Envision messengers traveling through Saxony centuries ago. The Kursächsische Postmeilensaeule stands before you. It is more than just a stone pillar. It is a testament to August the Strong’s ambition and the meticulous work of Adam Friedrich Zürner.
This Kursächsische Postmeilensaeule is a milestone. It precisely marks distances and travel times to the nearest eighth of an hour. These markers varied in design. They took the form of obelisks, herms, or stelae. The design depended on the distance they represented.
August the Strong ordered these Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen to be erected. They were placed along major postal and trade routes. They appeared in almost every town within the Electorate of Saxony. The aim was to create a standard system for calculating postal charges. Back then, the Electorate of Saxony was larger than today’s Saxony. You can still find these columns in Thuringia, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, and even Poland.
The Saxon Upper Post Director Paul Vermehren initiated their placement. This followed official distance calculations. The results were recorded in hours on the hewn natural stone of the Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen.
The creation of the Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen was quite an undertaking. Before these stone markers, wooden posts served as guides. In 1695, the Saxon Postmaster Ludwig Wilhelm suggested placing wooden posts at regular intervals along the Leipzig-Dresden road. Elector August the Strong commanded in June 1695 that definite mile markers be set. He tasked Heinrich Niedhart with this job.
These early wooden posts decayed quickly. They often collapsed within a few years. The Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen aimed for durability. The construction of these columns was not unique to Saxony. Other countries had similar distance markers.
Adam Friedrich Zürner played a crucial role. His cartographic work caught August the Strong’s eye. In 1713, the Elector commissioned Zürner to map all of the Electorate’s territories. This included the core lands plus other holdings. The resulting maps were kept secret for military reasons. However, Zürner also created an improved postal map. This was published in 1718. It remained in use into the 19th century.
Zürner had to verify existing distance data. He designed a measuring wagon. It used a wheel with a Dresdner Rute circumference. This wheel linked to a counting mechanism. His assistants used a hand cart for paths unsuitable for the wagon. This ensured precise road measurements.
The measurements began at the post office. Each quarter mile, Zürner’s assistant hammered in a numbered post. This careful process faced resistance. Costs and responsibility fell to local authorities. Many towns tried to avoid or delay the project. August the Strong threatened penalties for negligence.
Despite the resistance, Zürner supported towns. He helped them petition the Elector for leniency. The Elector often agreed to fewer columns per town. The advantages of the project included verifiable transport costs. It also ensured fairer prices. It precisely defined travel times.
The Stadträte of Bautzen and Görlitz initially refused to receive Zürner. Damaging the columns led to imprisonment. Eventually, the Saxon Landtag ruled that columns only be erected on main roads.
The design of the Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen blended Baroque style with ancient models. The chief architect Matthäus Daniel Pöppelmann is linked to the design.
A large distance column like this one consists of seven parts. It has a base with a top. The column shaft displays the destination. The inscription employed Fraktur lettering based on distance tables. A post horn symbolized state postal authority. The Electoral Saxon coat of arms and the Polish royal crown adorned the structure.
Originally, these columns stood before city gates. They displayed distances on two sides and city names on the others. Later columns on marketplaces showed distances on all four sides. The material used varied based on local stone. Elbe sandstone, Rochlitz porphyry, and Lusatian granite were common.
After a new survey in 1858, a new system of milestones was created between 1859 and 1865. These Royal Saxon milestones marked distances in a new way. Today, the Kursächsische Postmeilensaeulen remain protected historical landmarks. They serve as reminders of Saxony’s rich postal history.