RegionOutline guide

Saxon Ore Mountains

Mountain range in Central Europe

Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

The Saxon Ore Mountains, called Erzgebirge in German or Krušné hory in Czech, is a mountain range in the south of Saxony in Germany. It is known for its craftwork. The mountains have formed a natural border between Saxony and Bohemia for many centuries.

Getting there and around

Getting there

By train
If you are coming from further away you will most likely arrive via Dresden or Leipzig. Regional trains also run from other surrounding regions, like Franconia.
By plane
The only major airport with scheduled flights is in Dresden. However, even that airport doesn't offer all that many connections.

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Getting around

Many railways run through the Erzgebirge, although not as many as there once was. The Fichtelbergbahn runs a heritage steam service on 750mm gauge from Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal.

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Airports and nearby hotels

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Karlovy Vary Airport

Karlovy Vary · International · KLV

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Cities

Aue

Aue is a mining town in the Saxon Ore Mountains.

Chemnitz

Chemnitz is a city in southwestern Saxony, and the third-largest city in the state, after Dresden and Leipzig. The settlement developed around a monastery, and was granted city status in 1170.

Freiberg

Freiberg is a town in Saxony, Germany. It has one of the best preserved historic town centres in the state, and is known for its cathedral and centuries-old mining tradition.

Johanngeorgenstadt

Johanngeorgenstadt is a mining town the Saxon Ore Mountains near the border with the Czech Republic.

Oberwiesenthal

Oberwiesenthal is a winter sports resort in the Ore Mountains in Saxony, Germany. With an altitude of 914 m above sea level, Oberwiesenthal is the highest "city" (Stadt) in Germany.

Zwickau

Zwickau is a city in Saxony. Its rich history includes being the birthplace of the 19th-century composer Robert Schumann and of a number of automotive makes.

Read before you go to Saxon Ore Mountains

Articles and travel topics about Saxon Ore Mountains and Germany.

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandAs the name implies, the Ore Mountains are a mineral-rich mountain range, located in the southern part of Saxony bordering Bohemia.

TalkTruth be told, the local dialect can be hard to decipher even to German native speakers. If you can't make out what people are telling you, try to extricate yourself from the conversation and try asking someone else.

Get inFrom the north (Berlin via Dresden) use the Autobahn A13 and A4, as well as the A14 (from Magdeburg). Enter via the Autobahn A4, when coming from the west.

Get aroundMany railways run through the Erzgebirge, although not as many as there once was. The Fichtelbergbahn runs a heritage steam service on 750mm gauge from Cranzahl to Oberwiesenthal.

DoThe Erzgebirge national park provides many opportunities for outdoor sports and sightseeing.

Stay safeOn the whole this area experiences little crime. (Though low level drug smuggling across the border does occur). As it is not as high up as the Alps, mountain safety rules apply but less so.

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Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Saxon Ore Mountains" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Ore Mountains", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: André Karwath aka Aka, CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

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