Saxon Switzerland National Park
| Saxon Switzerland National Park | |
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| Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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View from the Carolafelsen
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| Location |
 Saxony, Germany
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| Nearest city | Dresden |
| Coordinates | 50°54′51″N 14°16′42″E / 50.91417°N 14.27833°ECoordinates: 50°54′51″N 14°16′42″E / 50.91417°N 14.27833°E |
| Area | 93.5 km² |
| Established | 1990 |
Saxon Switzerland National Park (German: Nationalpark Sächsische Schweiz), is a National Park in the German Free State of Saxony, near the Saxon capital Dresden. It covers two areas of 93.5 km² (36.1 mi²) in the heart of the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, which is often called (the) Saxon Switzerland (German: Sächsische Schweiz).
The National Park adjoins Bohemian Switzerland National Park (Czech: České Švýcarsko) in the Czech Republic.
The National Park is the centre of a natural area of almost 710 km² (274 mi²). This region is called Saxon Switzerland and is cultivated by humans in many places. Some smaller towns and villages like Bad Schandau or Königstein in the district of Sächsische Schweiz are part of this region.
The core area of the National Park has a quiescent area of 40% and is covered almost completely by forest. The status of National Park, which grants the highest natural protection in Germany, was established in 1990. It lies – in two geographically separate areas – within the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge.
Saxon Switzerland is an intensively fissured and rocky canyon landscape. The highest peak of the National Park is at 556 metres (1,814 feet) above sea level but only in short distance to the valley of the Elbe river at 110 to 120 metres (360 to 390 feet). It offers several different habitats and microclimate zones due to its strong vertical division. The National Park still hosts some forms of forest without human intervention, which is an exception in central Europe. The special forms of mountain forest and gorge forest are endangered in Europe generally. Because of the sabulous soil and the fissures many places in that area are drier than normal for the temperate zone and offers rough conditions. This makes this area so special.
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Wikipedia