Station: [318] Nature - Source of New Energy

Factories, machines and fast-growing towns swallowed energy and new energy sources had to be found. So, gas and electricity works were built and apart from that, nature also provided wood, waterpower and coal. The human being began to push further into nature and piles of deeply churned-up earth lay barren in the landscape. Metallurgical emissions containing sulphuric acid and heavy metals poisoned the air and nature and the environment suffered on a previously unknown scale.

Even the human being also part of nature, suffered, and began to look for a way out. This was when a new relationship with nature began to develop and it became a recreational area. Towards the end of the 18th century Swiss painters from the mountains discovered a picturesque rocky landscape near Dresden and recognising its similarities with their homeland, they called it the Sächsische Schweiz, or Saxonian Switzerland. Shortly after this, a new line of business began to blossom there; which was called tourism.

On the Bastion Bridge high above the deep rocky gorges and walking through thick forests, the traveller was able to relax and recover in areas far away from the stress and noise of the normal working day.