Leipzig: Berlin's ("perfect" little sister)

The Lonely Planet has chosen it from the 10 must-visit destinations in Europe, Bach, Mendelssohn and Goethe have lived there and it offers a weekend beauty for those who have already seen a thing or two in Germany. Leipzig is Germany's surprise. Only two hours from Berlin

Ziv Reinstein

09/06/2022

Thursday, 09 June 2022, 16:31 Updated: 16:45

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Vacation in Leipzig, Germany (Photo: Ziv Reinstein, Editing: Nir Chen)

If you are already satisfied with the tourist-laden Berlin, you should take the train or car and citrus two hours drive to its "little sister" - Leipzig - quieter, more intimate but no less cool.

Even the Lonely Planet chose it from the 10 must-visit destinations in Europe in 2015.

Leipzig in northeastern Germany, was founded in 1165 but was mentioned as early as 1015 in the writings of Bishop Titmar of Marsburg.

However, it attracted people as early as the Roman Empire, due to its location at the junction of two important trade routes in Europe (Via Regia and Via Imperii).

Today, about 600,000 people who work in the industries of giant companies that have moved their production centers to the city live in the city, whose name comes from the Slavic word Lipsk, which means "settlement near Theresa trees".

For example, car manufacturers BMW and Porsche, as well as companies like DHL, Siemens, Amazon and more.

During the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century, it received a "boost" from factories in the cotton and printing industry, which led to its rise as a country of reputed industrial city.

Later, during the period of East Germany, huge coal mines began to be dug in it, which with the unification of Germany became huge lakes that are now used by the inhabitants of the Saxony region, of which Leipzig is the capital.

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In Leipzig you will find eclectic architecture in a variety of styles (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Two hours from Berlin and you are there.

Leipzig Central Railway Station (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Quieter and more intimate but no less cool.

Leipzig Market Square (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Enter the Passage

As an important trading city, many passages were built in Leipzig over the years that led from the merchants' houses to the various trading points.

The most beautiful passage in the city is the Mädler-Passage, built in the early 20th century and somewhat reminiscent of the "Vittorio Emanuel Gallery" in Milan.

Today, there are dozens of stylish shops and cafes in the passage, where the German poet and writer Goethe, who studied law in the city, probably sat and wrote, and used to wind down quite a few lessons to socialize with for years.

His sculpture is outside the gallery, right next door.

The merchants' houses were connected by aisles, which today are a great refuge from heat and cold.

Passage Madler (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The student who used to wind down quite a few of the classes to socialize with years.

Statue of Goethe (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Pastel-colored buildings dot the city (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Old and new

Although two-thirds of it was destroyed in World War II, Leipzig has recovered quite well and retained its special architectural gems.

Walking through its streets, you will encounter eclectic architecture in the style of Romanesque, Art Nouveau, Baroque and Gothic.

Such is, for example, the 13th-century Church of St. Thomas (Thomaskirche), where the well-known composers Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner and of course Johann Sebastian Bach, who is also buried, played and acted.

In general, Bach put a thing in Leipzig and the church, where he conducted the choir, taught and played the organ and even won colorful stained glass in the church and an impressive sculpture outside it.

The statue shows the other button of his garment unbuttoned, which signifies that music was more important to him than his performance.

The University of Leipzig is also the splendor of the work that preserves old and new.

It was founded in 1409 and is the second oldest university in the country.

It used to be a 16th-century Dominican convent that was destroyed in 1968.

But then Dutch architect Eric van Egert came up with an idea: to take the facade of the church that was destroyed and survived and incorporate it into the new university building in 2004.

The result: a fascinating building in a modern Gothic style.

By the way, ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel studied physics there.

Impressive Gothic architecture.

St. Thomas Church (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The tomb of Johann Sebastian Bach in the church where he worked (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

It served as a 16th-century Dominican convent that was destroyed in 1968.

University of Leipzig (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The demonstrations that reunited Germany

In the Old Town you will also find the Gothic church of St. Nicholas (Nikolaikirche) whose construction began in 1165, known around the world as the place where "Monday demonstrations" called for the reunification of Germany began.

On September 4, 1989, more than a thousand people gathered in a non-violent protest, which led to further protests across the country and even to a demonstration of 70,000 people in the city itself.

They marched from the square next to the church and shouted "no to violence."

These protests are what eventually led to the reforms and the fall of the wall.

In the nearby square was placed the "Pillar of Peace," which is a replica of a pillar from the church.

The important "Monday demonstrations" came out of here: St. Nicholas Church Square (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The "Peace Pillar" in the square is a replica of a pillar from the church (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The coolest art complex there is

Leipzig is also a city that loves art.

Among its dozens of museums, it is worth visiting the Museum of Fine Arts (Museum der bildenden Künste) where thousands of items and works, among them by Max Beckmann, a famous German artist and a native of the city.

But for real street art, you must travel to Spinnerei, a spectacular street art complex that was 125 years ago the largest industrial area in Europe for cotton production.

In the 1990s, artists infiltrated the abandoned area and opened galleries, followed by musicians who breathed life into the place.

Today, the complex has more than a hundred studio rooms that display art for its various issues.

A city that loves art.

The Museum of Fine Arts (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

The cotton area has become a street art complex.

Spinneri (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Spinnerie has more than a hundred studio rooms that display art (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

A square in the Old City area (Photo: Walla !, Ziv Reinstein)

Leipzig is pleasant, not too crowded with tourists and you can also find a rainy day in the summer.

The old town is small and easy to get around, and in the market square you will find stalls of good things.

So if you'm tired of Berlin, here's a little jump - abroad.

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