Sächsische Schweiz (district)

The Sächsische Schweiz (Saxon Switzerland) is a former district (Kreis) in the south of Saxony, Germany. Neighboring districts were (from west clockwise) Weißeritzkreis, the district-free city Dresden and the districts Kamenz and Bautzen. To the south it borders the Czech Republic.

History
The district was created in 1994 when the two districts Sebnitz and Pirna were merged. In August 2008, as a part of the district reform in Saxony, the districts of Sächsische Schweiz and Weißeritzkreis were merged into the new district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge.

Geography
The district is named after the landscape – the Saxon Switzerland – as it is the most mountainous region of Saxony. To the west are the Ore Mountains, and to the east the Lusatian Highlands. The river Elbe flows through the Elbe Sandstone Mountains and separates the two mountain ranges. The highest elevation of the district is the 644 m high Oelsener Höhe in the southwest of the district, the lowest elevation is the valley of the Elbe at the boundary to Dresden which is 109 m above sea level.