Location, area, geographical data

Location

Dresden is situated in the southeast of the Free State of Saxony which borders nationally on the federal states of Bavaria, Thuringia, Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg and internationally on Czech and Polish territory. The city lies in a marked widening of the Elbe valley. The foothills of the Eastern Erzgebirge Mountains, the Lusatian Granite Uplands and the Elbe Sandstone Mountains characterise the delightful surroundings of the Saxon capital.

Area

In comparison to the surface of other German cities, Dresden with its 328.48 km² comes in fourth place after Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.

• Total area: 328.48 km² (32,848 ha), of which
  • built-up areas: 5,614 ha
  • areas for industrial and municipal purposes: 2,267 ha
  • recreation areas: 1,924 ha
  • traffic areas: 3,371 ha
  • agriculture: 9,765 ha
  • forested areas: 7,533 ha
  • waterways and lakes: 700 ha
  • other areas: 1,650 ha

Figures as per 31st December 2022

 

Geographical data

• Latitude: 51° 02' 55" N
• Longitude: 13° 44' 29" E
• Altitude (River Elbe): 102.73 m a.s.l.
• City centre (Altmarkt): 113 m a.s.l.
• Highest point (Triebenberg): 383 m a.s.l.
• Lowest point (Cossebaude): 101 m a.s.l.
• Length of city boundary: 139.65 km
• Length of River Elbe within city boundary: 30 km
• Bridges within city boundary: 10