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The foundation of the town must  be placed in the military and historical context of the campaigns waged, against the Slav tribes east of the Elbe and the Saale by the King Heinrich I. In 929 King Heinrich I built a fortress on a rocky plateau, and the town grew up around the foot of the castle hill from 12C onwards. Forty years later it became the seat of a bishop, an important step in those days for a growing town. Around AD1000, Meissen was granted Marktrecht, a decree permitting settlement to holds its own markets; and in 1150 it was first officially documented as a Stadt (town). In 1719 Friedrich August der Starke (The Strong) founded the Königliche Porzellanmanufaktur (Royal Porcelain Works) in the Albrechtsburg. It was transferred to the valley of the Triebisch river in the last century. 

The Albrechtsburg was founded in 929 and the adjoining Dom (cathedral) was started in 1260. South of the Nikolaikirche (St. Nicholas's) the head office of the nationalised porcelain manufacturing company is open to visitors, who can inspect a selection of porcelain objects, and there are live demonstrations of the various processes involved in porcelain manufacture. Records of stone which bear witness to the different epochs of not only Saxon history, but also the history of the Holy Roman Empire with Germany at its centre. This is manifest, for example, in the mighty ensemble of Albrechtsburg Castle and Meissen Cathedral on the hill above the town. With the romantic silhouette of the roofs of the Old Town below it, the hill offers a magnificent panorama and has become a favourite subject for photographers from the banks of the Elbe. In the Middle Ages, the Wettin Princes became the margraves of Meissen, thus marking the beginning of Saxon history. Albrechtsburg Castle is regarded as being the first castle to be used a royal residence in the German speaking world; built between 1472 and 1525, it is a fine example of late Gothic style. Today the castle, the former residence of the House of Wettin, is a museum which is just as popular with visitors as the cathedral, whose architecture is pure Gothic and whose Princes` Chapel is one of the most famous burial places of the Wettin family.

Porcelain history : The first porcelain in Europe was manufactured in Meissen (Dresden, Germany) in 1709. Surface of the porcelain had been decorated with coloured patterns or figures. Printing techniques, pigments and glazes had been much influenced by Arita or Kakiemon (Japan) imported from 17 to 19 century. It was not until 1715 when the colour white was adhered to the porcelain. But it was only in 1720 that Meissen succeeded in producing quality coloured porcelain in quantity under the talented direction of the painter and decorator, G Höroldt, (1696-1775).
The first articles to be produced were breakfast sets, comprising of 6 cups and saucers, a slop bowl, tea and coffee pot, a tea caddy and sugar bowl and sometimes goblets for chocolate with one, two or no handles. Jugs for chocolate, cream or milk were manufactured after 1730. Dinner sets with large dishes were not produced until 1734. 
Next came larger pieces such as chimney pieces. Vases of all descriptions were made in sets of five or seven. Pagoda figures with firm or nodding heads appeared. There was an immense demand for wine and beer jugs, salt cellars, knife-handles and soup tureen salad bowls, ink stands, snuff boxes, pipes, chess pieces, etc
The factory's leading modeler at this time from 1735 to 1756 was Kändler (1706-1775). His style started off as Baroque, then in the 1740s changed to Rococo. Many larger pieces of animals and vases were supplied to the Elector's (Japanese) palace in Dresden. In 1741 King Augustus III ordered a figure of himself to be made.

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