Sightseeing and Attractions in Leipzig

For some reason one imagines before visiting Leipzig that it is an old but not attractive town. If you arrive at the main railway station Leipzig Hauptbahnof that perception is immediately dispelled. This station contains what is probably one of Europes biggest shopping malls on several levels. It is a has a very relaxed 'air' about it and a wide range of shops from ceramics to clothing interdispersed with numerous restaurants and cafes. Outside the station it is striking how many open spaces and parks there are.

The main square in Leipzig is The Markt. Locals refer to it as Herz Von Leipzig (The heart of the city). It is a very wide square and in summer is a popular venue for concerts and music festivals.

The main feature of the square is Altes Rathaus which is The Lepzig Council Town Hall. It was first built in the middle of the 16th century and is an interesting building to walk around (admission free). It also contains the local history museum Stadgeschichtliches. It has gained a reputation for putting on specialist music and religious exhibitions. It also has permament exhibits of ceramics locally made between the 12th & 18th centuries.

Close to the main square is Peterstrasse a road with several pleasing architectual old buildings. Another interesting walk is Grimmaische Strasse a buoyant street which includes The Leipzig Opera House. The Leipzig Opera Company was established over 300 years ago. Its home is in a mid 20th century building which is one of the better examples of modern art.

It also boasts the 16th century church The ThomasKirche where J.S Bach was once the choirmaster and Martin Luther preached. Older still in the old town is The Nikolaichirche at Nikolaikirchof 3. Built in 1175 this church has had various parts added over the last 800 years. It contains a rare mixture of Baroque, Gothic & Renaissance architecture. see also Mondays Revolution below.

Restaurants in Leipzig

Visitors to Leipzig have an abundance of very clean and good restaurants to eat in. Y ou could be forgiven for thinking that the place to eat was the shopping mall at the station but actually the main restaurant area is around Fleischergrasse Their are numerous restaurants here, many in the side streets which specialise in serving traditional Saxon dishes. For every restaurant there seems to be a cafe and the smell of fresh coffee is to be found everywhere. There is one cafe which is an absolute must - Cafe Zum Arabischen at Kkeine Fleisshgrasse 4 (Tel: 341 961 0060). It is one of the oldest coffee houses in Europe and it sells every type of coffee imaginable and it was often frequented by Liszt & Wagner. Above the cafe, which by the way serves bueatifully cooked pork cutlets, is a coffee museum that has some very rare wood pannelling decor.

Apels Garten at Kolonnadenstr 2 (Tel: 0341 960 777) is a very attractively decorated restaurant which sells good food at very reasonable prices. It seems to specialise in some very good soups - the 'duck' being just one example. One of the best restaurants in Leipzig is The Averbachs Keller at Grimmaischestrass 2 (Tel: 341 216 1000). Serving extremely well prepared local food including Leipziger Lerche and Allerei this establishment also offers a very good wine last with some very agreeable local wines. On the face of it a trifle expensive but given its distinct quality it is money well spent.

Leipzig a City With A Musical History

Hardly any other city in the world has a musical history which can quite match Leipzig's. Names like Johann Sebastian Bach (who headed St. Thomas's Boys Choir from 1723 to 1750) and Felix Mendelssohn (the house where he lived and died is not to be missed!) are inseparably linked to Leipzig.

The Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Gewandhaus concert hall have cultivated classical music in Leipzig for over 250 years and personify the city.

St. Thomas's Boys Choir emerged over 800 years ago from church services organised by the Augustinian Canons. Its most famous choirmaster was J.S. Bach. Cantatas and motets performed by the choir can be heard every Friday evening and Saturday afternoon at St. Thomas's Church (except when the choir is touring and during school holidays).For more information on the St Thomas Boys Choir go to their website.

Opear Leipzig fronts an unbroken tradition of opera dating back over 300 years. With manager and artistic director Professor Udo Zimmermann at the helm, it stages spectacular traditional and modern operas and ballets.

Public Transport In Leipzig

The City of Leipzig has one of the largest tram networks in Europe with 15 tram lines. There are also around 30 bus routes. For detailed information on these services please visit this website. Note the home page is not in English so when it displays enter the words Airport and Leipzig in the search boxes at the top left of the page. This will take you to another page with an English option on right hand side of the top line.

Leipzig also has three surban rail lines system. For detailed information on these services please visit this website. Note Please read the note above for bus info and do the same. The English option is in the box next to the small German flag.

Close By

Outside Leipzig is one Europes most imposing memorials. The Memorial To The Battle of The Nations ( Voelkerschachtdenkmal ) commerates the defeat of Napoleon by Prussian, Russian & Swedish armies in 1813. It includes a 500 step stairwell leading to a veiwing area on top of the 90mre high monument. It also has a museuem room on the ground with large statues of warriors.

Crime in Leipzig see country profile

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