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Cradle of the reformation and Bauhaus
Saxony-Anhalt is situated in the middle of Germany. Archaeological, artistic and architectural monuments bring to light the historical and cultural significance of the region.
Situated at the crossroads of trade routes, the region has been the birthplace of ideas that have changed the world. Martin Luther and the Reformation, Bauhaus, the Wörlitz gardens, or even the Nebra Sky Disk are just a few examples. They are all UNESCO World Heritage sites.
The spirit of being dauntlessly disposed, venturing or taking risks with something new, or thinking outside the box, continues to this day to work its charm in this region. It also provides important impetus in the field of research. This year, for example, the most important SME innovation award (Top100) went to the Wittenberg-based company Tesvolt, which develops regenerative storage technologies. Europe’s largest 3D Mixed Reality Laboratory is currently being built in Magdeburg’s Science Port district, and the German Aerospace Centre is planning a national drone airport in Saxony-Anhalt for research and development of the technology.
Cultural and scenic diversity
Saxony-Anhalt was created by the Soviet occupation authorities in 1946, dissolved in 1952, and rebounded on 3 October 1990, the day of German unification. Located in central Germany, the Land ranks 8th among the Länder in terms of area and 10th in terms of population. The Land capital Magdeburg and the city of Halle (Saale) count among the largest cities.
Saxony-Anhalt is a Land rich in diverse cultural characteristics and dialects. It is also dominated by different landscapes, such as the pristine flat landscapes in the Altmark, the Harz mountains forming the northernmost low-mountain range comprising the “Brocken” - which inspired Johann Wolfgang von Goethe to create the famous Walpurgis scene in his masterpiece “Faust” - or the wine culture landscape along the rivers Saale and Unstrut. The Land is criss-crossed by the River Elbe, at a length of around 303 kilometres. One of the most popular cycling paths in Germany, the Elbe Cycle Path, stretches along its banks.
Strong industrial sectors, high research intensity
Strong industrial sectors form the backbone of Saxony-Anhalt as a business location. The strongest sectors in terms of sales are the chemical and plastics industries, the food industry, mechanical and plant engineering, and the automotive supply industry.
Apart from these structural sectors, it's industries such as ICT, life sciences, as well as logistics, cleantech, tourism and the creative industries that shape the business Saxony-Anhalt as a business location.
Saxony-Anhalt is the centre of the East German chemical industry and Leuna is one of the largest and most modern chemical industry sites in Europe. Saxony-Anhalt originated the concept of the chemical park, in which industry, suppliers and subcontractors are located close to one another in order to create synergies.
Saxony-Anhalt is also considered a role model when it comes to using renewable energies. Since the energy turnaround and the coal phase-out, the Land has been a pioneer in the research and development of “green” hydrogen. Saxony-Anhalt is very popular with foreign investors - recent investments in the fields of new mobility and bioeconomy speak for themselves. The innovation potential of Saxony-Anhalt is one of the Land's essential strengths. The basis for this is one of the densest research landscapes in all of Germany and the close interplay between science and industry.
Long history, grand ideas
In this Land, some major ideas were developed that continue to shape the world today, from colour film to civil aviation. The Bronze Age Sky Disk, which was discovered in 1999 on the Mittelberg mountain, near the city of Nebra, is the oldest known representation of the sky in the world. The city of Quedlinburg (“Cradle of Germany”), with the Stiftsberg and its half-timbered houses, the Naumburg Cathedral, the Bauhaus in Dessau (“Land of Modernity”) and the Luther memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg (“Origin of the Reformation”) have been awarded World Cultural Heritage status. Saxony-Anhalt is known for its numerous museums, churches, cathedrals and castles, but also for its artistically arranged gardens and parks that are locally christened as “Garden Dream Parks”. The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site as a “Model State of the Enlightenment”.
To the state's official website: