 |
| Source: www.exploration-online.com |
The city of Leipzig can also be a good option to visit another city in close proximity from Berlin. The trip will take 2,5-3 hours, you can take a bus service (Meinfernbus is quite a cheap and comfortable option – we paid 5 EUR for ticket), or if you are travelling in a big company you can take
weekend group ticket. But make sure to check itinerary beforehand, as there is no any direct train from Berlin to Leipzig.
Now more about the city. One of the biggest cities in the federal state of Saxony, around 530 000 inhabitants, first mentioned in 1015, a big cultural and administrative center. In 2010, Leipzig was included in the top 10 cities to visit by the New York Times, and ranked 39th globally out of 289 cities for innovation [
Wikipedia].
The city is a mix of an old historic center, living districts and lively green parks; the combination of all this makes it a comfortable city to live in. So what can you do in Leipzig? You definitely should visit an old city centre with its old buildings, cosy market square and cobbled stone streets.
During our small trip to this beautiful city we had a chance to practice in canoeing at one of the river channel which flows in big city park. The city is veined with rivers, and it is a pleasure wandering in the park during a hot day and sitting by the river.
After pretty exhaustive session of rowing in canoe you can have a BBQ in the park and refill your energy. There are even some spots in the park with grills for common use, so the only thing you need is just to bring over the products, you can also play some outdoor games like table-tennis, football and basketball meanwhile the lunch is being prepared.
In the evening you can also dive into the night life in Leipzig. The night club we were in was really cheap (adult fee – 5 EUR, student’s is 3,50 EUR) but clean inside and with few floors and dancing rooms.
Sightseeing spots
The city of Leipzig has two city halls – the old and a new one. It is noteworthy, that the new Rathaus Leipzig (or City Hall), the foundation of which were laid in 1899 looks even older than the old city hall and resembles of Rapunzel tower as in the famous fable.
 |
| New City Hall |
|
 |
| Old City Hall |
A quite unusual museum that you can visit is Leipzig is a museum of Stasi secret service, or “Runde Ecke” museum. The Stasi is an abbreviation for a secret police agency which existed in German Democratic Republic till 3 October 1990 (end of GDR). They were notorious for spying on the population and fighting against opposition or any controversial ideas in the society. In the museum you can observe the methods of espionage and surveillance they carried out on the citizents. For instance, a whole department dealing with cheking internal and external mail – they checked letters for “appropriate content”. The Stasi used to open the envelopes and seal them again with a steam roller; sometimes they received up to 2000 letters per day.
Monument to the Battle of the Nations
This huge monument which was finished in 1913 commemorates the battle of Leipzig also known as a Battle of nations in 1813 when Napoleon’s troops were defeated near Leipzig. The battle is considered to be a crucial step towards the end of hostilities in the War of the Sixth Coalition.
The structure is 91 meters tall and has 500 steps which lead to its top – an observation square. Just get inspired by the view that is opening from it.
Do not miss a chance to visit Leipzig and disclose its beauty in all its aspects, nevertheless what you are planning to do in this city.
