Meissen (district) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Meissen (Meißen)
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| Country |  Germany |
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| State | Saxony | ||
| Capital | Meissen | ||
| Area | |||
| • Total | 1,453 km2 (561 sq mi) | ||
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) | ||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) | ||
| Vehicle registration | MEI, GRH, RG, RIE | ||
Meissen (which in German is called Meißen) is a special area in Saxony, Germany. It's known as a Kreis, which is like a county or district. Meissen is surrounded by other areas. To the north, it borders the state of Brandenburg. Moving clockwise, it's next to the Bautzen district, the big city of Dresden, and then the districts of Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge, Mittelsachsen, and Nordsachsen.
Contents
History of Meissen District
The Meissen district has a long history, going back to a place called the Amt Meißen. This name was first used in the year 1334. The area was once ruled by a powerful family known as the Wettin dynasty.
How Meissen's Borders Changed
In the 13th century, the leaders of what was then called the Margravate of Meissen created administrative areas known as Amt. These were ways to organize the land.
Later, in 1835, the Amt system changed. It became what was called an Amtshauptmannschaft. The area that is now the Meissen district was covered by three of these: Meissen, Dresden, and Großenhain.
In 1939, these Amtshauptmannschaften got a new name: Landkreise. This is the German word for districts, which is still used today.
Modern Changes to the District
After 1952, some towns and villages were moved to different districts, like Freiberg and Döbeln. But in 1990, the old district borders were mostly brought back.
In 1996, parts of another district, Dresden-Land, were added to Meissen. The district grew even more in August 2008 when the Riesa-Großenhain district joined it. This is how the Meissen district got its current size and shape.
Geography of Meissen
The most important river in the Meissen district is the Elbe. This large river flows right through the town of Meissen itself, adding to the beauty of the area.
Towns and Communities
The Meissen district is home to many towns and smaller communities. Here are some of them:
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Politics and Representation
The Meissen district is part of an electoral district. This means that people living in Meissen vote for their representatives in government. These representatives then speak for the district's interests.
See also
In Spanish: Distrito de Meißen para niños
