Considering a stroll through a place where mammoths once roamed? That’s Torna in Dresden. Torna is a district in the southeast of Dresden. It is near the edge of the city. We are in the district of Prohlis.
Torna’s history stretches back to 1347. It was first mentioned as Turnow. The name Torna comes from the old Sorbian word “Torn”. Torn means thorn bush. So Torna means a place by the thorn bushes. Over time, the name evolved. It went from Tornaw to Dorn and Thorna before settling on Torna.
Once, Torna was owned by the Leubnitz monastery estate. The monastery was under Altzella Monastery. After the Reformation, the administration was managed from Leubnitz. The people of Torna had to provide services and give offerings. They also had to give the “Besthaupt”. This meant the landlord got the farmer’s best horse after his death. If the farmer’s wife died, they received her best cow.
In 1547, all seven farmsteads in Torna were deserted. The reason is unknown. Around 1564, farmers from Prohlis cultivated the fields. Later, Torna was resettled. The village recovered slowly after the Thirty Years’ War. There were also several plague epidemics. More damage occurred during the Battle of Dresden in 1813. Several buildings in Torna burned down.
Agriculture was important for the local farmers. During the 19th century, land was lost to clay pits and brick factories. Near the Gamighübel, people from Torna, Kauscha, and Leubnitz mined Dohna granite.
In 1815, the Goldener Stiefel inn opened in Torna. It was first located at Alttorna 5. In 1826, a shoemaker owned it. After his death, his son-in-law built a new building on Pfaffenberg in 1876 and 1877. Around 1900, it was the main pub for the mountain association for Saxon Switzerland. Richard Wagner supposedly visited the previous building in the 1840s.
Torna planned to merge with Leubnitz-Neuostra but it did not happen. On June 1, 1921, Torna was incorporated into Dresden. New settlements with private houses were built. Torna grew together with Leubnitz-Neuostra and Prohlis.
Interestingly, Torna is known for its fossils. The soil has layers of loess loam. This is where bones of woolly rhinoceroses and mammoths were found. The Torna brickworks quarry revealed a loess profile from the Weichsel Ice Age. East of Torna, there are old opencast mining remains and flooded quarries. These are protected as the Torna clay pits. This habitat is home to all three native green frog species. There are 64 bird species like the little grebe, penduline tit, sedge warbler, and kingfisher.
Today, Torna offers a quiet escape. You can wander through meadows where mammoths once grazed. You can also admire the traditional houses. The street name “Am Goldenen Stiefel” reminds us of the historical inn. So, as we conclude our visit to Torna, remember its long history. Think of the mammoths. Picture the farmers. Imagine the bustling inn. Torna offers a unique glimpse into Dresden’s past.