Freiberg

Freiberg is a town in Saxony, Germany. It has one of the best preserved historic town centres in the state, and is known for its cathedral and centuries-old mining tradition. It is seat of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, the second oldest technical university still in existence.

Understand
Freiberg was founded in the 1160s, on the northeastern slopes of the Saxon Ore Mountains. It became the biggest city and prime trading centre in the Margraviate of Meissen (precursor of the state of Saxony) during the high Middle Ages. The nearby Ore Mountains' abundance in silver ore, combined with the right of coinage, made Freiberg one of the richest towns, and the Electorate of Saxony one of the richest states in Germany. Silver mining ceased in the 20th century. Since then, Freiberg has undergone a structural transformation, redefining itself as a centre of high technology with semiconductor production and solar engineering, belonging to the so-called "Silicon Saxony".

The Bergakademie (mining academy) was established in 1765 as one of the first colleges for mining technology in the world. It has been promoted to a university. It defines itself as a "natural resources university" and offers courses and research related to geosciences, materials and environmental science, energy research, engineering, mathematics and natural science. The town has about 42,000 inhabitants, 5,000 of whom are university students. Due to the focus on natural sciences and technology, more than two thirds of the students are male.

By plane
From Dresden Airport it is a bit over an hour by train to Freiberg. Take the S-Bahn to Dresden Hauptbahnhof and then a regional train to Freiberg from there.

By car
Freiberg is about 16 km off the autobahn A 4 (exit Siebenlehn or Berbersdorf). It is crossed by the B 173 road that links Dresden with Chemnitz, and by the B 101 between Meißen and the Ore Mountains.

Get around
Regiobus Mittelsachsen operates 9 urban bus lines in Freiberg.

The historic town centre has a diameter of just over 1 km and is best discovered on foot.

See
The historic town centre has maintained its original layout from the Middle Ages, and unlike the centres of most German cities, it was not destroyed in any war. The most important buildings are centered on the Untermarkt ("lower market") and Obermarkt ("upper market")

Do

 * Christmas fair in December
 * Mining parade, second Saturday of Advent

Go next

 * Dresden, 40 km northeast (half an hour by train)
 * Chemnitz, 35 km southwest (half an hour by train)
 * Freital, 28 km northeast (half an hour by train)
 * Meißen, 40 km north