Four Hours in Leipzig – Discover the Sights of the City Centre

Stunning traces of the past 

A city map is available from the Leipzig Tourist Information Centre. Just around the corner, you’ll find the market square with the Old Town Hall. Dating from 1556/57, it is one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Germany and houses the Museum of City History. Visit the permanent exhibitions and immerse yourself in Leipzig’s past. Admission is free. A few metres further on is St Thomas’ Church. It is known throughout the world as the place where Johann Sebastian Bach worked and as the home of the St Thomas Boys’ Choir. The restaurants and cafés in the Thomaskirchhof are ideal for taking a break and enjoying the impressive views. Follow the green of the ring road to the New Town Hall. It is one of the world’s largest town halls. At almost 115 metres, the town hall tower is said to be the tallest in Germany. Next, stop by at the Moritzbastei and pop underground. Its winding vaults are the only vestige of Leipzig’s former fortifications and now combine great food and culture. Just next door, the sky’s the limit: the City-Hochhaus skyscraper – nicknamed the “Uniriese” or “Uni Giant” by locals – is the tallest building in Leipzig. Enjoy fantastic views of the city from the 120-metre-high viewing platform. Directly below you, you will see the city campus of Leipzig University, Germany’s second oldest university, with the impressive Paulinum assembly hall and the University Church of St. Paul.

Through passages and past former centres of trade and commerce

Another must-see is the magnificent Mädler-Passage with the bronze statues of Mephisto and Faust at the entrance to Auerbachs Keller. Prince of poets J.W. von Goethe immortalised Auerbachs Keller in his “Faust”, making it world famous. The wine bar’s prominent guests included none other than Martin Luther. Don’t forget to rub Faust’s bronze foot. They say it brings luck! The Mädler-Passage is one of many passages and courtyards that reflect Leipzig’s history as the world’s oldest trade fair city. They once allowed horse-drawn carriages to pass through to deliver goods. Later, striking trade fair complexes were constructed in the city centre. When walking through central Leipzig, it is therefore always worth looking up: many buildings still display names that refer to passages and courtyards, recalling the trade fairs of old. The Old Stock Exchange is also part of the history of this trade fair city. The baroque building was once a meeting place for merchants. And that’s not all: at the “Markt” S-Bahn station, the former entrance to the underground trade fair centre is now where passengers head down to the Leipzig City Tunnel. The centre was the world’s first underground exhibition building. Why did they hold exhibitions underground in Leipzig, you ask? The answer is simple: the city centre’s trade fair complexes had run out of space.

Museums in the centre

If you want to delve even deeper into the past, then besides the Museum of City History, there are other museums in the city centre that are worth visiting. The Museum of Fine Arts wows visitors with its spectacular architecture and works from the late Middle Ages to the present day. Visit the permanent exhibition free of charge. The Forum of Contemporary History tells the story of divided Germany and the period after reunification. Admission is free. The “Runde Ecke” memorial museum offers a fascinating insight into the work and history of the Ministry for State Security in the GDR. At the Bach Museum, look forward to an interactive and musical journey through the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach and Bach scholarship. In case you do have more than four hours to spare: museums and galleries outside the city centre reflect Leipzig’s status as a centre for the fine and applied arts.