The Geography of the Erzgebirge
Nestled between the Vogtland region and Elbsandsteingebirge (Elbe Sandstone Mountains, or Saxon Switzerland), the Erzgebirge is located in the southern part of the Free State of Saxony. However, that is only half the story. The border between Germany and the Czech Republic lies just north of the ridge line. While the mountains descend gradually into the lowlands on the German side, the descent is steeper on the Czech side. The 1,215-metre-high Fichtelberg is exceeded by the Klínovec, on the Czech side (1,244 metres).
Did you know that already? The Erzgebirge is the most densely populated uplands in Europe. Around half a million people live and work here. Chemnitz, the third-largest city in Saxony, is located very nearby, just north of the Erzgebirge in the Erzgebirge foothills. Dresden, Leipzig, Halle, Jena and the Czech capital city of Prague are only about 100 kilometres away.
The business region is linked to the Autobahn network via the A4 and the A72. Numerous German federal highways likewise lead from the three Saxon metropolises directly into the Erzgebirge. From the Saxon-Franconia Dresden-Nuremberg main line, rail lines such as the Erzgebirgsbahn (Erzgebirge Railways) branch off into the region. You can also fly to the Erzgebirge easily. It’s only about an hour by car from the airports in Dresden, Leipzig and Prague.
