The Elbe Sandstone Mountains is a mountain range straddling the border between the state of Saxony in southeastern Germany and the northern Bohemian region of the Czech Republic, with about three by fourth of the area on the German side. The geology of mountains is sandstone. The mountains are also called as Saxon Switzerland and Bohemian Switzerland in both German and Czech. In both countries, the mountain range has been declared a national park. The name derives from the sandstone which was carved by erosion. The river Elbe breaks through the mountain range in a steep and narrow valley.
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The eroded sandstone of this region presently shapes the landscape which was the sea bottom millions of years ago. Large rivers rinsed sand and decomposition debris into the Cretaceous sea. Rough quartz sand, clay and fine marl sank and solidified themselves layer for layer. A compact sandstone plate developed, about 20 x 30 kilometres wide and up to 600 meters thick.
When the sea left approx 80 million years ago, the mountain forming decay began. At first bursts developed. From the north coming the Lusatian granite massif pushed itself gradually onto the sandstone plate. From the south the lifting mountains of the today’s Ore Mountains caused counter pressure which slanted the brittle sandstone plate and burst it. From the nearly right-angled break lines later the typical, cuboid-like fissure of the Elbe sandstone developed. It is a coveted building materiel, e.g. for the Church of Our Lady in Dresden.
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The Elbe Sandstone Mountains have many amenities for treatment and rehabilitation. The region has a belief of many years. The discovery of ferrous and sulphurous sources in Bad Schandau in 1730 led to its growth as a health resort and the building of swimming baths.
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