The archive network of Bautzen consists of the city archive and the state branch archive. The town archive contains the records of the town administration from the 13th century to the present day as well as various documents of the incorporated villages, from associations or from legatees. The State Branch Archive is the regional archive of Upper Lusatia. The tradition begins in 1319, but, due to losses in the Thirty Years' War, does not begin extensively until the middle of the 17th century and ends in 1945 and 1952 respectively with the reorganisation of responsibilities in administration and justice. While the town archive is characterised by an extensive collection of documents from the period 1256 to 1902, the state branch archive has a particularly important record of the Upper Lusatian estates and numerous manor archives.