Pirna, District capital in Saxony, Germany
Pirna is a district capital in Saxony, located about 12 miles (20 kilometers) southeast of Dresden along the Elbe. The town stretches along the river between hills and forms the gateway to Saxon Switzerland on the left bank.
The settlement received its first written mention in 1233 and was part of Bohemian territory until the early 1400s. It later passed under Saxon rule and grew into a trade center with connections to Bohemia.
The name comes from a Slavic root that probably means place by the rock or spring. Visitors can still see many townhouses from the 1500s and 1600s in the old center that reflect this origin.
Visitors exploring the town usually start at the market square in the old center and walk into the side streets from there. For trips into the sandstone hills east of the river, several hiking trails are reachable from the town center.
The Marienkirche has a vaulted ceiling from the late Middle Ages that was built without supporting pillars in the center. This construction was unusual for the period and shows the skill of the stonemasons who worked on it.
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