Chemnitz

Chemnitz is a city in southwestern Saxony, with around 250 000 inhabitants the third-largest city in the state, after Dresden and Leipzig. The settlement developed around a monastery, and was granted city status in 1170. Due to its location at the foot of the Erzgebirge (literally ore mountains), in the 16th century Chemnitz began to grow in size an importance as a place of trade, and later as the base of industrial production.

The increase in Saxon coal mining during the 18th century allowed Chemnitz to develop into one of the most important centres of the German machine and textile industries - factors which gave it the nickname of "little Manchester". Several large areas of the city were built during this period including Kaßberg and Sonnenberg. Due to the economic importance of Chemnitz it was a prime target for the Allied air force during World War II. By 1945 the city had undergone near to total destruction. Between 1953 and 1990 Chemnitz was renamed as Karl-Marx-Stadt (even though Marx had never visited nor had anything to do with the city's contemporary history). A great deal of new building occurred during this period, much of which remains today. The large bronze head was presented to the town's people in 1971.



Understand
Unlike Berlin and Leipzig, Chemnitz has experienced much less demolition and rebuilding since the reunification. Modern buildings like the new department store, communist era flats and more historic buildings are within walking distance of each other. Parts of Chemnitz allow a glimpse into how a city of East Germany felt and looked, something that is increasingly hard to find in other parts of the former East.

Even with this the centre of Chemnitz has been described as "Germany's most recent city centre". The initial commercial investment after reunification focussed on large out-of-town shopping centres, and it wasn't until 1999 that major building activity started in the city centre. Comparable only to Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, a whole new quarter of the city has been reconstructed. New buildings include the Kaufhof Department Store by Helmut Jahn, Galerie Roter Turm (façade by Hans Kollhoff) and Peek&Cloppenburg Clothing Store by Ingenhofen and Partner.

By train

 * Leipzig (connections every hour, travelling time is about 50 minutes only)
 * Dresden and Zwickau (mostly 2 connections every hour)
 * Nuremberg (once every hour with a same platform change in Hof)
 * Erfurt, Weimar, Jena and Gera (every two hours)
 * Erfurt, Weimar, Jena and Gera (every two hours)

By plane
The nearest passenger airports are:
 * Dresden (80 km; 50 min by car) Especially Lufthansa (to/from Frankfurt Airport), Eurowings and during summer flights to many destinations in Southern Europe and Northern Africa
 * Leipzig-Halle (110 km; 1 hr 15 min by car) Wide range of operators including Lufthansa and Eurowings
 * Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) (more than 1½ hr by car) charter flights in Turkey and Greece in summer
 * Prague (1 hr 45 min by car) International flights hub for Czech Airlines
 * Berlin Brandenburg International Airport

The airports in Dresden and Leipzig have their own train stations, from where Chemnitz can be reached with a change in Dresden Main Station (Hbf) or Leipzig Main Station (Hbf) respectively, taking just over 1½ hours. Public transport from the other airports in this list is inconvenient and tedious.

By car
Chemnitz is situated at the junction of the motorways A4 and A72.


 * Dresden A4, travelling time is about 50 min
 * Leipzig B95 and A72, just over 1 hr
 * Weimar and Erfurt A4, 1½ and 1 hr 40 min respectively
 * Prague D7 and I/7 to Chomutov, then B174 via Marienberg, over 2 hr
 * Nuremberg A9 towards Hof, then A72, 2½ hr
 * Berlin A13 towards Dresden, then A4, 2 hr 45 min
 * Munich A93 or A9 towards Hof, then A72, 3 hr 45 min



Get around
Like many East German cities, Chemnitz has an expansive network of public transport comprising mainly of buses and trams.

There are six tram lines in operation in Chemnitz, numbered from 1 to 6, and the special line 522. Do note that there is no line number 3. All of the lines stop at the Zentralhaltestelle, which is a collection of tram platforms on the corner of Rathausstraße and Bahnhofstraße in the very centre of the city. Do note that only lines 2, 6 and 522 reach the Hauptbahnhof. Line 1 and Line 4 form a continuum - trams on line 1 become line 4 past the Straße der Nationen stop, and the other way around.

Hauptbahnhof's status as a terminus rather than a through station is temporary, pending the completion of the works on the tracks passing through the station.

A map of the tram/bus network can be obtained from the tourist information office, found near to the main square in the city centre, or at this link.

Cinema
Chemnitz has several cinemas dotted around the city. The majority of films will be in German.

Buy
The city centre has several larger chain stores and many smaller independent stores.

Chemnitz comprises a large number of shopping malls in the city centre and in the suburbs, e.g. Sachsenallee, Chemnitz/Centre, Vita-Centre, Neefepark, Galerie Roter Turm.



Eat


There are several good, reasonably priced restaurants dotted around the main square (in front of the town hall). Several have tables on the square itself, something worth doing if the weather is good. Bakeries/butchers can be found around the main square, and if the market is on, there are also several Imbiss stalls selling freshly cooked sausages and other snacks.



Drink
Chemnitz has a wide range of bars and pubs. Some of these, especially those in the city centre, offer both outdoor and indoor seating areas.

Sleep


There is a youth hostel in the eastern suburbs.



There are about 20 hotels and a large number of guest houses (Pensionen or Fremdenzimmer) in Chemnitz and suburbs.

Go next
Chemnitz is a convenient place to stay if you would like to explore Saxony, Thuringia, Franconia and Bohemia with all of their amazing cultural and archaeological highlights as well as the stunning and scenic landscape of Saxony and the Ore Mountains.


 * Saxon Ore Mountains – Beginning on the southern outskirts of Chemnitz, this mountain region (up to 1215m high) has a centuries-long mining tradition, many former mines can be visited; additionally the area is known for its wood carving tradition, elaborate advent and Christmas customs and decorations; popular hiking, mountain-biking and winters ports destination (between 30 minutes and 1½ hours by car; regional trains to Annaberg-Buchholz or Olbernhau, City Bahn to Stollberg)
 * Oberwiesenthal – highest town in Germany, located in the Ore Mountains just on the border with the Czech Republic; during winter large and famous ski resort, explore by taking the train to Cranzahl and then the old steam train to Oberwiesenthal – 55 km south (1 hour by car)
 * Freiberg – 35 km northeast (half hour by train or 40 min by car)
 * Zwickau – 40 km southwest (30–45 min by train or car)
 * Colditz – famous for its castle that served as a prisoner-of-war camp during World War II – 50 km north (45 min by car)
 * Dresden – 75 km northeast (55 minutes on the A4 motorway or 1 hour by train)
 * Leipzig – 85 km north (1 hour by car or train)
 * Karlovy Vary (Carlsbad) in the Czech Republic – 85 km south (1½ hours by car)