Art and History on the Malerweg

Liebethal Valley: Numerous depictions of the romantic rock world between Liebethal and the former Lochmühle originated right at the starting point of the Painter's Path.

Lohmen: The Lohmen Castle, located on a steep rock spur above the Wesenitz, offered a popular motif for the painters of Romanticism.

Uttewalde Valley: Depictions of the Uttewalde rock gate in the late 18th century marked a shift in the perception of the landscape: horror at the primal force and threat of nature transformed into delight at the picturesque romanticism of becoming and passing away. Caspar David Friedrich sought solitude in the area for days, sketching the landscape.

Wehlen: The idyllic view of the Elbe town has always attracted painters. In the historical stone quarries on the Elbe slope, still in use at the time, Impressionist Robert Sterl found numerous motifs.

Bastei: With its particularly impressive landscape, the Bastei area has always offered a wealth of visual motifs for artists. Caspar David Friedrich also immortalized it in some of his works.

Kurort Rathen: Two hundred years ago, an adventurous and strenuous climb of 487 steps led through the Vogeltelle to the Bastei over the site of the Rathen rock stage. There are a number of impressive landscape depictions of this area.

Amselgrund: The Amselfall was already a tourist magnet in the 19th century with its unique appeal. Until a few years ago, the artificially dammed waterfall (Amselfall) could be seen in action for a small fee.

Wehlgrund: The landscape of the Wehlgrund, a side valley of the Amselgrund, is dominated by the imposing rock formation of the "Kleine Gans," from which numerous drawings, including those by Johann Christian Clausen Dahl, exist.

Hohnstein: Its very location gives the town of Hohnstein a picturesque appearance. The immediate surroundings of the rocks and deeply cut valleys practically attracted painters. Correspondingly, the artistic testimonials are diverse; the highlight is the impressive castle perched on a rocky spur.

Brand: Representations of the Brand viewpoint exist, among others, by Carl August Richter and Adrian Ludwig Richter. In a nearby grotto, an inscription by Moritz August von Thümmel (1738–1817) testifies to the overwhelming impression the landscape scenery made on the poet.

Waitzdorf: After a steep ascent and descent, the hiker is rewarded with a picturesque village featuring original Umgebinde houses and the impressive Ochelaussicht. The view from here served multiple times as a motif for paintings well into the 20th century, including by Richard Naumann Coschütz.

Kirnitzschtal: In the Kirnitzschtal, wild rocky areas alternate with charming valley expanses with meadows. Several mills invited travelers to stop by and increasingly developed into attractive inns.

Schrammsteine: The Schrammsteine are often considered the heart of the Saxon Switzerland. Two hundred years ago, there was probably still an overwhelming respect for the inaccessible wildness of their surroundings, as there are comparatively few pictorial representations of this rock formation.

Lichtenhainer Waterfall: Since 1830, a small brook has been dammed here with a retractable weir, so that after opening the barrier, a powerful waterfall cascades into the depths. Those who could afford it were carried up to the Kuhstall by pack animals or in a sedan chair.

Kuhstall Cave: In the mighty layer joint cave of the Kuhstall, the painters found a natural phenomenon of the greatest emotional impact on humans.

Arnstein: Centuries ago, Arnstein was home to a medieval rock castle called the "Ottendorf Robber Castle." Its enigmatic allure made it a popular subject for 19th-century painters. Adrian Zingg and Ludwig Richter captured the Arnstein Cave in copper engravings.

Kleinstein: The motif of the Kleinstein Cave was drawn by Ludwig Richter during his journey through Saxon Switzerland between 1816 and 1818, and was later published as a copper engraving.

Großer Winterberg: As a prominent landmark of Saxon Switzerland, the Großer Winterberg early on became a favored destination for painters and nature enthusiasts. Historical depictions often show free, unwooded landscapes, an indication that due to early nature conservation efforts, the landscape has since recovered from previously extensive forestry.

Pravčická brána (Bohemian Switzerland): The rock arch in the Czech part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains is perfectly situated in the landscape, seeming tailor-made for painters. The magic of this natural wonder remains unbroken to this day.

The historical Painters' Path once concluded at the Prebischtor and the picturesque border town of Herrnskretschen (Hřensko), from where artists took a boat down the Elbe River back and made another stop at the Lilienstein or the Königstein Fortress. Today's Painters' Path also runs along the left side of the Elbe, where entirely different landscapes unfold for the hiker.

Krippen: A detour to the Elbe is worthwhile here, as the view by the river is famously old. From the time of Caspar David Friedrich's three-month stay in Krippen, among other things, the drawing of the rock block that later became part of his famous oil painting "Wanderer above the Sea of Fog" has been preserved. The mountain painter Irmgard Uhlig, incidentally, called the painting "Rock Landscape in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains" by this artist his "most expressive rock painting," representing "the pinnacle of romantic landscape depiction."

Fortress Königstein: The impressive mountain fortress on the table mountain of the same name has always been a popular motif. Long before the onset of the Romantic era, the Saxon electors themselves ensured that their fortificational masterpiece was immortalized in images. Numerous drawings, graphics, and paintings of the fortress were created as a result - among others by Bernardo Bellotto (known as Canaletto) and Adrian Zingg. With its own collection and special exhibitions, Fortress Königstein also emerges as a venue for art.

Thürmsdorf: Among the nearly forgotten vantage points is the one at the former mausoleum of the Biedermann family in Thürmsdorf, which is now the Malerweg Chapel. The bend in the Elbe with the table mountains was a popular motif 200 years ago. It speaks to the painters' perspective that they discovered the uniqueness of this inconspicuous spot.

Schloss Sonnenstein: The castle, located approximately 70 meters on a rocky plateau, has its origins in the second half of the 10th century. The fantastic view of the city and the Elbe attracted painters to the old fortress complex.

Old Town of Pirna: The city center has remained almost unchanged over the centuries. This can be confirmed by observing Canalettos' vedute.