Today, natural landscapes almost do not affect urban construction. There are not many habitable but virgin places left on the planet. In the Early Middle Ages, everything was different. Towns were built around stone castles, which, in turn, largely depended on the landscape. At that time, the main goal was to protect against enemy raids, not to cultivate fertile land.

Mighty stone fortresses were mainly built on the tops of hills and cliffs, surrounded by rivers and lakes. Their surroundings were overgrown with dense forests that hid them from human eyes and preserved locals' peace. Many fortress walls have survived to this day, becoming open-air museums and popular tourist attractions.

One of these citadels, which impresses visitors even in modern peaceful days, is a medieval fortress just a few kilometers from Dresden. The history of Stolpen Castle began in the 12th century. Large basalt rocks, like stone giant warriors, served as natural fortress walls for its inhabitants. More than 35 meters high, these "walls" were created by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. The natural wonder became the ancient defensive fortress thanks to the first settlers, smart and hardworking Serbs.

At the beginning of the 13th century, these lands were bought by a bishop. For three hundred years, Stolpen Castle served as the episcopal residence. And only in the 17th century, during the reign of Elector Christian II of Saxony, the citadel got the deepest well in the world dug in basalt soil. The construction of the famous well took 30 long years and a lot of financial investments, even by royal standards.

Today, the German Stolpen Castle houses a museum founded at the end of the 19th century. Tourists can explore four spacious courtyards and the same number of stone towers. But the best part of the tour is a fantastic view of the ancient city of the same name, located at the foot of the citadel.