Sights in Leipzig
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Nikolaikirche
Leipzig's largest church, the Nikolaikirche, has Romanesque and Gothic roots, but now sports an amazing classical-style interior with palm-like pillars and cream-coloured pews. More recently, the church played a key role in the nonviolent movement that eventually brought down the GDR regime. In 1982 it began hosting 'peace prayers' every Monday at 5pm (still held today) and in 1989 it became the chief meeting point for peaceful demonstrators. A pamphlet recounts the 'miracle' of 9 October 1989, when 600 SED party faithful, who had been sent to the church to break up the services, ended up listening to the sermon and joining the protesters.
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Mädlerpassage
Historic Mädlerpassage is easily among the world's most beautiful shopping arcades. Enter it from Grimmaische Strasse, south of the Markt. A mix of neo-Renaissance and Art Nouveau, it opened as a trade hall in 1914 and was renovated at great expense in the early 1990s. Today it's home to shops, bars and restaurants, most notably, Auerbachs Keller.
There are statues of Faust, Mephistopheles and some students near the Grimmaische Strasse exit; according to tradition you should touch Faust's foot for good luck.
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Alte Spinnerei
'Cotton to culture' is the motto of the Alte Spinnerei, a 19th-century cotton-spinning factory turned artist colony. Around 80 New Leipzig School artists, including Neo Rauch, have their studios in this huge pile of red-brick buildings, alongside designers, architects, goldsmiths and other creative types whose creations are displayed in 10 galleries. It's in the southwestern district of Plagwitz; take bus 60 from Bayrischer Platz to S-Bahnhof Plagwitz.
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Universität Leipzig
On the west side of Augustusplatz, the run-down GDR-era Universität Leipzig, with its bronze relief depicting Karl Marx, is expected to soon have a date with the wrecking ball. Not too many Leipzigers will likely shed a tear, for many still remember the medieval Paulinerkirche which stood here until being demolished in 1968 by GDR authorities. A handful of beautiful epitaphs salvaged from the church are on display in a glass case on Grimmaische Strasse.
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City History Museum Annexe
North of the Naschmarkt is Sachsenplatz, a massive open square that now houses two newly built cultural outlets. The Museum of Fine Arts has a prestigious collection of works from the 15th century to the present and cutting-edge changing exhibitions. Close by is the City History Museum Annexe, hosting temporary exhibitions on a range of Leipzig-related people and themes.
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Panometer
The happy marriage of a pan orama (a giant painting) and a gas ometer (a giant gas tank) is a panometer. The unusual concept is the brainchild of artist Yadegar Asisi, who creates a new image every three or four years. Past examples have included scenes from the Himalayas and ancient Rome. Take tram 16 to Richard-Lehmann-Strasse/Zwickauer Strasse.
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Specks Hof
A shopping arcade. Nearby, you'll pass a water basin that functions as an upside-down bell; ring it by wetting your hands with the water and running them back and forth over two pommels. If you hit it right, the water starts to fizz. Specks Hof itself contains a beautiful series of tile and stained-glass reliefs by Halle artist Moritz Götze.
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Thomaskirche
The composer Johann Sebastian Bach worked in the Thomaskirche as a cantor from 1723 until his death in 1750, and his remains lie buried beneath a bronze epitaph near the altar. The Thomanerchor, once led by Bach, is still going strong and now includes 100 boys aged eight to 18. The church tower can be climbed at weekends (€2).
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Neues Rathaus
The neo-baroque Neues Rathaus is one of the world's largest town halls with some 600 rooms and an impressive 108m-high tower. Although the building’s origins date back to the 16th century, its current manifestation was completed in 1905. The restored interior makes it one of the finest municipal buildings in Germany.
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Stasi Museum
The chilling Stasi Museum is in the former headqurters of the East German secret police, a building known as Runde Ecke (round corner). Exhibits in the museum, including a detention cell for keeping 'hostile negative elements', illustrate how bizarre the Stasi spooks became before the whole thing fell apart in 1989.
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Stasi Bunker
In the GDR the walls had ears, as is vividly documented in the chilling Stasi Museum in the former headquarters of the East German secret police, a building known as the Runde Ecke (Round Corner). On the last weekend of every month, you can also visit the Stasi bunker outside town.
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Altes Rathaus
Built in 1556, the arcaded Renaissance Altes Rathaus is one of Germany's most stunning town halls. It houses the Stadtgeschichtliches Museum.
This museum chronicles the ups and downs of Leipzig's history. Some temporary themed exhibits are on display nearby in a new building (Böttchergässchen 3).
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Galerie Eigen+Art
The work of New Leipzig School artists, including Neo Rauch, is displayed in about 10 galleries, including Galerie Eigen+Art, internationally famous for championing young artists. It's in the southwestern district of Plagwitz; take tram 14 to S-Bahnhof Plagwitz.
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Zoo
If you can stomach the hefty admission, Leipzig's zoo, has lots of rare species, plus perennial crowd-pleasers such as tigers, lions and gorillas. The new Gondwanaland tropical species hall has been a highlight since 2009. Take tram 12.
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Museum der Bildenden Künste
An edgy glass cube is the home of the Museum der Bildenden Künste, which has a well-respected collection of paintings from the 15th century to today, including works by Caspar David Friedrich, Lucas Cranach the Younger and Claude Monet.
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Kroch-Haus
11-storey Kroch-Haus was Leipzig's first 'skyscraper' and now houses part of the university's art collection. Topped by a clock and two muscular bronze sentries who bash the bell at regular intervals, the motto (in Latin) reads 'Work conquers all'.
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Grassimuseum
The university-run Grassimuseum unites three very different collections, the fabulous Musikinstrumenten-Museum, the Museum für Völkerkunde and the Museum für Angewandte Kunst.
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Musikinstrumenten-Museum
At the fabulous Musikinstrumenten-Museum, housed inside the Grassimuesum, you can discover music from five centuries in the prestigious and rarity-filled exhibits, in an interactive sound laboratory, and during concerts.
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Leipzig Zoo
Not your run-of-the-mill zoo, the Leipzig version has lots of rare species, plus perennial crowd-pleasers such as tigers, lions and gorillas. The elephant habitat, built to look like a Cambodian temple, is a highlight. Take tram 12.
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Bach Memorial
Outside the Thomaskirche is the 1908 Bach Memorial showing the composer standing against an organ, with his left-hand jacket pocket turned inside-out (with 20 children from two marriages, the great man always claimed to be broke).
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Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst
Edgy contemporary art in all media is the speciality of the Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst, which has changing exhibits housed in a minimalist container-like space and a late-19th-century villa.
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Museum für Angewandte Kunst
The Museum für Angewandte Kunst is the second oldest in Germany and has one of the finest collections of art-nouveau and art-deco furniture, porcelain, glass and ceramics in the country.
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MDR Hochhaus
Sticking out like the tall kid in your third-grade picture, is the landmark MDR Hochhaus, a rather attractive skyscraper from 1970, with a viewing platform and restaurant on top.
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Schumann-Haus
One of the world-famous composer, Robert Schumann spent the first four years of his marriage to Leipzig pianist Clara Wieck in the Schumann-Haus.
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Forum of Contemporary History
The haunting yet uplifting Forum of Contemporary History depicts the history of the GDR, from division and dictatorship to resistance and demise.
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