Leipzig Travel Guide

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City Introduction

Leipzig is a city with long and proud traditions in trade. It was here that the trade routes Via Regia and Via Imperii crossed each other, thereby connecting most of Europe through Leipzig. Trade created a wealthy city, which for a period was also one of the European strongholds for culture and education.

There are many beautiful and impressive buildings in Leipzig, where you can enjoy architecture from many eras. The city’s old town hall stands as one of Germany’s finest Renaissance buildings, and you can also see fine examples from the Baroque and later architectural styles, not least from historicism.

In Leipzig you should visit the city’s two main churches, the Nikolaikirche and the Thomaskirche, and you can also see the Paulinum as an exciting mix of an old church and modern architecture. Markt is the city’s central square, and close to it is Augustusplatz with the Leipzig Opera. The city’s many arcades and passages are also distinctive features.

In the outskirts of Leipzig you can visit the colossal monument, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, and in the vicinity of the city there are many cities of rich culture such as Halle and Erfurt and a beautiful nature as well. A trip to the south-eastern part of the Harz mountain range is just one of the great options for a day trip.

Top Attractions

Old City Hall, Leipzig

The Old City Hall/Altes Rathaus

Leipzig’s old city hall is located on the city’s market square and is one of Germany’s finest secular buildings from the Renaissance. The city hall was built in 1556-1557, and the city administration was located here until the current city hall was completed in 1905. Today, there is a city history museum in the Altes Rathaus.

 

Mädler-Passage

This is the most famous of Leipzig’s fine arcades, where shops and restaurants are located in beautiful surroundings under the glass roofs of the streets. It was the manufacturer Anton Mädler who demolished the site’s former buildings and built the passage in the years 1912-1914.

 

New City Hall, Leipzig

The New City Hall/Neues Rathaus

In the south-eastern part of Leipzig’s center you can see the city’s new city hall from 1905. It was built almost like a colossal castle, and the 115 meter/377 foot tower is Germany’s tallest city hall tower. The historicist architecture was also inspired by the castle Pleißenburg, which was located on this very site before the town hall.

 

Auerbach’s Cellar/Auerbachs Keller

The atmospheric Auerbachs Cellar is one of Leipzig’s oldest and probably most famous restaurants. The story goes back to a wine bar in the 15th century, and today there are several beautiful dining rooms in the restaurant, which became known from not least Goethe’s Faust.

 

Monument to the Battle of the Nations, Leipzig

Monument to the Battle of the Nations/Völkerschlachtdenkmal

This is one of the largest monuments in Western Europe. The 91 meter/298 foot high monument was inaugurated in 1913 to commemorate the Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of the Nations. The battle was faught 16-19. October 1813. In the battle, Napoleon’s troops fought against armies from Prussia, Russia, Sweden and Austria.

 

Thomas Church/Thomaskirche

This is one of Leipzig’s two main churches in the city center. The church itself is worth seeing, and it is famous as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach was cantor in the years 1723-1750. You can see a monument to Bach in front of the Thomaskirche, where his tomb has been since 1950.

 

Leipzig Central Station

Leipzig Central Station/Leipzig Hauptbahnhof

Leipzig Central Station is a colossal railway station that opened as Europe’s largest railway station in 1915. At that time, the city was at the center of the German railways stretching from Memel to Metz. There were 26 tracks in the platform halls, and the colossal railway station building continues to impress.

Other Attractions

Opera House, Leipzig

The Opera House/Opernhaus

The Opera House in Leipzig is one of the city’s leading cultural institutions. The current building was built in neoclassicism in the GDR period from 1954-1960. The former on-site theater, the Neue Theater, was destroyed in 1943.

 

Museum of Fine Arts/Museum der Bildenden Künste

At this art museum you can see a large art collection that represents the period from the Middle Ages to modern times. You can e.g. see works by Frans Hals and Casper David Friedrich.

 

Paulinum, Leipzig

Paulinum

Paulinum is an intriguing architectural feature of Leipzig’s cityscape. It is a university building built from 2007 on the site, where the Paulinerkirche church stood until 1968. In a distinguished way you can see the contours of the old church in the new building, and the inspiration is also visible inside the building.

 

Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum

This place is a famous café and a museum. The coffee house is the second oldest in Europe, and there has been coffee serving here since 1711. You can also visit a museum that depicts the history of coffee in Leipzig.

 

Old Stock Exchange, Leipzig

The Old Stock Exchange/Alte Handelsbörse

This beautiful house was built 1678-1687 as a meeting place for the town’s merchants. It is Leipzig’s oldest baroque building, and it opened with a stock exchange hall on the first floor and various rooms on the ground floor.

 

Provost Church of the Holy Trinity/Propsteikirche St. Trinitatis

The Church Trinitatis Kirche is also called the Propsteikirche, and it belongs to the Catholic congregation of Leipzig. The church was consecrated in 2015 with a very simple and stylish interior. The church is the third Trinity Church in the city.

 

Augustusplatz, Leipzig

August Square/Augustusplatz

This is one of Germany’s largest squares, and on and around it you can see many of Leipzig’s famous buildings. The square is named after Saxon’s King Friedrich August I, and the city’s opera house and fountain Mendebrunnen from 1886 are few of the things you can see here.

 

Gewandhaus

Gewandhaus is a modern concert building, which was inaugurated in 1981. It is a house with a beautiful concert hall and a nice lobby with an impressive painting in the ceiling that gives a good visual effect from Augustusplatz. Gewandhaus is also home to the famous Gewandhaus Orchestra.

 

St Nicholas Church, Leipzig

St Nicholas Church/Nikolaikirche

The beautiful Nikolaikirche was founded in 1165, and it stands alongside the Thomaskirche as Leipzig’s main churches. The church became known in 1989 as the place where the so-called Monday demonstrations took place. The demonstrations were for those who wanted changes in the GDR.

 

Federal Court of Justice, Leipzig

Federal Court of Justice/Bundesverwaltungsgericht

This is one of Leipzig’s monumental buildings from the decades around 1900. The impressive building was built in 1888-1895 as the so-called Reichsgericht; the court of Imperial Germany.

 

Panometer

Panometer is the name of a gas tank that has been transformed into a fascinating exhibition space. After serving as a gas tank for many decades, Panometer opened as the world’s largest 360° panorama in 2003. In the round building you can enjoy 32 meter/104 foot high panoramic works.

Day Trips

Bauhaus, Dessau, Germany

Bauhaus

The famous Bauhaus school was in operation in the years 1919-1933. It was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar, and it had its home in first Weimar, then Dessau, and finally in Berlin. The schools are on the UNESCO World Heritage List and you can visit the Gropius’ Bauhaus building in Dessau.

 

Halle

The town of Halle in the state of Saxony-Anhalt is an interesting town with several sights. The square Markt with the church Marktkirche forms the city center, and you can also visit the Händel-Haus museum, the castle Giebichenstein and Germany’s oldest chocolate factory, Halloren.

 

Wittenberg, Germany

Wittenberg

The town of Wittenberg is located on the banks of the Elbe. It is world famous as the place where Martin Luther published his theses on the door of the Schlosskirche church. That action was the start of the Reformation, which changed the Christian Church in many countries. The Schlosskirche is today a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

Magdeburg

Magdeburg is the capital of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, and its name has become known from the collection of German city laws, the Magdeburg Rights. There are several exciting museums in the city, where you can also see Magdeburg’s impressive cathedral and Friedensreich Hundertwasser’s Grüne Zitadelle.

 

Harzgerode, Germany

Harzgerode

The Harz mountain range is located northwest of Leipzig, and the top of the mountains is Brocken at 1,142 meters/3,747 feet. There are many lovely places and cozy towns in the Harz, and the town of Harzgerode is a great place to start. Here you can, for example, see the city center with the town hall in half-timbering and take a ride on the narrow-gauge railway Selketalbahn.

 

Erfurt

Erfurt is the capital and largest city of Thuringia. The old town of Erfurt is one of the best preserved in all of Germany and therefore quite worth seeing. One of the highlights is the medieval bridge from the 1300s-1400s, the Krämerbrücke. The city’s synagogue dates back to the 11th century, and you should also see Erfurt’s cathedral and the Petersberg citadel.

 

Chemnitz, Germany

Chemnitz

Chemnitz, named Karl-Marx-Stadt in 1953-1990, is one of Saxony’s largest cities. In the center you can see the cozy neighborhood around Neumarkt with beautiful buildings and good shopping. Not far from here you can see the impressive Karl Marx monument from 1971 with a backdrop of contemporary GDR construction.

Shopping

Galeria Kaufhof

Neumarkt 1
galeria-kaufhof.de

 

Höfe am Brühl

Brühl 1
hoefe-am-bruehl.de

 

Mädler-Passage

Grimmaische Straße 2-4
maedlerpassage.de

 

Promenaden Hauptbahnhof

Willy-Brandt-Platz 7
promenaden-hauptbahnhof-leipzig.de

 

Shopping streets

Grimmaische Straße, Brühl, Markt, Neumarkt, Peterstraße

With Kids

Kid’s museum

Unikatum Kindermuseum
Zschochersche Straße 26
kindermuseum-unikatum.de

 

Open Air swimmingpool

Schreberbad
Schreberstraße 15
l.de/schreberbad

 

Puppet theater

Puppentheater Sterntaler
Talstraße 30
puppentheater-sterntaler.de

 

Zoological garden

Zoo Leipzig
Pfaffendorfer Straße 29
zoo-leipzig.de

 

Miniature railroad

Parkeisenbahn Auensee
Gustav-Esche-Straße 8
parkeisenbahn-auensee-leipzig.de

 

Natural sciences

Naturkundemuseum
Lortzingstraße 3
naturkundemuseum.leipzig.de

 

Amusement park

Belantis
Zur Weißen Mark 1
belantis.de

Practical Links

Leipzig tourism

leipzig.travel

 

Germany tourism

germany.travel

 

Leipzig city transport

l.de/verkehrsbetriebe

 

German railways

db.de

 

Leipzig/Halle Airport

mdf-ag.com

City History

Geolocation

In short

Overview of Leipzig

Leipzig is a city with long and proud traditions in trade. It was here that the trade routes Via Regia and Via Imperii crossed each other, thereby connecting most of Europe through Leipzig. Trade created a wealthy city, which for a period was also one of the European strongholds for culture and education.

There are many beautiful and impressive buildings in Leipzig, where you can enjoy architecture from many eras. The city’s old town hall stands as one of Germany’s finest Renaissance buildings, and you can also see fine examples from the Baroque and later architectural styles, not least from historicism.

In Leipzig you should visit the city’s two main churches, the Nikolaikirche and the Thomaskirche, and you can also see the Paulinum as an exciting mix of an old church and modern architecture. Markt is the city’s central square, and close to it is Augustusplatz with the Leipzig Opera. The city’s many arcades and passages are also distinctive features.

In the outskirts of Leipzig you can visit the colossal monument, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, and in the vicinity of the city there are many cities of rich culture such as Halle and Erfurt and a beautiful nature as well. A trip to the south-eastern part of the Harz mountain range is just one of the great options for a day trip.

About the upcoming Leipzig travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

About the travel guide

The Leipzig travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the German city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

Leipzig is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

Read more about Leipzig and Germany

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Leipzig you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Old City Hall • Völkerschlachtdenkmal • Opera • Leipzig Railway Station

Overview of Leipzig

Leipzig is a city with long and proud traditions in trade. It was here that the trade routes Via Regia and Via Imperii crossed each other, thereby connecting most of Europe through Leipzig. Trade created a wealthy city, which for a period was also one of the European strongholds for culture and education.

There are many beautiful and impressive buildings in Leipzig, where you can enjoy architecture from many eras. The city’s old town hall stands as one of Germany’s finest Renaissance buildings, and you can also see fine examples from the Baroque and later architectural styles, not least from historicism.

In Leipzig you should visit the city’s two main churches, the Nikolaikirche and the Thomaskirche, and you can also see the Paulinum as an exciting mix of an old church and modern architecture. Markt is the city’s central square, and close to it is Augustusplatz with the Leipzig Opera. The city’s many arcades and passages are also distinctive features.

In the outskirts of Leipzig you can visit the colossal monument, the Völkerschlachtdenkmal, and in the vicinity of the city there are many cities of rich culture such as Halle and Erfurt and a beautiful nature as well. A trip to the south-eastern part of the Harz mountain range is just one of the great options for a day trip.

 

About the upcoming Leipzig travel guide

  • Contents: Tours in the city + tours in the surrounding area
  • Published: Released soon
  • Author: Stig Albeck
  • Publisher: Vamados.com
  • Language: English

 

About the travel guide

The Leipzig travel guide gives you an overview of the sights and activities of the German city. Read about top sights and other sights, and get a tour guide with tour suggestions and detailed descriptions of all the city’s most important churches, monuments, mansions, museums, etc.

 

Leipzig is waiting for you, and at vamados.com you can also find cheap flights and great deals on hotels for your trip. You just select your travel dates and then you get flight and accommodation suggestions in and around the city.

 

Read more about Leipzig and Germany

 

Buy the travel guide

Click the “Add to Cart” button to purchase the travel guide. After that you will come to the payment, where you enter the purchase and payment information. Upon payment of the travel guide, you will immediately receive a receipt with a link to download your purchase. You can download the travel guide immediately or use the download link in the email later.

 

Use the travel guide

When you buy the travel guide to Leipzig you get the book online so you can have it on your phone, tablet or computer – and of course you can choose to print it. Use the maps and tour suggestions and you will have a good and content-rich journey.

Other Attractions

Opera House, Leipzig

The Opera House/Opernhaus

The Opera House in Leipzig is one of the city’s leading cultural institutions. The current building was built in neoclassicism in the GDR period from 1954-1960. The former on-site theater, the Neue Theater, was destroyed in 1943.

 

Museum of Fine Arts/Museum der Bildenden Künste

At this art museum you can see a large art collection that represents the period from the Middle Ages to modern times. You can e.g. see works by Frans Hals and Casper David Friedrich.

 

Paulinum, Leipzig

Paulinum

Paulinum is an intriguing architectural feature of Leipzig’s cityscape. It is a university building built from 2007 on the site, where the Paulinerkirche church stood until 1968. In a distinguished way you can see the contours of the old church in the new building, and the inspiration is also visible inside the building.

 

Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum

This place is a famous café and a museum. The coffee house is the second oldest in Europe, and there has been coffee serving here since 1711. You can also visit a museum that depicts the history of coffee in Leipzig.

 

Old Stock Exchange, Leipzig

The Old Stock Exchange/Alte Handelsbörse

This beautiful house was built 1678-1687 as a meeting place for the town’s merchants. It is Leipzig’s oldest baroque building, and it opened with a stock exchange hall on the first floor and various rooms on the ground floor.

 

Provost Church of the Holy Trinity/Propsteikirche St. Trinitatis

The Church Trinitatis Kirche is also called the Propsteikirche, and it belongs to the Catholic congregation of Leipzig. The church was consecrated in 2015 with a very simple and stylish interior. The church is the third Trinity Church in the city.

 

Augustusplatz, Leipzig

August Square/Augustusplatz

This is one of Germany’s largest squares, and on and around it you can see many of Leipzig’s famous buildings. The square is named after Saxon’s King Friedrich August I, and the city’s opera house and fountain Mendebrunnen from 1886 are few of the things you can see here.

 

Gewandhaus

Gewandhaus is a modern concert building, which was inaugurated in 1981. It is a house with a beautiful concert hall and a nice lobby with an impressive painting in the ceiling that gives a good visual effect from Augustusplatz. Gewandhaus is also home to the famous Gewandhaus Orchestra.

 

St Nicholas Church, Leipzig

St Nicholas Church/Nikolaikirche

The beautiful Nikolaikirche was founded in 1165, and it stands alongside the Thomaskirche as Leipzig’s main churches. The church became known in 1989 as the place where the so-called Monday demonstrations took place. The demonstrations were for those who wanted changes in the GDR.

 

Federal Court of Justice, Leipzig

Federal Court of Justice/Bundesverwaltungsgericht

This is one of Leipzig’s monumental buildings from the decades around 1900. The impressive building was built in 1888-1895 as the so-called Reichsgericht; the court of Imperial Germany.

 

Panometer

Panometer is the name of a gas tank that has been transformed into a fascinating exhibition space. After serving as a gas tank for many decades, Panometer opened as the world’s largest 360° panorama in 2003. In the round building you can enjoy 32 meter/104 foot high panoramic works.

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