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Wurzen is situated at an altitude of 125 m on the river Mulde in northern Saxony. It was first mentioned in document of AD 961 (civitas vurcine). The bishops of Meißen founded a collegiate monastery in 1144. Around 1200 Wurzen obtained the status of a town. In 1487, Wurzen became a residence of the bishops of Meißen. When the town introduced the reformation in 1539 the cathedral and the town's lordship at first remained Catholic. During the 16th and 17th century the Plague ravaged the town eight times (1519, 1577, 1598, 1599, 1607, 1610, 1626 and 1680). Of all these years the Plague of 1607 was the worst, killing 1450 of the 5000 inhabitants of Wurzen. Another devastating event for the town was the occupation by Swedish troops in 1637 during the Thirty Years' War. Although the town payed high ransoms to the Swedes the town was looted and set on fire; 3500 were killed, and of the remaining 1500 who fled the town only 500 returned. It lasted until about 1800 that the town reached a population of even only 2000 again. The modern development of Wurzen was greatly influenced by the opening of the railroad from Leipzig to Wurzen in 1838/39.

The old castle of Wurzen [top] was built in 1491–1497 as a residence of the bishops.

The two bottom pictures on the glass show the  barracks of the 8th Imperial Artillery Regiment [bottom left] and the  infantry barracks [bottom right].

The German poet Joachim RINGELNATZ (1883–1934; real name Hans Bötticher) was born in Wurzen. In 1983 a museum was opened in his birth house.