Leipzig is located in the heart of Europe, at the crossroads of two ancient roads: Via Regia and Via Imperii. The West-East route from Paris to Moscow and the South-North route from Rome to Szczecin led to Leipzig merchants with not only a variety of products from all of the world, but also with new ideas and thoughts that shaped many faces of the city.
Leipzig is world-famous for the trade fair, books and music. The Leipziger Messe that dates back to the twelfth century had been always known for its international environment, even during the GDR the West met the East here. The Leipzig Trade Fair is today one of the largest trade fairs in Europe, especially renowned for the second biggest book fair in Germany. The Leipzig Book Fair seems to be a continuation of the long history of the city as a centre of printing. The city was home to one of the largest German universities at that time and this meant a high potential for orders: so, many printers set up their shops. The printing houses that published many historical bestsellers, like Luther’s German translation of the Bible or Capital by Karl Marx played an important role by building up Leipzig as the capital of the German book industry. Nearly one thousand publishers and booksellers existed in 1914 in Leipzig, along with three hundred printers and 173 bookbinders. During Nazi Germany the Graphics District in Leipzig became a centre of the propaganda of the Third Reich. This area, as well as the centre of the city were heavily destroyed in 1943 during the bombing raid.
Leipzig is also a city of music! Great musicians like Johann Sebastian Bach, Clara and Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn and Kurt Masur lived and composed here. Those great personalities not only created masterpieces in music, but also embodied real change. Clara Schumann fought for her rights, Felix Mendelssohn came up with the idea of conducting an orchestra and Kurt Masur played one of the leading roles in the Peaceful Revolution in Leipzig that led to the German Reunification.
After the Iron Curtain came down in 1989, the city lost 70,000 industry jobs and 90,000 inhabitants. But Leipzig could still be saved, thanks to many dedicated citizens who turned some of its post-industrial sites into centres of art and culture. Leipzig is today one of the fastest-growing cities in Europe, compact but still green. It is sometimes called a ‘second Berlin’ because of its diversity and open-mindedness. And, just like Berlin, the city is facing another problem – gentrification. This has already started to change its face.
On this tour, we will see:
- Marktplatz
- Stock Exchange
- Madler Passage
- Riquethaus
- Speck’s Passage
- Nikolaikirche
- Augustusplatz (Leipzig University, Oper Leipzig, Gewandhaus)
- Moritzbastei
- The German National Library
- New Town Hall
- Thomaskirche
- and more!
