The district-free city of Zwickau was located in the center of the district and nearly completely surrounded by it.

In the region of Zwickau the sovereign of Schönburg and Wildenfels were given the rule over their comparatively small territories.

The borderline between albertinian and ernestinian possession was tangent to the Zwickauer city boundary.

In the Middle Ages the Saxon area was divided into governor's residence, apart from the central administration.

The “administrators” (Amtsmann) practised the jurisdiction, and were responsible for the military quantity and public security.

During the whole Middle Ages and afterwards – even until our century - the city Zwickau with their surrounding area was regarded as a unit, concerning administrative matters.

The county administrators were replaced by “district directions” (Kreisdirektion) in Dresden, Leipzig, Bautzen and Zwickau.

In the district Werdau the citizens elected Georg Hamburg to head of the administration.

With the termination of the municipality regional reorganization on January 1, 1999, the district changed its geographical face again.

The places Cainsdorf, Mosel, Oberrothenbach and Schlunzig were affiliated to Zwickau against the will of the people living there.

The district is located in the Ore Mountains, with the main river s being the Zwickauer Mulde and the Pleiße.