Many people are surprised by Leipzig's beauty. Any preconceptions of a shabby, grey, socialist metropolis are swiftly forgotten upon arrival. Leipzig's city centre has been completely refurbished since German reunification and its magnificent historical buildings once again bask in their former splendour. A prime example is the
Hauptbahnhof, an awesome turn-of-the-century construction which used to be Europe's largest train station, but which has now been transformed into a Mecca for shoppers. 130 shops and boutiques now compete for consumers' hard-earned Deutschmarks. In short, anyone who was familiar with Leipzig before 1989 would scarcely recognize the city today. The motto "Leipzig is coming!" is extremely appropriate motto for this forward-looking city.
Yet the traces of Leipzig's recent past are still visible. If you take a walk down some of the side-streets outside the city center, you can't help but notice the extent at which the city was allowed to fall into disrepair during the...
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Altes Rathaus
The 16th-century town hall stands on the 12th-century Renaissance Markt. Allied bombs rained down on the building, but it has been carefully restored....
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- Attractions
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Museum der bildenden Künste
The 2,700 paintings and sculptures in this museum include works by Dürer, Rubens, Rembrandt, Rodin, and van Eyck. In the museum's new home, designed...
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Thomaskirche (St. Thomas Church)
Leipzig's most famous resident, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750), was cantor here from 1723 until his death. He spent his most creative years...
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- Religious Sights
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