Valleys, rivers, culture, majestic castles, mighty fortresses and romantic locations, make Saxony a land rich in history and traditions which are able to impress every traveler. Dresden, the great metropolis on the Elbe is its capital, but there are many centers that retell a rich history of names and culture: Leipzig the home of music, Pirna, the ancient Bautzen, capital of Upper Lusatia and Görlitz, Chemnitz and the Ore Mountains and many other places of great interest. For more than eight centuries, Wettin, the dynasty of German counts, dukes and electors that ruled in Saxony have welcomed many architects and artists of great fame, turning their kingdom in the land of great cultural interest that it is today. The Baroque Dresden, with its magnificent castles and gardens has no equal in Europe. Talented architects like Karcher, Pöppelmann, Wackerbarth, Knöffel and Longuelune created unique works, which can still be admired in all their splendor: the manors of Hartenfels, Pillnitz, Moritzburg, Wackerbarth, the Baroque garden of Grosssedlitz, the Great Garden of Dresden, to name a few. After a period of neglect and decay, nowadays Saxony is modern and active and at the same time full of the old world charm and noblesse.