Dessau-Roßlau, Administrative center in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Dessau-Roßlau is an administrative center in Saxony-Anhalt where the Elbe and Mulde rivers meet, creating flat floodplains that alternate with industrial zones. The two urban cores lie several kilometers apart and are connected by residential districts and green spaces.
The independent municipality was formed in 2007 through the merger of two neighboring towns during a statewide territorial reform. Roßlau was already a trading post at an Elbe ford in medieval times, while Dessau grew as the seat of the princes of Anhalt.
The name Roßlau derives from a Slavic term for horse keepers, recalling early settlement patterns in the region. Today many residents work in rail vehicle manufacturing, an industry that has shaped local working life for more than a century.
The train station offers regular connections to Berlin and Leipzig, and many points of interest are accessible by bicycle. Visitors planning to see the historic Bauhaus buildings should set aside several hours, as they are spread across the urban area.
The inland port on the Elbe once served as an important hub for coal and construction materials but now functions mainly as a yacht marina. In the Roßlau district stands one of Germany's oldest post windmills, which still preserves its original wooden framework from the 18th century.
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