Leipzig is the largest city in eastern Germany’s state of Saxony. Often called the ‘new Berlin’, it is Germany’s fastest-growing city and has a lively arts and culture scene. Visitors arriving in Leipzig by train can also expect to see some very impressive historical buildings. Passengers can travel by train from Berlin to Leipzig in 1h13mins, and the journey to Leipzig from Frankfurt takes 3h31mins. Visitors looking forward to the historical sights of the city are greeted by the first one as soon as they disembark from their train. Leipzig’s central station itself is an imposing building dating back to 1915, and it remains the largest train station in Europe — bigger than any in London, Berlin or Paris! It offers good connections with other German cities thanks to high-speed Inter-City trains.
Visiting Leipzig
A 10-minute walk south-west from the station brings visitors to the old Leipzig market square, where one of Germany’s biggest and most popular Christmas fairs takes place. There are regular flea markets to attract visiting bargain hunters here during the rest of the year too. From here, visitors can’t miss the old town hall, with its colonnades, towers and turrets combining to make it one of the most beautiful Renaissance buildings in Germany. A further 4-minute walk westward via Thomaskirchhof brings visitors to the Thomaskirche, a famous Lutheran church. This is where Johann Sebastian Bach worked, and it is where he is buried.
Having paid homage to the master musician and composer, visitors in need of a refreshment find themselves in exactly the right part of Leipzig. The area around Thomaskirche is the best place to find welcoming little restaurants and beer cellars to try some of the local brew, and perhaps to sample some traditional Saxony food, such as Schnitzel, dumplings and local fish.
Once satisfied, visitors may wish to move on to the primary attraction of the city, the Völkerschlacht monument. This requires walking for one hour in a south-easterly direction along Straße des 18 Oktober. Or, to make this journey easy, why not take the no.15 tram from outside the Hauptbahnof? This huge edifice is the monument to the 1813 Battle of Leipzig, and it is the largest monument in Europe. Those with energy to climb to the top will be rewarded with great views of the surrounding region. Visitors can also visit the museum dedicated to the Battle of Leipzig right next to the monument.