Weekend in Leipzig-let’s enter museum, old buildings and other attractions

Leipzig is perfect for city break. If you try, you can see most of city’s attractions during those two days. There are some important people and history events you probably had no idea about, which are connected to this city. Let’s check most popular and commonly liked things to see in Leipzig. There will be a time to visit zoo, museum, old churches… Are you ready?

• Battle of the Nations Monument– it’s here, in Leipzig where the biggest Napoleon Bonaparte’s battle took place. In 1813 both sides lost around 70 thousand of soldiers. Although it was the biggest battle, somehow it’s forgotten and outshined by Waterloo battle. To commemorate this event on the hundredth anniversary of the battle was built a monumental over 90 meters long monument. It is one of the largest European monuments, and it really makes an impression.

  

• Old City Hall, considered one of the most beautiful (and largest) late Renaissance buildings in Germany. In the colonnade you will find shopping mall.  The most spectacular hall in there is the Festsaal (Banquet Hall) decorated with portraits of urban councilors.

• St Nicholas’s Church the oldest Leipzig sanctuary. This XII century building was rebuilt many times, and nowadays it’s compilation of roman, gothic, renaissance, baroque and classicist elements. In the church there are magnificent organs, one of the largest in Germany. This place was at the epicentre of the East German revolution. After the meetings and prayers which took place here in 1989 Germany peacefully united. It’s worth to enter this gothic, beautiful church.

• St. Thomas Church. In the chancel of the church one will find a brown tombstone of Johann Sebastian Bach. It’s also known as a place of activity of the boy’s choir St. Tomas – Thomanerchor – the oldest boy choir in Germany founded in 1212.
• Oper Leipzig– located on Augustusplatz, near the fountain is the second oldest opera in Germany.  The building was built in 1960, it was kept in classicist style. This is the third oldest music and theater scene in Europe.  The building is also home to the Leipzig Ballet – one of Europe’s most famous ballets.

  

• Alte Wage– the old weigh house. Before the 18th-century reconstruction, it was Leipzig’s oldest renaissance building. It’s a building that once housed the Office of Weights. On the ground floor was the Office of Weights, and on the first floor city councilors were meeting. The building was designed by the mayor of the city, just like the Old City Hall.

And now it’s museum time

• Grassi Museum  established in 1895 is actually hiding three museums. In this complex you will find Ethnography Museum, Musical Instruments Museum, and Applied Arts Museum. It’s worth to mention that it hosts an annual trade fair in October, the Grassimesse, which origins go back to 1920.
• Museum of Fine Arts At present is settled into characteristic  new large-cubed home. Actually it was founded in 1837 thanks to the efforts of the Leipzig Association of Artists and only changed the place for modern one. There are 3,500 paintings (from the late Middle Ages to the present day) and 750 sculptures. You will find there drawings, prints and graphics  presenting works of German, Dutch,  and Italian artists.
• Leipzig Zoological Garden is a 120 years old zoo, one of the most modern in Germany. It is home to many rare animals such as okapi or musk deer. You will find there  850 different species, some of theme extremely rare. Don’t miss Gondwanaland, a 17 000 m² of tropic, where you will find exotic creatures.

  

• The Leipzig Cotton Mill– an industrial site in the city. It was important commercial center focusing on the cotton trade in the past.  Nowadays his 10-hectare  district transformed into a cultural destination thanks. Except for art galleries and studios you will find there  restaurants and  cafés.

• Leipzig University was founded in 1409 which makes him  the second oldest in Germany. The rise of the university was associated with the migration from the University of Prague. Professors and students of German and Polish nationalities,  opposed the Czech domination and the teachings of Jan Hus on the University of Prague and created their own. Many famous people has studied on this university. Among them were Friedrich Nietzsche, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe or Angela Merkel.