Sebnitz

(Czech: Soběnice, sometimes Žebnice) is a large district town in the Saxon Switzerland-Eastern Ore Mountains district (Landkreis Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge). It is a state-recognized recreational area in eastern Saxony on the edge of the Saxon Switzerland National Park. Sebnitz is also called the “City of Artificial Flowers” or the “City of Silk Flowers”. In the early Middle Ages, the locality was probably inhabited by Slavic people. Sebnitz itself was founded by German colonizers from the Frankish region in present-day Bavaria. The oldest written mention can be found in the Upper Lusatian Border Charter from 1223/1241, which established the border between the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Bishopric of Meissen. As a center of economic life, the township emerged at the turn of the 12. and the 13th century a rectangular market square. Sebnitz was first mentioned as a town in writing in 1451. The town hall was built in the middle of the market square in 1714/15. However, it was destroyed by fire in 1854. From the Middle Ages until the beginning of the 19th century, Sebnitz was an agricultural town, whose livelihood was based on crafts, trade and agricultural production. Among the crafts, linen weaving had a dominant position. With the decline of hand-made linen weaving during the Industrial Revolution, the production of artificial flowers gained great importance.

What you should see

Evangelical Church of St. Peter and Paul – The oldest listed building from the 15th century, whose decoration dates back to the 17th century.

Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross (Kreuzerhöhung) – It dates from the 19th century and is built in the neo-Gothic style.

The town is characterized by burgher houses and industrial buildings from the time of the German Empire (1871-1918) and the Market Square (Marktplatz), restored in the late classicist style. The original half-timbered houses and half-timbered houses are preserved only in the outer perimeter of the inner city.

Sebnitz Viaduct – (1874/75) built for the Sebnitztalbahn was the first viaduct to be built in an arch (radius 224 m) and in a gradient (slope 1:50). It is 150 m long and 21 m high. Its originally ten stone arches were replaced by nine concrete piers during a general renovation in the late 1980s.

Sebnitz Prehistoric Park with 400 sculptures of prehistoric mammals and small animals.

Afrikahaus (House of Africa).

House “Deutsche Kunstblume Sebnitz” (House “German Artificial Flower” Sebnitz).

You know that…

…Sebnitz is the largest state-recognized recreational area (title since 1997) in Saxony.

…The world’s largest silk rose (3.7 m high) was produced in Sebnitz, its flower has a diameter of 1.5 m and weighs 10 kg.

…A unique folk art, the Sebnitz shadow play, was created in Sebnitz at the beginning of the 19th century.

…The local area of ​​Hinterhermsdorf won the title of “The Most Beautiful Place in Germany” in 2002, securing second place in the European comparison.

Web: www.sebnitz.de