Before leaving Kamenz, I was drawn into another church, this one turned into a museum with superb triptychs. On leaving the town, I began to climb steeply but was flanked by flowering rhododendrons--I was in a special rhododendron park! See pic.
My destination, Königsbrück (King's Bridge) at 17 mi. was first mentioned in 1248. Historically, it divided Bohemia from Saxony and has changed sides many times. And so the Via Regia was especially important here because of the tolls collected when travelers crossed the two kingdoms. The city itself grew on account of the tolls.
In DDR times, the Soviets had their SS-12 nuclear-tipped missiles stationed here. Institute for Space Medicine was also here -- Jähn, whose Space Museum I visited last week trained here.
Huge contrast with last night's Pension; it's mattress time. I was no worse for it! I was the only one there and heard the bells all night (but faintly). At 6 AM, they rang over 100 times. You had to get up. See second pic of my room and its view of the church at whose hostel I stayed--the priest was so accommodating!
