© Photo by Jan Voorhaar
This beautifully preserved old German town (sometimes called a 'Cradle of Saxony') once grew out of a Slavic settlement on a small river, which is nowadays called Meisabach. A market town by 1000, it grew into an important trade centre and home to production of two famous products - Saxonian wine and fine pottery. Meissen porcelain is considered a first high quality china to be produced in the West. Both wine and pottery festivals take place every year. Town's cathedral is built on a very small plot of land, so it is one of the smallest cathedrals in Europe, but also one of the purest examples of Gothic architecture. There are also many Renaissance buildings in town.
