Germany

Chemnitz reinvents itself

Chemnitz is a cosmopolitan city of culture.

(Bild: Ernesto Uhlmann)

The former industrial stronghold of Chemnitz, which was also an ideological center in GDR times as Karl-Marx-Stadt, is this year's European Capital of Culture. A city in constant change.

Prefabricated buildings, old industrial plants and reconstructed gems in between - that's the first impression you get of Chemnitz. Located in eastern Germany on the edge of the Ore Mountains, it has a rich past as a technology stronghold and has also experienced a lot politically as Karl-Marx-Stadt (from 1953 to 1990).

In terms of culture, the neighboring cities of Leipzig and Dresden were previously more on the radar, but Chemnitz is seizing its opportunity as Capital of Culture and anchoring itself in people's minds as a cosmopolitan, diverse city with a dense program - 225 projects and more than 1000 events. At the same time, the "Saxon Manchester" is focusing on its own population. Interesting solutions for vacant industrial monuments and urban development projects have been designed, but the city is also putting its finger on the wounds of the past and present - for example, the right-wing extremist excesses of 2018.

INFO

How to get there:
Flights to Dresden or Leipzig, then continue by train; or overnight train to Dresden and from there one hour by regional train to Chemnitz

City information: www.chemnitz.travel

General information: www.germany.travel

Program of the European Capital of Culture:
www.chem nitz2025.de

Under the motto "C the unseen", the focus is on hidden biographies, talents, places, questions of coexistence and shared values. One of the major projects of the European Capital of Culture is "Living Neighborhood", in which residents are planting thousands of trees and creating new parks. The banks of the river are also being renaturalized and turned into recreational areas.

Sculpture by artist Leiko Ikemura on the "Purple Path".

(Bild: Ernesto Uhlmann)

The Ore Mountains play an important role
The city also takes care of its surrounding area. 38 municipalities are part of the "Purple Path" project, in which renowned artists position sculptures in prominent locations. In Schneeberg in the Ore Mountains, for example, Sean Scully has piled up a stack of huge coins in front of the Wolfgangkirche, famous for its Cranach altar, while in Aue-Bad Schlema, Tony Craigg is showing a bronze work in the reconstructed spa gardens. An Austrian is also taking part: Uli Aigner's porcelain sculptures can be found in Lößnitz. Purple Path" will open in April.

The Ore Mountains offer craftsmanship.

(Bild: M. Reichart)

The Chemnitz region is also known for its craft traditions. Wood carvers from the Ore Mountains, lace makers and even a glove maker are hosting workshops and creative vacations this year. In nine "Makerhubs", old knowledge is passed on and creative exchange is fostered. In the Esche Museum in Limbach-Oberfrohna, a former hosiery factory, you can weave, knit, embroider or sew at a professional level.

Even though Chemnitz was largely destroyed in the Second World War, some architectural beauties have been preserved. One of these, the "Kaufhaus Schocken" by architect Erich Mendelsohn, opened in 1930 and now houses the Museum of Archaeology. Fred Otto's municipal baths, which opened in 1925, are also impressive.

Architecture of the 1920s - the Chemnitz municipal baths

(Bild: Ernesto Uhlmann)

With the Kaßberg, the city also has one of the largest Art Nouveau districts in Germany. The Villa Esche, designed by Henry van de Velde down to the smallest detail, is a lovingly renovated masterpiece from the early years of the 20th century. Even the prefabricated buildings from the GDR era are fascinating, and the "Nischel", the more than seven-metre-high stone head of Karl Marx, the city's real landmark, is impossible to miss anyway.

Marx's "Nischel"

(Bild: Ernesto Uhlmann)

Exhibitions on European realism, Edvard Munch, mining, railroads and the city's many transformations, as well as tributes to Stefan Heym and Karl-Schmidt-Rottluff from Chemnitz, performances and festivals ensure that Chemnitz is worth a visit all year round.

And then there is the "Chemnitz tastes like this" project, which has many a surprise in store for gourmets. Or would you have associated the city with delicious chocolate creations?