Riesa, Germany

Riesa sits on the Elbe in Saxony, roughly 40 kilometers northwest of Dresden, and is home to about 30,000 residents. First documented in 1119, the town gained early importance through its Benedictine abbey, while the 1240 Klosterhof Riesa monastery held the local courts. The 1828 Locline Steelworks and an 1892 tinned-food factory, now a pasta works, established Riesa as an industrial center, and the Riesaer Pasta plant founded in 1990 ranks among Germany's largest producers. The 1898 Holy Cross Minster and the 1959 Trinity Church serve as the main places of worship, and the 1976 Elbe Bridge carries the A4 autobahn across the river.