Saxony Sachsen is federal state in the east of Germany. Outside of Berlin it contains the two largest and important cities in eastern Germany, Leipzig and Dresden. The state has a long history of independence as a kingdom much like Bavaria, and as a result has a strong sense of self-idenity. It is home to many historic towns and cities and also the eastern German mountain range, the Ore Mountains or "Erzgebirge" which it shares with the Czech Republic to the south. It also shares international borders with Poland and the region of Silesia to the east.
