Görlitz Old Town

Görlitz is a town in the German federal state of Saxony. Located in the region of Lusatia on the Lusatian Neisse River, it is the second largest town of Lusatia after Cottbus, and the largest in Upper Lusatia. Görlitz is the capital of the district of Görlitz, the easternmost district of Germany. It lies opposite the Polish town of Zgorzelec, which was a part of Görlitz until 1945.

Görlitz belonged to the Electorate of Saxony after 1635. In 1815, due to the partition of Saxony, some parts of Lusatia were integrated into the Prussian Province of Silesia, and later into the Province of Lower Silesia. Görlitz is the largest town of the former Province of Lower Silesia that lies west of the Oder-Neisse line and hence remains in Germany today. Thus it is both the most Silesian town, in terms of character, and the largest in Germany today. The town combines Lusatian and Silesian traditions as well as German and Sorbian culture. It has around 55,000 inhabitants.

Görlitz has a rich architectural heritage. Many movie-makers have used the various sites as locations.