Saxony Switzerland

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5 June 2009

Our first port of call today was to the attractive village of Rathern built on both sides of the river below Bastei.

A fortress which was started in the 13 hundreds and expanded in the centuries thereafter is situated on the plateau of one of the Saxony Switzerland table top mountains just outside the small town of Konigstein. it is called Festung Konigstein. This was our next stop and a very interesting visit it turned out to be. Because of its impregnable position surrounded by high cliffs on all sides it was never attacked and there are a collection of over 30 complete buildings to see. Besides being a fortress it was also used as a prison on several occasions including a POW camp in World War 2. Its elevated situation gave spectacular views on all sides of the national park.

We stayed in Konigstein on a very pretty campsite on the banks of the Elbe.

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