The Saxothuringian Zone forms one of the most important parts of the Central European Variscides at the northern margin of the Bohemian Massif. It played an important role as leading edge of the Gondwana plate prior to Variscan collision. The Cadomian Basement of the Saxothuringian Zone was developed on the periphery of the West African margin between c. 570 and 533 Ma as a system of magmatic arcs and marginal basins. The occurrence of strata representing the Upper Ediacaran Glacial Period within the Cadomian Basement indicates a strong link between the Saxothuringian Zone and the Anti-Atlas of Morocco. Marine Cambrian to Tournaisian shelf sediments were deposited above the Cadomian unconformity. Deposits of the Hirnantian glaciation and equivalents of the Silurian “Hot Shale” define the Lower Palaeozoic strata as part of the Gondwana Shelf developed along the southern margin of the Rheic Ocean. Detrital zircon ages of Lower Palaeozoic sandstones mirror a West African provenance and indicate that the Saxothuringian Zone never left Gondwana mainland. The Rheic Ocean was closed in Lochkovian time when the Saxothuringian shelf was loaded with sands from Laurussia. During a plate tectonic interplay between Gondwana and Laurussia, a Rhenish Seaway opened during the Middle Devonian. Closure of the Rhenish Seaway started at c. 362 Ma and triggered the formation of the Mid-German Crystalline Rise (Central European Magmatic Arc) as part of the Saxothuringian Zone. The Rhenish Seaway fully closed during Viséan time, indicated by the onset of the flysch sedimentation on both sides of the uplifted Mid-German Crystalline Rise. The Variscan unconformity in the sedimentary record is developed in c. 335 Ma aged rocks. The final crustal architecture was established around 340–325 Ma accompanied by the underplating by Avalonia beneath the Saxothuringian Zone.