Zeitz lies in the south of Saxony-Anhalt, near the border with Thuringia, and is crossed by the Weiße Elster, which divides the town into an upper and lower town. The upper town rises on a hill, while the lower town lies in lower-lying areas along the river’s banks. Zeitz is surrounded by industrial zones, incorporated villages such as Aue and Aylsdorf, and the nearby settlements of Kloster Posa and Hainichen.
The town has a long history dating back to prehistory and early history. Finds such as a hand axe from Wetterzeube or Mesolithic tools attest to early settlement. In the Middle Ages, Zeitz was shaped by the bishops, who built a castle here and made the town their episcopal seat. Later, it served as the residence of the Duchy of Saxe-Zeitz, as evidenced by Moritzburg Palace.
Today, historic buildings like the medieval town wall and the Baroque Moritzburg define the town’s appearance. It developed into an important railway junction and industrial location, with many old buildings from these eras still preserved. The surrounding area is marked by lignite open-cast mines and lakes in the Leipzig Neuseenland, which formed after mining ended.
