Chemnitz

Chemnitz was renamed Karl-Marx-Stadt from 1953 to 1990 under East German rule, and the giant bronze Karl Marx monument — a 7-metre bust locally nicknamed "Nischel" — remains the city's best-known landmark from that era. The city's earlier history was built on textile and machine manufacturing, and its industrial heritage is preserved at the Sächsisches Industriemuseum. Chemnitz is less touristed than Dresden or Leipzig and sits at the edge of the Ore Mountains (Erzgebirge).

By train

Chemnitz Hauptbahnhof .

Chemnitz, as part of the Sachsen-Franken-Magistrale (train route connecting Saxony and Franconia), can be easily accessed by train from several of the other cities in Saxony but also from Bavaria and Thuringia. Chemnitz is one of the biggest cities in Germany to lack any InterCity or ICE service, in part because many routes through Chemnitz lack electrification - the route to Leipzig is not electrified at all, while the route to Nuremberg is only electrified as far as Hof .  

Leipzig (with a travelling time of about 50 minutes)

Dresden and Zwickau

Nuremberg (with a same platform change in Hof )

Erfurt , Weimar , Jena and Gera

By plane

Flugplatz Chemnitz-Jahnsdorf .

The local airfield in Chemnitz-Jahnsdorf 12   km away serves business and small private charters only.  

The nearest passenger airports are:

Dresden ( DRS   IATA ; 80   km; 50 min by car) Especially Lufthansa (from Frankfurt Airport), Eurowings and during summer flights from many destinations in Southern Europe and Northern Africa

Leipzig

Halle ( LEJ   IATA ; 110 km)

The city centre is walkable; local buses connect the main districts and nearby attractions.

In the centre

Karl Marx monument .

The city was called Karl-Marx-Stadt from 1953 to 1990, and on Brückenstraße there is a 7-m-tall bronze head of Karl Marx - referred to locally as " Charlie " or the "Nischel " (local slang for "head"). All kinds of "Nischel" souvenirs are sold, even ones made of marzipan or chocolate.  

The Red Tower (Der Rote Turm) .

This red-bricked tower in the city centre survived many wars and centuries and is all that is left of the city wall.  

Chemnitz Opera

( Opernhaus Chemnitz ),

Theaterplatz .

One of the most beautiful buildings in Chemnitz.  

Old Town Hall

( Altes Rathaus ).

 

New Town Hall

( Neues Rathaus ).

 

Siegertsches Haus .

A house on the main market square with a richly decorated baroque facade from 1741. Only part of the original building survived the war but was restored.  

Gunzenhauser Museum .

Contains 2,459 works by 270 artists of the 20th century that were collected by the art dealer Dr. Alfred Gunzenhauser. Housed in former Sparkasse Chemnitz offices, a building in the New Objectivity style completed in 1930.  

Kulturkaufhaus Tietz .

A former department store which now houses a mix of shops, a library, and cultural facilities.

Sächsisches Industriemuseum ,

Zwickauer Straße 119, 09112 .

The museum of industry can be found a little way out from the city centre (maps of the city centre can be got from the tourist information shop, in the front of the town hall). Much of Chemnitz's industrial heritage is detailed here with several working pieces of machinery and an old fireless steam engine. There is also a souvenir shop.  

Volkswagen Motorenwerk Chemnitz ,

Kauffahrtei 47

( visitors should arrive at Gate A ( Tor A ) on the Kauffahrttei ),

☏

+49 371 274 3638 .

Tours are available Tu-Th 09:30-12:00 .

The Volkswagen engine factory in Chemnitz which builds the TSI units has a visitor's centre which organizes guided tours through the factory for groups of between 10 and 25 people.  

Sport

Chemnitzer FC .

A soccer club in the second highest amateur league in Germany (3rd Division) and former East German national champion.  

Chemnitz 99

( Niners Chemnitz ).

A basketball club in Germany's highest professional league (BBL).   ( updated May 2022 )

Bogensportclub Chemnitz-Rabenstein e.V.

( Chembows ),

Oberfrohnaer Straße 108 09117 Chemnitz ,

[email protected] .

An archery club

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.

Turmbrauhaus ,

Neumarkt 2 ,

☏

+49 371 9095095 .

Open every day from 10:00 .

The mixture of a traditional wooden interior with copper brewing vessels and home brewed beer make this a great place to sit down, relax and enjoy an evening. The food served here comes from Saxony/Bavaria, is very good and also reasonably priced. Get there relatively early if you want to be able to pick your table. A nightclub can also be found in the basement.

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.

Alex ,

Neumarkt 2 .

M-Th 09:00-13:00, F Sa 09:00-1:00, Su & Bank Holidays 09:00-14:30 .

German chain, in Chemnitz the bar-restaurant-cafe is on the main square in the city centre and has a large summer patio.

There is a youth hostel in the eastern suburbs.

Youth Hostel .

 

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

Dorint Kongresshotel Chemnitz

( Mercure Kongresshotel ),

Brueckenstraße 19 ,

☏

+49 371-6830 ,

[email protected] .

This hotel is the large landmark "radiator" building found in the centre of Chemnitz. With 386 rooms, it's one of the largest hotels in the area.

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

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

GDR Souvenirs .

The usual nostalgic souvenirs of the socialist era can be bought from various stores, such as model Trabis or Ampelmänner postcards. There are also several second-hand stalls (especially in the train station) selling East German items.  

Galerie Roter Turm .

 

Galeria Kaufhof ,

Am Rathaus 1, 09111 Chemnitz, .

 

Peek & Cloppenburg ,

Neumarkt 1 .

• Berlin — Germany's capital city, reachable by regional train
• Nearby towns in Sachsen — explore the surrounding region