Nestled between the Dresden Heath and the Schoenfeld Upland lies Bühlau. It’s a district with a story as unique as its name. Bühlau first appears in records in 1349 as “Bele,” meaning “bright” or “white place.” This hints at its Slavic origins. Over the centuries, the name evolved. It morphed through “Belen,” “Bela,” “Byle,” “Belaw,” “Pele,” and “Biehla” before finally settling as “Bühlau” in 1791. Even as late as 1875, it was sometimes called “Biela.” The addition “bei Dresden” helped distinguish it from another Bühlau near Stolpen. Bühlau wasn’t just one village. It was a collection of smaller settlements: the Oberdorf along Quohrener Strasse, the Niederdorf or Neubühlau along Bautzner Landstrasse, Adelig-Bühlau by the Grundstrasse with its three watermills, and Dürr-Bühlau, a forest workers’ settlement. Bühlau’s residents even had grazing rights in the Dresden Heath. The area saw its share of turmoil. During the Seven Years’ War, fighting swept through Bühlau, leaving the Oberdorf in ashes. Another fire in 1813 destroyed fifteen homes. Despite these setbacks, Bühlau and neighboring Quohren grew closer. In 1839, they officially merged, becoming the municipality of “Bühlau mit Quohren.” The late 19th century saw a building boom in Neubühlau, mainly along Bautzner Landstrasse. The arrival of the Dresden tramway in 1896 further fueled its growth. The line extended to Weisser Hirsch in 1908, connecting Bühlau to the Dürrröhrsdorf-Weisser Hirsch railway. Around 1900, Bühlau became a popular summer retreat for Dresden’s residents. Officially renamed “Bühlau” in 1907, it finally became part of Dresden in 1921. Building continued until World War II. Even during the DDR era, Bühlau remained important, not only as a residential area but also for agriculture. Bühlau’s growth reflects Dresden’s expansion. Its journey from a small Slavic settlement to a bustling Dresden suburb shows its resilience and adaptability.
Kutschgeteich Moritzburg
How many hidden havens do you think lie tucked away in Saxony? Right here before us lies one such secret: