Riesa is a city in Saxony.

Elbe riverbank in Riesa

Understand

Riesa is a mid-sized industrial town, about halfway between Dresden and Leipzig. It is known in the region for its pasta production and its sports tradition. The once dominant steelworks have massively lost in importance, depriving many locals of their jobs.

Get in

By plane

Riesa is about 50 km from Dresden airport (one hour by train) and 90 km from Leipzig/Halle airport (one to 1½ hours by train).

By train

Riesa has a station on the Frankfurt–Leipzig–Dresden ICE line (two-hourly) and the Cologne–Hanover–Dresden intercity line (two-hourly). Moreover hourly regional (express) trains connect from Leipzig, Dresden and Chemnitz, two-hourly from Elsterwerda. It is a 30–45 minutes ride from either Dresden or Leipzig, one hour from Chemnitz, 1:20 from Erfurt, two hours from Magdeburg, 2:15 from Berlin (via Leipzig), 3½ hours from Hanover, 3:40 from Frankfurt.

By bicycle

Riesa is located on the Elbe Radweg (Elbe River cycle route), 53 km from Dresden and 48 km from Torgau.

See

Trinitatis Church

• 1 Trinitatis Church, Lutherplatz 11, ☏ +49 3525 62010. Unusual Romanesque revival church from the late 19th century. (updated Dec 2023)

"Rusty Oak" by Jörg Immendorf

• Rostige Eiche ("Rusty Oak"). Large-sized cast-steel sculpture by Jörg Immendorf (1945–2007), officially named Elbequelle ("Elbe source"), but nicknamed "Rusty Oak" by locals. An artictic bow to both Riesa's location on the river Elbe and its steel industry heritage. 
• 2 Townhall (Rathaus), Rathausplatz 1, ☏ +49 3525 7000. Representative building that originally served as a Benedictine abbey, then as a squire's manor and now as seat of the local administration. (updated Dec 2016)
• 3 Pasta center (Nudel-Center), Merzdorfer Str. 21 - 25, ☏ +49 3525 720355. M-W 9ː00-18ː00, Th-Sa 9ː00-21ː00, Su closed. Get to know the town's most well-known product: Riesa pasta. The "pasta center" consists of a museum, a production site open to visitors, a pasta restaurant and shop. (updated Dec 2016)
• 4 Schloss Gröba, Kirchstr. 46, ☏ +49 3525 7040120. Well-preserved and restored Baroque mansion. (updated Dec 2016)

Do

• 1 Filmpalast Capitol, Hauptstr. 72, ☏ +49 3525 733779. Daily from 14ː00-21ː00. Heritage cinema in an interesting neo-classical building. All pictures in German. (updated Dec 2016)
• 2 Elbland Philharmonie Sachsen, Kirchstr. 3, ☏ +49 3525 72260. Symphony orchestra. (updated Dec 2016)

Buy

• Pasta made by Teigwaren Riesa

Eat

1 Restaurant Makkaroni, Merzdorfer Str. 21 - 25, ☏ +49 3525 720356, info@nudelcenter.de. M-W 11ː00-18ː00, Th-Sa 11ː00-21ː00, Su closed. It is a part of the pasta center and there are various homemade pasta dishes offered. (updated Dec 2023)

Sleep

• 1 Gasthof & Hotelpension „Zum Lindengarten“, Heidebergstraße 2, ☏ +49 3525 872700. (updated Dec 2023)
• 2 Mercure Riesa Elbland, Bahnhofstr. 40, ☏ +49 3525 7090. (updated Dec 2023)
• 3 Hotel Sachsenhof Riesa, Hauptstraße 65, ☏ +49 3525 733629. (updated Dec 2023)
• 4 Pension Zum Bürgergarten, Rudolf-Breitscheid-Str. 41, ☏ +49 3525 738811. (updated Dec 2023)
• 5 Pension Haupt, Am Anger 20, ☏ +49 3525 872582. (updated Dec 2023)

Go next

• Meißen, former residence of the eponymous Margraviate (precursor of the state of Saxony) with impressive medieval castle and cathedral, internationally known for its porcelain, 30 km southeast (on the Elbe cycle route, upriver). On the way between Riesa and Meißen are several pretty wine-growing villages.
• Torgau, former residence with Renaissance castle and the first newly-built Protestant church in the world, 40 km northwest (on the Elbe cycle route, downriver)
• Dresden, state capital with opulent Baroque old town, 50 km southeast (30–45 minutes by train; or cycle the Elbe Radweg upriver)
• Grimma, well-preserved old town in the Mulde valley, 55 km west
• Leipzig, major trade and cultural city, 70 km west (30–45 minutes by train)

Routes through Riesa

Dresden ←

Dresden  Frankfurt

→ Leipzig