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Germany City Travel Guide: Leipzig

Leipzig

• Located in Saxony in north eastern Germany
• Population of 500,000 people
• Historic cultural and artistic center
• Many architectural jewels
• Leading role in the 1989 democratic revolution
• Reputation as a fun "party city"
• Once home to Bach, Goethe, Leibniz, Mendelssohn, Schiller and Wagner
• City economy built on publishing and trade fairs.

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Leipzig was once one of Europe's richest and most artistic cities. Leipzig university dates back to 1409 and the some of the great names of German music, literature and science: Bach, Goethe, Leibniz, Mendelssohn, Nietsche, Schiller, Schumann and Wagner lived in the city at some point in their lives.

Leipzig's early growth and wealth was based on book publishing, trade fairs and its famous university which attracted scholars from all over Europe. This prosperity was reflected in the arts, particularly music which has a long tradition in the city: The Gewandhaus Orchestra founded in 1743 is Europe's longest-established orchestra and was once conducted by Mendelssohn, the Opernhaus (opera house) dates back to 1693 and the famous Thomaner Choir was directed by Bach.

Leipzig has experienced tremendous change since the peaceful revolution of 1989 and the disappearance of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). Historic buildings have been restored and cleaned and much of the city's vibrancy and street life have returned.

Arriving at Leipzig's main station is a delight as the Hauptbahnhof - the largest terminal station in Europe - is one of city's most imposing buildings. Katherinenstrasse leading to the Markt Square and the Altes Rathaus was once the city's most splendid street, though only the historic buildings: the Romanushaus & the Fregehaus escaped WWII bombing. The fine Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) contains the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum (City History Museum). In this area is the beautifully-restored covered shopping area - Mädler-Passage - which contains the Auerbachs Keller, a student tavern dating from 1526 and used as a setting in Goethe's Faust. The nearby Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum is the oldest cafe in town and houses an interesting free museum dedicated to coffee. You can still sit at the composer Richard Schumann's table.

Heading south west of the Markt is the Thomaskirche (Church of St. Thomas) and home of the world-famous Thomaner Choir, for whom Johann Sebastian Bach composed. The nearby Bach Museum contains mementoes of the composer and a collection of musical instruments of the time.

East of the Markt is the Nikolaikirche (Church of St. Nicholas) with its beautiful Classical interior. The church was a center of protest against the old GDR regime. Opposite is former church school, the Alte Nikolaischule, now part of the university which houses the Antikenmuseum: a collection of Greek and Roman antiquities.

Southeast of the church is the huge Augustusplatz square with the Opera house on its northern edge and the Gewandhaus Orchestra building to the south. Leipzig's highest building - the 142m Universitätshochhaus - was built in the shape of an open book during the Communist period. The Ägyptisches Museum (Egyptian Museum) is in this area and has a good collection of Egyptian antiquities.

Leipzig's other notable museums in Leipzig include the fascinating Stasi Museum to the west of town, which contains exhibits on the GDR's hated secret police. Just south of the Altes Rathaus is another museum dedicated to the Communist era and the history of the GDR - the Zeitgeschichtliches Forum (Forum of Contemporary History). both these museums have free admission.

Colditz Escape Museum, 46km south of Leipzig, is housed in the original fortress where Allied prisoners were imprisoned during WWII.

Leipzig Tourist Offices

Richard Wagner Strasse 1
04109 Leipzig
Tel: (0341) 710 4265
Fax: (0341) 710 4/271 or 276
Info@LTS-Leipzig.de

Getting to Leipzig

Air

Leipzig Halle airport is 20km outside the city and there are regular shuttle buses to the main station as well as the Airport Express train to the Hauptbahnhof which takes about 15 minutes. The airport is served by several European airways including British Airways (BA), Air France and KLM.
Altenburg airport, which is 45km from Leipzig, has shuttle buses into the center which take around 1 hour 20 minutes.

Train

Leipzig has rail connections to Berlin (2-3 hours), Frankfurt (3 hours 45 mins), Munich (7 hours), Hannover (3 hours 45 mins), Hamburg (4 hours 30 mins) and Dresden (90 minutes). Leipzig is also within easy reach of Prague in the Czech Republic.
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Bus/Road

Leipzig connects by autobahn with Berlin and Munich (A-9) and Dresden (A-14).

City Transport

Most of Leipzig's main sites lie with the Ring road that surrounds the Altstadt (Old Town). The city has an integrated public transport system of buses, S-Bahn and trams. Tram is the best method of getting around in the city center. The tourist office sells the Leipzig Welcome Card which gives discounts for city museums and free travel on buses and trams. The card is available as a 1 or 3-day pass.

Car Hire

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Accommodation

Featured Hotel

SORAT Messe-Hotel Leipzig - a new 4 Star hotel with 108 rooms.

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Eating

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Drinking

The junction of Munzgasse and Peters-Steinweg has a row of local bars.

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Internet Cafes

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Local football teams

VFB Leipzig won the first national championship in 1903 and again in 1906 and 1913 but a hundred years on the club went into liquidation in 2004 with debts of over US$5m. After one season in the Bundesliga 93/94, the club had been languishing in the Oberliga or fourth division. The club is planning to start again as FC Locomotive Leipzig. Many of the top clubs in the former GDR: Dynamo Berlin, Carl Zeiss Jena, Dynamo Dresden and Magdeburg had a tough time adapting to the new economic realities after reunification. Leipzig's World Cup stadium Zentral Stadion seats 44,000.

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