Country Germany Time zone CET (UTC+1) Population 328,990 (31 Dec 2008) | State Saxony Vehicle registration BZ, BIW, HY, KM Capital Bautzen | |
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Clubs and Teams FSV Budissa Bautzen, Bischofswerdaer FV 08 Points of interest Cathedral of St Peter - Bautzen, Saurierpark Kleinwelka, Ortenburg, Alte Wasserkunst, Reichenturm Bautzen Destinations Bautzen, Hoyerswerda, Kamenz, Pulsnitz, Radeberg | ||
The district of Bautzen (German: Landkreis Bautzen, Upper Sorbian: Wokrjes Budyšin) is a district in the state of Saxony in Germany. Its largest towns are Bautzen, Bischofswerda, Kamenz, Hoyerswerda and Radeberg. It is the biggest district in Saxony in area, and is a member of the Neisse Euroregion.
Contents
Map of Bautzen, Germany
It is bordered to the south by the Czech Republic. Clockwise, it also borders the district of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, the district-free city of Dresden, the district of Meißen, the state of Brandenburg, and Görlitz district
History
Historically most of the Upper Lusatia belonged to Bohemia. After the end of the Thirty Years' War it became a part of Saxony. Only the small town of Schirgiswalde remained Bohemian until 1809.
The district was established in 1994 by merging the former districts of Bautzen and Bischofswerda. The district of Kamenz and the district-free city of Hoyerswerda were merged into the district in August 2008.
Geography
The district of Bautzen is part of the region of Upper Lusatia (Oberlausitz). The south of the district is occupied by the Lusatian Mountains, and the countryside slopes away to the north.
The Spree river enters the district from the southeast and runs through Schirgiswalde and Bautzen before leaving to the north. North of Bautzen, the river is dammed by a reservoir (Talsperre Bautzen, 5.5 km²).
At its widest, the district is 65 km east-west, and 63 km north-south.