The numerous castles and palaces in Saxony tell the story about frequent changes in its history. In the course of time the borders were moved several 100 miles in a north-south and west-eastern direction. Before the development of this land started, it was inhabited by a Slavic population. Those and the new immigrated German citizens came together. The core of ancient Saxony was the country 'Meissen'. It was beside the Elbe river with secular and clerical importance. The castles were both to protect and to represent the power and the wealth of the nobility and of all of built the rulers. Thus castles are built different in their construction styles and conception according to its purposes. So in most cases you can recognize whether the castle was built to defend or for the court when the nobility went hunting or even to have fun in a baroque palace. In our days most of them are museums and represent a lifestyle the earlier centuries.