Sayda = Zavidove, Saidove, Seydove, Saydow - is probably the oldest settlement in the upper Ore Mountains

The area arround Sayda was populated in the middle of the 12th century from the south under the rule of the bohemian kingdom. By searching mineral resources, cistercian monks, from the bohemian monastry Ossegg, have crossed the "Miriquidi" (=Dunkelwald), which covers the Ore mountain ridge at the time. Until the 14th century, the bohemian border runs in the north of the town Sayda. At the " old bohemian steep track" (later the Salt Street), a 1000 years old path through the Ore Mounains, they had probably built up the border fort and also the border station " Zavidow". So Sayda offers security, with its castle, for the bohemian street and the newly-founded settlements (e.g. Friedebach). In 1207 "Zavidow" was firstly mentioned in a document of the cistercian monastry of Ossegg. At this document it was fixed, that the monastry gained from Zavidow, one tenth of the customs- and judical taxes annually. 

The margrave Henry the Illustrios acquired the city Sayda in the middle of the 13th century. The area arround became feud of Bohemia again, but since 14th century it belongs to the margraviate of Meissen.

(Text: Catrin Bilz, Seiffen)