Best & Fun Things To Do + Places To Visit In Leipzig, Germany. #Top Attractions

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Are you contemplating a vacation to Leipzig, Germany? Look at our carefully selected list of top Leipzig, Germany attractions below on the best thing to do in Leipzig, Germany, and places to go in Leipzig, Germany. Wondrous Drifter is a Web 3 travel company that aspires to disrupt the travel industry.

Bach-Museum

Bach-Museum, Leipzig, Germany
Bach-Museum, Leipzig, Germany / Francisco Anzola / Flickr

Show tribute to one of the greatest composers of all time.

The Bach Museum is located just across from St. Thomas Church. Johann Sebastian Bach’s life and works are on display in this museum.

The treasure room is one of the most intriguing things to see in the Bach museum. They have glass cabinets in this chamber where Bach’s handwritten manuscripts are maintained.

The documents’ display is constantly rotated due to their extreme sensitivity and delicacy. In other words, they are on exhibit for a few months and then disappear. You might be able to discover them on display if you’re lucky.

Bach performed other musical instruments in the Bach museum, including an organ console, a violone from his orchestra, and a viola d’amore built for him by a close friend, Johann Christian Hoffmann.

A Bach family tree is also on display. In this database, you can look for his relatives who became musicians, such as royal musicians, organists, instrument builders, and even cantors.

Visit the Bach Museum to learn more about Sebastian Bach’s life and compositions.

Address: Thomaskirchhof 15/16, 04109 Leipzig, Germany

Battle of the Nations Monument 

Battle of the Nations Monument , Leipzig, Germany
Battle of the Nations Monument, Leipzig, Germany / Mike Bonitz / Flickr

Visit Europe’s most significant monument, which marks Napoleon’s defeat.

The majestic Battle of the Nations Monument, the Volkerschlachtdenkmal, is one of Germany’s most significant monuments and an important model of the Wilhelmine school of architecture.

It was constructed in 1913 in commemoration of Napoleon’s loss in Leipzig at the Battle of the Nations in the year 1813, and it is Europe’s largest military memorial.

About 600,000 men fought on this battlefield in the most significant conflict in Europe until the First World War. Napoleon’s army was hopelessly outmatched and forced to return to France, his banishment finally happened, and he got exiled to Elba the next year.

The monument and its interior chamber are surrounded by 12-meter-tall heroic statues, with a stunning view from the 91-meter-high observation platform (no elevators are available).

A museum dedicated to the Battle of Leipzig is located beneath the monument, depicting the military life and equipment of the soldiers who went into battle here. The city core is a tram ride away, and it takes 15 minutes from the memorial.

Visit this significant monument now on your next visit to Leipzig.

Address:  Straße des 18 Oktober 100, 04299 Leipzig

Coffe Baum Coffee Museum

Coffe Baum Coffee Museum, Leipzig, Germany
Coffe Baum Coffee Museum, Leipzig, Germany / Fred Romero / Flickr

Attention, all coffee addicts, this one is for you!

The oldest coffeehouse in Germany, Coffe Baum, one of Europe’s oldest coffee cafes preserved in its original form, is located in the historic city center of Leipzig. Coffee, the Saxons’ favorite drink, has been served here since 1711.

Coffe Baum pays homage to this history with a coffee museum that spans 15 rooms on the upper floors of the ancient structure. 

Over 500 objects trace the history of coffee and the emergence of coffee house culture in Saxony, which many believe is where the German infatuation with coffee houses began.

Roasters, various brewing processes and machines, historical containers and advertising, early porcelain coffee cups, and the leather cases made to protect them are all on display. 

The museum is free, but you won’t be able to walk past the Baumkuchen display case in the café without stopping for a slice.

Experience having a sip of coffee at one of Europe’s oldest coffee shops now.

Address: Kleine Fleischergasse 4, 04109 Leipzig

Forum of Contemporary History

Forum of Contemporary History, Leipzig, Germany
Forum of Contemporary History, Leipzig, Germany / Hans Dinkelberg / Flickr

A museum that commemorates Germany’s “Peaceful Revolution.”

The Zeitgeschichliches Forum, also known as the Forum of Contemporary History, is a visitor-friendly museum commemorating the opposition, defiance, and moral bravery displayed in the GDR against the German division.

The Forum of Contemporary History portrays the history of Germany from 1945 to the 1989 Peaceful Revolution and the reuniting of Germany through artifacts, photographs, recorded accounts, films, and hundreds of artifacts.

The documentary focused heavily on Germans’ daily lives when the communist tyranny in the Soviet Occupation Zone happened and dissent and civil disobedience against the Socialist Unity Party’s repression.

Permanent displays look upon the changes and problems that reuniting brought, as well as the effects of international terrorism, globalization, as well as the digital revolution on fusing two countries with disparate economic and political systems.

Check out the Stasi Museum and Memorial located at the old HQ of the totalitarian secret servicemen of the former GDR if you want to learn more about Germany during the Communist occupation. Both museums provide free admission.

Visit this museum now in the heart of Leipzig’s city center.

Address: Grimmaische Str. 6, Leipzig, Germany

​​Grassi Museum

Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Germany
Grassi Museum, Leipzig, Germany / David~ / Flickr

This museum is one of Europe’s most important design and applied arts institutions.

The Grassi Museum, often known as the “Museums in the Grassi,” is Leipzig’s most fascinating attraction. Musical Instruments Museum, Ethnography Museum, and Applied Arts Museum are among the three museums there.

Franz Dominic Grassi, an Italian merchant who lived in Leipzig, was the inspiration for the museum’s name. When Franz died, he left more than 2 million marks to the city of Leipzig, which helped fund the construction of the ‘Old Grassi Museum,’ Mende Fountain, and Gewandhaus.

The ‘Old Grassi Museum became too small to accommodate the expanding number of collections, prompting the then-director to begin the construction of the ‘New Grassi Museum’ between 1925 and 1929.

The musical instruments museum has exquisite artifacts from the 15th to the 20th century. On the other hand, the Ethnography museum houses nearly 200,000 exhibits from South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Oceania, North America, Africa, and Europe.

The applied fine arts museum is maybe the most interesting. This modern exhibition venue features work by emerging city artists and designers. Art deco glassware, pottery, and furniture are displayed at the applied arts museum.

Get to visit three museums in one when you visit the Grassi Museum now.

Address: Johannisplatz 5-11, 04103 Leipzig

Hartenfels Castle

Torgau and Hartenfels Castle, Leipzig, Germany
Torgau and Hartenfels Castle, Leipzig, Germany / Mike Bonitz / Flickr

This is a beautiful classic structure from the early Renaissance period.

The Hartenfels Castle is situated in one of the loveliest towns that still gives German Renaissance feels.

In fact, you’ll find the political center of the Reformation around the castle, and it is also connected to Martin Luther.

However, you have to travel for at least an hour from Leipzig to reach the hilltop town of Torgau.

As you tour around this charming town, be amazed to see a lot of history that remains.

Moreover, the Hartenfels Castle is more than a castle; it is known to be the world’s first-ever Protestant church.

Its amazing grand staircase arose out from the spacious courtyard and was designed without the need for the main support pillar at any point.

Overall, you can easily spend your day entertaining yourself through the views of notable structures in town and also have a quick visit to the castle’s cafe!

Address: Schloßstraße 27, 04860 Torgau, Germany 

Karl-Heine Canal

Karl-Heine Canal, Leipzig, Germany
Karl-Heine Canal, Leipzig, Germany / berginet / Flickr

Cycle, walk or paddle through this stunning location.

Running from the Weisse Elster River through Plagwitz’s ancient industrial zone is the Karl-Heine Canal, passing through exquisite industrial brick buildings and beneath trees that line banks. The canal, also called the Weisse Elster, and some waterways form an interconnected network of canals and rivers, providing a web of chances to experience Leipzig from a different perspective.

There are biking and walking trails that go beside the canal and various rivers, winding through industrial, residential, and natural areas.

The beautiful Buntgarnwerke Leipzig, completed in 1875 and Europe’s most prominent architectural marvel in the style of Wilhelminian, is a waterside landmark.

You may kayak through gigantic stone arched arches, over the 1867 Scheibenholz racecourse, and past the Baedeker family’s famous guidebook house.

Rent paddles in Stadthafen Leipzig, the city’s harbor, and explore the waters on your own, or join a guided canoe tour at the port. Bicycles can be rented at the harbor or other spots throughout the city.

Experience seeing Leipzig from a different perspective when you visit the Karl-Heine Canal.

Address: Karl-Heine-Kanal, Leipzig, Germany

Leipzig Botanical Garden

Leipzig Botanical Garden, Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig Botanical Garden, Leipzig, Germany / Mike Bonitz / Flickr

A botanical garden that’s existed since 1542.

Leipzig’s Botanical Garden is the oldest at any German university, established roughly 500 years ago. Visitors can find more than 10,000 plants in the greenhouses, outdoor areas, herbal gardens, and “scent and touch” garden.

The Botanical Garden, which is only three hectares in size, houses 4500 plant species in 1800 genera. With 363 plant families in all, the collections cover more than 65 percent of all known plant families. 

Genetic relationships, native locations, chemical ingredient groups, and morphological traits are used to classify the plants. In the domains of biology, pharmacy, biochemistry, and human and veterinary medicine, the collections are used for study and instruction.

The Botanical Garden was founded between 1542 and 1580, making it one of Europe’s oldest, alongside Siena and Padua. Its roots can be traced to a medical plant garden at St. Paul’s former Dominican monastery, which is now the Augustusplatz complex.

 In 1877, the Botanical Garden moved to its current location on Linnéstraße. The greenhouses have recently been repaired, and some of the open spaces have been redesigned.

Stroll through the gardens now and familiarize yourself with all the new plants you’ll see.

Address: Linnéstrasse 1, 04103 Leipzig

Leipzig Cotton Mill 

Leipzig Cotton Mill, Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig Cotton Mill, Leipzig, Germany / Fred Romero / Flickr

A cotton mill turned cultural destination.

Called in German the “Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei,” or in English the Leipzig Cotton Mill, the Lindenau neighborhood is becoming increasingly attractive to explore. This former industrial location is 10 hectares and served as a vital commercial center for the cotton industry. Before the first World War, the complex was an entire city, with 20 companies, residences, schools, parks, and approximately 240,000 spindles.

The Spinnerei has turned into a cultural hub in the last two decades, including large exhibition spaces, art galleries, art studios, as well as workshops. Approximately 100 artists settle here, including fashion and other printers, designers, sculptors, potters, jewelers, porcelain makers, restaurants, a café, and lastly, a cinema club.

Among Spinnerei’s buildings, the largest one has been converted into a contemporary art non-profit center. The whole complex is at the heart of Leipzig’s thriving art scene, which includes the “New Leipzig School.”

A standout feature of the place is what may be Europe’s most extensive art supplies store, a huge shop of arts and crafts materials and tools, with a whole wall devoted to just brushes alone. Take tram #14 till the S-Bahn Plagwitz station from Leipzig Bahnhof.

This place will surely bring out the inner art lover in you, come and visit the Leipzig Cotton Mill now.

Address: Spinnereistraße 7, 04179 Leipzig

Leipzig University and the Paulinum

Leipzig University and the Paulinum, Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig University and the Paulinum, Leipzig, Germany / Fred Romero / Flickr

See numerous sights in one historic university.

Leipzig University is a university that is one of the world’s oldest (and Germany’s second oldest), it was founded in the year 1409, and about 60% of its buildings were ruined during WWII.

Augustusplatz’s most prominent feature is Leipzig University’s 34-story skyscraper, which houses the Panorama Tower – Plate of Art, a 110-meter-high café.

In 1231, The Paulinerkirche was erected for the Dominican monastery. Martin Luther King even inaugurated it in 1545 following the Protestant Reformation. It survived the war undamaged, only to be demolished by explosives in 1968 under Soviet rule. Construction of the Paulinum began in 2007, at an identical place to the original church and in the Gothic style.

The Museum for Musical Instruments, The Egyptian Museum, the Museum of Antiquities, lastly the University Art Collection, which houses paintings and sculptures dating back to the Middle Ages, are all located on campus.

From 1836, the Schinkeltor, as well as a surviving entry to the Agusteum, an old university, are both included in the lecture theater building. A bastion dating from 1515, the Moritzbastei, and the lone survivor of the town’s original defenses, is worth a visit.

With lots to see, Leipzig University is definitely worth a visit.

Address: Augustuspl. 10, 04109 Leipzig, Germany

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Leipzig Zoo

Leipzig Zoo, Leipzig, Germany
Leipzig Zoo, Leipzig, Germany / Vanessa / Flickr

A place where Saxons and visitors of all ages will have a good time.

The Leipzig Zoo is more than simply a day trip for kids; it’s one of Germany’s most remarkable, with 850 different types of animals living in environments similar to their native habitats. 

Watch as elephants swim over an underwater glass partition, watch penguins frolic, and find shy koala relaxing in their eucalyptus grove. Also, meet the only Komodo Dragon in Germany! 

A tropical environment is created by over 24,000 plants and a garden with 60 different native fruits and spices.

Moreover, try entering the volcano tunnel to encounter living fossils. Amur tigers, dubbed the world’s largest cat, prowl the Siberian wilderness in packs like these beasts did thousands of years ago.

At Germany’s greatest aquariums, tourists are treated to a lively underwater world of colorful fish and living corals.

Even reef sharks and other species swirl in loops surrounding tourists!

Relax on the balcony of the Kwara Lodge and stare out over giraffes nibbling on leaves as gazelles, oryx, ostriches, and flamingos pass by.

Visit this spectacular zoo on your next trip to Leipzig.

Address: Pfaffendorfer Str. 29, Leipzig

Mädlerpassage and Naschmarkt

Mädlerpassage and Naschmarkt, Leipzig, Germany
Mädlerpassage and Naschmarkt, Leipzig, Germany / Falk Lehmann / Flickr

A world-class architectural wonder in Leipzig’s city center.

It’s one of several charming historical shopping complexes hidden away between historic buildings in the city’s core, including the exquisite Mädlerpassage.

It is located just across from one end of the Old City Hall, and it is near the Königshofpassage and the Messehofpassage.

While primarily used to shield merchants from the elements during trade show days, these enclosed corridors have grown into some of Europe’s most beautiful and elaborate arcades of today.

Among the decorations is a stunning tooled leather ceiling to a courtyard with contemporary tile artworks.

Look for the statues of Faust and Mephistopheles in front of Auerbach’s Keller, one of Leipzig’s most popular restaurants, and the location of Goethe’s famous cellar scene.

The Naschmarkt, a calm small square put out in 1556, is located opposite the Mädlerpassage entrance, behind the Old City Hall. The Old Commercial Exchange (Alte Handelsbörse), a 1678 Early Baroque structure, is located on the north side.

Stroll through this fascinating passage and see all the good things it offers. 

Address: Grimmaische Str. 2-4, 04109 Leipzig, Germany

Markt and Old Town Hall

Markt and Old Town Hall, Leipzig, Germany
Markt and Old Town Hall, Leipzig, Germany / Adina Bitterlich / Flickr

Stroll through this square and see one of the most beautiful renaissance structures.

The Old City Hall (Rathaus), a Renaissance building completed in 1556 and regarded as one of Germany’s most beautiful Renaissance buildings, dominates Leipzig’s Markt, which has been the center of city life for centuries. 

With its Baroque crown, the tower is asymmetrically positioned over the reception area, a roofed balcony used for public declarations, frequently featuring trumpeters dressed in traditional garb.

The front arcades were built in 1907 to replace the wooden shops and booths that formerly stood here, but shops can still be found beneath the arcade. 

A museum inside the Rathaus contains items and photographs spanning Leipzig’s history, from medieval fairs through the 1989 “peaceful revolution.”

The vast area hosts a farmers market and is equipped with a stage for performances during the city’s various music festivals (the annual Bach Festival, which takes place in June, fills the city’s churches and concert venues with music).

Address: Markt 1, D-04109 Leipzig

Mendelssohn House

Mendelssohn House, Leipzig, Germany
Mendelssohn House, Leipzig, Germany / Sunjo / Flickr

Visit the pianist house that composed the famed Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The Mendelssohn House in Leipzig is the only historically preserved home of the great composer Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy.

The house, erected in 1844 and occupied by the composer and his family from 1845, has been restored to its original plans and furnished in the late Biedermeier style, which was popular then. 

Personal items, sheet music, watercolor paintings by Mendelssohn, and papers and displays connected to his life and work are displayed in his study and music salon.

In 2014, the museum incorporated new interactive features such as a video library and the “Effektorium,” a conductor’s podium where visitors can command a virtual orchestra. 

The music salon is utilized for weekly Sunday Concerts, Leipzig’s Piano Summer, just as it was during Mendelssohn’s time. A statue of Mendelssohn hangs outside St. Thomas Church in a small garden.

Pay homage to this famed composer now when you come to Leipzig.

Address: Goldschmidtstrasse 12, D-04103 Leipzig

Museum of Fine Arts

Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig, Germany
Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig, Germany / Fred Romero / Flickr

See phenomenal works of art at this museum.

The Museum of Fine Arts (Museum der bildenden Künste), while being situated in one of Leipzig’s newest architectural marvels, was founded in 1837 and only moved into its new large-cubed home in 2004. 

The museum houses around 3,500 paintings from the Middle Ages, including works by Dutch, German, and Italian masters. It is one of Germany’s most important national cultural organizations.

While the museum’s collection of almost 400 paintings by 17th-century Dutch artists is exceptional in exhibiting the growth of this school, works by Frans Hals and a unique collection of 18 pieces by the two Lucas Cranachs are outstanding.

Over 700 pieces from the 19th century show the transition from Classical to Romantic to Impressionism to Symbolism. The museum’s 55,000 drawings and graphics collection contains works by William Hogarth, Daniel Chodowiecki, and Anton von Dyck and the canonical collection of Max Klinger’s works in all genres, including 70 sculptures.

The structure itself is a 36-meter-high glass cube with courtyards and terraces where some of the more giant three-dimensional sculptures are visible from the outside. Its design is meant to resemble ancient Leipzig passageways.

When in Leipzig, see great art at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Address: Katharinenstrasse 10, 04109 Leipzig

Neues Gewandhaus

Neues Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany
Neues Gewandhaus, Leipzig, Germany / seabamirum / Flickr

A place that’s witnessed the greats play music.

The Gewandhaus, the majestic home of the world-famous Gewandhaus Orchestra, is located immediately east of the University in Leipzig. The three-story hall, built in 1981 and recognized for its exceptional acoustics, is filled with paintings by contemporary artists.

One of the city’s two Schuke organs can be found in the Grosser Saal, the principal concert hall (the other is at St. Thomas Church). The hall holds organ concerts during the Bach Festival in June, as well as a variety of other special events, in addition to its excellent concert program.

Mozart’s first and only show in Leipzig, the first piano recital of Clara Wieck’s, as well as two of history’s best piano virtuosi, Franz Liszt and Carl Maria von Weber, performed at this hall had an audience of up to 500 people.

Leipzig’s music lovers were treated to Brahms, Berlioz, and Wagner, who all conducted the Gewandhausorchester, as well as the first presentation of “Emperor” Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto, Schubert’s “The Great,” a C major Symphony, Violin Concerto by Mendelssohn’s, and “Spring” Schumann’s First Symphony, among others.

Regular guided tours of the Gewandhaus are available for tourists to Leipzig who are curious about why the structure in front of them does not appear to be as old as its venerable tradition has led them to assume. In addition, in the main foyer, there are replicas of the three Gewandhauses from 1781, 1884, and 1981 and accompanying texts and images.

This historic hall is a must-visit when in Leipzig.

Address: Augustusplatz 8, 04109 Leipzig

Panometer

Panometer, Leipzig, Germany
Panometer, Leipzig, Germany / Mike Bonitz / Flickr

Leipzig Panometer has displayed the world’s largest 360° panoramas.

A visit to Leipzig would be incomplete without seeing the Panometer. Observing the current theme in this exciting museum should be at the top of your Leipzig bucket list.

Yadegar Asisi, an Austrian artist, transformed a 161-foot-tall and 187-foot in diameter gasometer in the southern part of Connewitz into a visual panorama in 1909.

Since 2003, the Panoramas have featured various themes, which are changed every two or three years. The Amazon, Mount Everest, Ancient Rome, and the Battle of Leipzig were among the previous visual panoramas. Between 2017 and 2019, the Titanic panorama was on display.

Carola’s Garden is the panorama on show from 2019 to the present. The pollen on a bee’s legs can be seen sticking to its legs when viewing the garden’s images.

A themed exhibition accompanies each visual panorama. The panoramic photographs are currently roughly 98 feet high and 344 feet in a circle, and they are the world’s most enormous pictures.

Pay a visit to this museum on your next adventure to Leipzig.

Address: Richard-Lehmann-Straße 114, 04275 Leipzig, Germany

St. Nicholas Church and the Miracle of Leipzig Monument

St. Nicholas Church and the Miracle of Leipzig Monument, Leipzig, Germany
St. Nicholas Church and the Miracle of Leipzig Monument, Leipzig, Germany / Kent Wang / Flickr

Coined “The Cradle of The Peaceful Revolution.”

Built in the 12th century, St. Nicholas Church (Nikolaikirche) has seen numerous transformations, most recently in the 1700s. The interior was transformed into the Neoclassical style. The interior is all white, with fluted columns rising to capitals from which palm fronds appear to erupt and support the groined roof.

It’s an unexpected flare in an otherwise Neoclassical space. Several works by Johann Sebastian Bach, who served as music director both here and at St. Thomas Church, were premiered here. The church’s organ is regarded as one of Europe’s finest.

Outside, in the Nikolaikirchhof plaza, a monument honors the church’s function as a rallying center for anti-communist demonstrations in East Germany in 1989, replicating the design of the columns and palm capitals. On September 4, 1989, after the weekly Friedensgebet (prayer for peace) in the St. Nicholas Church, the uprising known as Monday Demonstrations began spontaneously, without being planned or organized.

The peaceful demonstrations continued every Monday, alarming the communist leadership. On October 9, over 70,000 peaceful marchers carrying lit candles faced an armed security force of 8,000 given instructions to shoot. 

The crowd’s numbers and nonviolence persuaded the forces not to fire, known as the Leipzig Miracle. Similar demonstrations were held in other East German cities as word of the night’s events spread, eventually contributing to Germany’s reunification.

Come and see one of Leipzig’s most historic sites now.

Address: Nikolaikirchhof 3, 04109 Leipzig

St. Thomas Church

St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, Germany
St. Thomas Church, Leipzig, Germany / Ed Webster / Flickr

See the place where Johann Bach’s remains lie.

St. Thomas Church (Thomaskirche) is located southwest of Leipzig’s Markt and is the home of the world-famous St. Thomas Boys’ Choir. The choir was founded in 1212, the same year as the church. 

Initially servicing an Augustinian monastery, St. Thomas was remodeled throughout time and was given the shape of a Late Gothic hall-church in the 15th century, a typical style in Upper Saxony.

Renovation work on the west front took place between 1872 and 1889. The church choir became a focus of Protestant sacred music after Martin Luther preached here in 1539. 

Throughout the year, music enthusiasts go to St. Thomas for choir and organ performances, twice-weekly motets, Bach Passion concerts, and the Christmas Oratorio.

From 1723 to 1750, Johann Sebastian Bach served as the church’s choirmaster, and his bones are buried here. A statue of Bach stands outside the church in a little square, commemorating his time as a choirmaster. The Bach Research Institute and Memorial and the Bach Archives are located directly across the street from the church.

On your next visit to Leipzig, don’t forget to see the St. Thomas Church.

Still undecided on visiting Leipzig, Germany? Hop over to reasons to visit Leipzig, Germany, at least once in your lifetime here

Address: Thomaskirchhof 18, 04109 Leipzig, Germany

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