Dresden Basin

The Dresden Basin[1][2] (German: (Dresdner) Elbtalkessel or Dresdner Elbtalweitung) is a roughly 45 km long and 10 km wide area of the Elbe Valley between the towns of Pirna and Meißen.

The Dresden Basin is formed by the foothills and flanks of the Eastern Ore Mountains and western Lusatian Highlands and the northwestern slopes of Saxon Switzerland.

Geologically it is a rift valley and its most important river, the Elbe flows through it in wide meanders.

The region is climatically milder than the surrounding area, so that on the northern slopes of the hills vineyards may be cultivated (Saxon Wine Route).

The region was settled early due to the fertile soils (loess) and the easy river crossings and achieved worldwide importance from a cultural and historical perspective.