On Thursday, journalist Riham Alkousaa was on a hiking holiday, walking with a group through the mountainous wooded region of Saxon Switzerland, in the eastern German state of Saxony.
A dumb American is about to ask a question about the geography of Europe. Why is there a region of Germany called Saxon Switzerland? Is that the name of the state or province?
The state is Saxony and Saxon Switzerland is a national park within Saxony. It’s a mountainous region that continues across the Czech border, where it is called Bohemian Switzerland.
I guess the logic behind the name is not much deeper than “it looks like Switzerland”.
The German translation of “Switzerland” is “Schweiz”, which is a word like “meadow”. It just describes a particular region, which often happens to be mountainous and with lots of forests, like the actual nation also happens to be.
A dumb American is about to ask a question about the geography of Europe. Why is there a region of Germany called Saxon Switzerland? Is that the name of the state or province?
The state is Saxony and Saxon Switzerland is a national park within Saxony. It’s a mountainous region that continues across the Czech border, where it is called Bohemian Switzerland.
I guess the logic behind the name is not much deeper than “it looks like Switzerland”.
new geoguessr meta
Two Swiss artists in the 18th century were studying in Dresden and called it the “Saxon Switzerland” because it reminded them of their home.
I think a “dumb American” wouldn’t even think to ask that question. It might be nice to treat yourself with more kindness ❤️
Thanks
The German translation of “Switzerland” is “Schweiz”, which is a word like “meadow”. It just describes a particular region, which often happens to be mountainous and with lots of forests, like the actual nation also happens to be.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_Switzerland_(landscape)