Chemnitz to be European Capital of Culture for 2025

Chemnitz suffered severe damage during the Second World War. Reconstruction took place under communist rule with prefabricated concrete slab buildings, parade streets and this monumental bust, of Karl Marx, the founder of scientific socialism. In 1953 the city was renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt in his honor. After the end of the former East Germany in 1990, the city regained its original name.

Despite the extensive war damage and socialist reconstruction, some historic buildings still exist in Chemnitz today. These include the Old and New Town Hall on the market square. In the 20th century, the city was an important industrial location, so it expanded rapidly. In 1911 a new building seen here on the right was added to the Old Town Hall, the white building on the left in the picture.

One of the most beautiful architectural ensembles in Chemnitz is the Theaterplatz square with the opera house, the St. Peter's Church and the King Albert Museum. In the latter a selection of the Chemnitz Art Collections is on display. They have more than 60,000 exhibits in their inventory, including paintings and sculptures by renowned artists such as Caspar David Friedrich or Edvard Munch.

The oldest building in Chemnitz dates from the 12th century. As part of the city fortifications, the Roter Turm tower repulsed enemies. It also served as the seat of the city bailiff and prison. Today the tower is a landmark and museum. The exhibition gives insight into the life and work of important Chemnitz personalities from the worlds of art, business and politics.

The district of Kassberg, which was only partially destroyed in the war, is one of the largest coherent Art Nouveau and Wilhelminian style quarters in Europe. There is also an extensive network of cellar vaults, which can be visited. A small door at the foot of the Kassberg hill leads into the underground realm where wine, beer and food used to be stored.

Chemnitz was considered a center of mechanical engineering and the textile industry which is why it was also called "Saxon Manchester." Numerous industrial buildings still testify to this. For example, the foundry hall of the machine tool factory Hermann und Alfred Escher AG. Today, the Chemnitz Industrial Museum is located here, which displays exhibits relating to Saxon industrial history.

Many famous architects have helped to shape Chemnitz, including the Belgian artist, architect and pioneer of the Bauhaus Henry van de Velde. His Art Nouveau villa for the manufacturer of stockings, Herbert Esche, is a work of art whose concept encompasses everything from the garden fence to the tableware. Today the house is home to a wedding room, a restaurant and the Henry van de Velde Museum.

On the outskirts of Chemnitz, you will find the Renaissance moated castle Klaffenbach. Many couples marry here — apparently under the watchful eye of the maid von Taube, who according to legend was walled into the tower by her father because she refused to get married. There are also studios and arts and crafts, a hotel, a golf course and a riding stable.

Chemnitz is a perfect starting point for a tour into the Erzgebirge mountains. The densely wooded region offers many cycling and hiking trails, mountain bike routes, ski slopes and cross-country ski tracks. The low mountain range is also known for its mining and steam trains as well as crafts and Christmas traditions.