldest castles in Germany - Albrechtsburg, Weesenstein or the palace at Rammenau - are also worth noting.

2. The history and stories of the lively Leipzig region

The picturesque Mulde Valley exudes the romanticism of a castle. Nowhere else in Saxony are there so many castles, palaces and gardens as between Leipzig and Chemnitz.

The valley, where the scrubby countryside combines with one of the largest woodlands in central Germany, offers the ideal place for hikers, cyclists and travellers on horseback. In addition, Leipzig's Neuseenland, a spectacular paradise in the sky, is a remnant of former mining operations.

3. A melting pot of modernity, art nouveau and industrial culture

Chemnitz In Chemnitz, the gateway city to the Saxon mines, the Gunzenhauser Art Gallery houses Germany's most important collection of Expressionism, while Villa Esche, with its early twentieth-century Art Nouveau atmosphere, is the home of the European architect Henry Felder.

Henry van de Velde, a masterpiece of European architectural design. Chemnitz is also home to a number of important industrial museums as a representative of Germany's industrial culture.