Zittau

Zittau
Zittau Town Hall
Zittau
Administration
Country	Germany
State	Saxony
Admin. region	Dresden
District	Görlitz
Mayor	Arnd Voigt
Basic statistics
Area	66.74 km2 (25.77 sq mi)
Elevation	242 m  (794 ft)
Population	29,898  (30 November 2006)
- Density	448 /km2 (1,160 /sq mi)
Other information
Time zone	CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2)
Licence plate	GR
Postal code	02763
Area code	03583
Website	www.zittau.de Coordinates: 50°53′46″N 14°48′26″E / 50.89611°N 14.80722°E / 50.89611; 14.80722

Zittau (Czech: Žitava, Polish: Żytawa) is a city in the south east of the Free State of Saxony, Germany, close to the border tripoint of Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. As of 2007^[update], there are 29,361 people in the city. It is part of the Görlitz district.

The inner city of Zittau still shows its original beauty with many houses out of several areas of German architecture. There is the famous town hall in an Italian style, the church of St. John and the stables (Salzhaus) with its medieval heritage. This multistoried building is one of the oldest of its kind in Germany.

History

Zittau in 1744.

Zittau was one of the six members of the Six-City League of Upper Lusatia. At that time the city got a special title - it was called "Die Reiche" ("the Rich") according to its proportion of well-to-do citizens.

During the Counterreformation and after 1620 after the battle at Weisser Berg (White Mountain) a large number of Protestant refugees from Bohemia (böhmische Exulanten) came to Zittau, where the Protestant Saxon rulers took them in. Many of them went on and found refuge in surrounding villages, in Dresden and in Berlin in Brandenburg. Primarily due to near-complete war destruction during the Seven Years' War the once superior well-to do situation is only reflected in few extraordinary buildings and the rich cemeteries of the city.

One of the most important trading goods of this early age in the 16th century was beer. Later in the 18th and 19th century textiles became important too, a tradition common in the region of Upper-Lusatia. During World War II, a labour camp was located in the city. It provided forced labour for Schoenmann Werke, an aircraft parts manufacturer.^[1]

After the reunification in 1990 most of the big textile-enterprises that survived the time of the GDR nearly without any changes and any further investment closed down in just a few years. The city lost most of its economical strength. In addition, lignite surface mining was discontinued on the outskirts of the city in the foothills of the Zittau Mountains, while it still goes on across the border in Poland. This, however, has saved parts of the city from sure destruction, yet primarily now dormant military garrisons and schools. The city is also disadvantaged by the cheaper labour from neighbouring countries.

Main sights

This section requires expansion.

Culture

There are roughly 3,500 students studying at the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences and at the independent International Graduate School, Germany's smallest university catering to students from nearby Poland and the Czech Republic.

Transportation

This section requires expansion.

Because of its missing link to good infrastructure the city still suffers, but a direct connection to the nearest motorway between Bautzen and Görlitz is planned.

Former Border crossings

The Czech-German-Polish tripoint near Zittau, looking into Germany from the Czech Republic.

Zittau is located near the point where the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland meet and there are several border checkpoints between the three countries. Immigration and customs checks have however been removed since December 21, 2007 when all three have acceded to the Schengen Area.

Germany-Czech Republic

• Hartau-Hradek: Located in the village of Hartau south of Zittau, this crossing is only for pedestrians.

The former checkpoint on Chopinstrasse between Germany and Poland.

Germany-Poland

• Zittau Chopinstrasse-Sieniawka: This crossing consists of a vehicular bridge over the Lausitzer Neisse River which forms the border between Germany and Poland to the east of Zittau. The Polish town after the crossing is Sieniawka.
• Zittau Friedenstrasse-Porajow: Also consisting of a vehicular bridge over the Lausiter Neisse River south of Zittau. The Polish village after the border is Porajów. This crossing is used for those proceeding to the Czech Republic via the Czech-Polish border crossing south of Porajow. The Czech border crossing at Hrádek nad Nisou.

References

v • d • e Towns and municipalities in Görlitz (district) Bad Muskau · Beiersdorf · Bernstadt auf dem Eigen · Berthelsdorf · Bertsdorf-Hörnitz · Boxberg · Dürrhennersdorf · Ebersbach · Eibau · Gablenz · Görlitz · Groß Düben · Großhennersdorf · Großschönau · Großschweidnitz · Hähnichen · Hainewalde · Herrnhut · Hohendubrau · Horka · Jonsdorf · Kodersdorf · Königshain · Krauschwitz · Kreba-Neudorf · Lawalde · Leutersdorf · Löbau · Markersdorf · Mittelherwigsdorf · Mücka · Neißeaue · Neugersdorf · Neusalza-Spremberg · Niedercunnersdorf · Niesky · Obercunnersdorf · Oderwitz · Olbersdorf · Oppach · Ostritz · Oybin · Quitzdorf am See · Reichenbach · Rietschen · Rosenbach · Rothenburg · Schleife · Schönau-Berzdorf · Schönbach · Schöpstal · Seifhennersdorf · Sohland am Rotstein · Strahwalde · Trebendorf · Vierkirchen · Waldhufen · Weißkeißel · Weißwasser · Zittau

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