Tourist Attractions in Leipzig

The most interesting and beautiful tourist sites in Leipzig

Photos, reviews, descriptions, and links to maps

About Leipzig

Leipzig is known as a city of great fairs. For more than 800 years since the time of Emperor Maximilian I, Leipzig has kept its trade traditions unbroken. In the XVII-XVIII centuries, the city was the cultural and economic centre of the region, a place where the then advanced technology of book printing flourished.

Leipzig was famous for its famous natives. The greatest musicians I.S. Bach, F. Mendelssohn, R. Wagner lived here. Johann W. Goethe studied at the local university. Numerous monuments and house-museums of these famous people remind of the great past of the city and its invaluable contribution to world culture.

Martin Luther, the founder of the Reformation, liked to visit local restaurants. In the 20th century, Leipzig was the starting point for the unrest that brought down the Berlin Wall and made Germany united again.

Top-20 Tourist Attractions in Leipzig

Stadtgeschichtliches Museum Leipzig, Altes Rathaus

 4.7/5

1268 reviews

The building was constructed in the 16th century according to the design of the Saxon architect P. Speck in the early German Renaissance style. Subsequently, the town hall was rebuilt and reconstructed several times. Every Sunday, the city hymn is played by trumpeters from the Town Hall Tower. The building is located in the historic centre of Leipzig in the Market Square. In the Middle Ages, this square not only hosted trade fairs, but also jousting tournaments and public executions.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

New Town Hall

 4.6/5

427 reviews

The new municipal building was erected in the early 20th century on the site of a demolished castle from the 13th century. The majestic building features Art Nouveau, Renaissance and Gothic features. The opening of the New Town Hall took place in the presence of the Saxon King Frederick August III. The facade of the building is lavishly decorated with bas-reliefs, sculptures and decorative elements. The architectural complex is crowned by a circular 114 metre high tower.

Open time

Gopalast Leipzig

 4.4/5

6068 reviews

An 18th century palace built for the town councillor I.K. Richter by the architect F. Zeltendorf. The castle was inherited by the official’s wife Christina Hitzer. Under the direction of her new husband the interior decoration and artistic design were completed. At the end of the 18th century, the castle was often visited by important cultural figures, which made it a centre of spiritual life. The palace became the property of the town after Christina’s death.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM, 5:30 – 10:30 PM
Saturday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:30 – 10:30 PM
Sunday: 11:30 AM – 3:00 PM, 5:30 – 10:30 PM

Monument to the Battle of the Nations

 4.7/5

22417 reviews

A monument dedicated to the historic battle of 16-19 October 1813, when Napoleon’s army met the allied forces of Prussia, the Russian Empire, Austria and Sweden at Leipzig. The monument was unveiled exactly 100 years after the event in 1913 in the presence of representatives of all the states that took part in the battle. Thousands of tonnes of concrete and countless granite slabs were used to make the monument.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

St. Nicholas Church

 4.6/5

4742 reviews

One of the oldest churches in Leipzig, built in the 12th century. In the walls of the church the great Johann Sebastian Bach first performed his immortal work “The St Matthew Passion”. The church is famous for the fact that it was here in 1989 that activists gathered to call for the demolition of the Berlin Wall. This event earned the church the nickname “the cradle of the peaceful revolution”. St Nicholas Church is currently a Lutheran church.

Open time

Monday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM

St. Thomas Church

 4.7/5

4033 reviews

The temple was built in the 13th century and has undergone several reconstructions over 700 years of history. A late Gothic style structure has survived to this day. The Church of St Thomas is world famous, as Johann Sebastian Bach served here as a cantor (the musician’s tomb is located inside the building). At the beginning of the 20th century, a sculpture of the musician was erected on the square in front of the church. Also in 1539 Martin Luther himself preached in the church.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Russian Memorial Church

 4.5/5

8 reviews

Orthodox church erected in memory of Russian soldiers who died in the 1813 battle of Leipzig. The church was consecrated in 1913 on the centenary of the battle. The building was designed by V. Pokrovsky in the style of tent temples of the XVII century. During the XX century the building was restored several times, which ensured its excellent preservation. The iconostasis inside the church is also made in the manner of painting of the XVII century.

Open time

BACH-ARCHIV LEIPZIG

 4.5/5

30 reviews

The collection is housed in the grounds of the house where Johann Sebastian Bach once lived. The composer spent more than 25 years of his life here until his death in 1750. On the territory of the house-museum tourists can see original scores and manuscripts belonging to the hand of the genius, as well as personal belongings of his family. Parts of the organ on which Bach played have also been preserved. In 2008, the museum was transferred to the University of Leipzig.

Open time

Mendelssohn-Haus

 4.7/5

740 reviews

The museum is organised in the house where F. Mendelssohn spent the last three years of his life. At that time, he was the leader of the city’s symphony orchestra. Mendelssohn became famous all over the world thanks to his “Wedding March”. The house-museum is unique in that the original interior and furnishings have been preserved almost unchanged. The collection consists of personal belongings, sheet music, documents and letters written by the composer.

Open time

Monday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Forum of Contemporary History Leipzig

 4.7/5

1569 reviews

A historical museum with exhibits from 1945-1989, i.e. from the division of Germany to the fall of the Berlin Wall. The permanent exhibition was opened in 2007 and contains about 3200 different documents, photographs and newspaper articles. The nature of the exhibition is, to put it mildly, somewhat propagandistic, as everything related to the GDR is shown in an unflattering light. The FRG, on the contrary, is shown as a bastion of justice and democracy.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Grassi Museum of Applied Arts

 4.6/5

1528 reviews

An exhibition complex combining the Museum of Applied Arts, the Musical Instrument Museum and the Ethnographic Museum. The collections reveal various aspects of the history of Germany and other countries. The exposition of musical instruments is quite interesting, the oldest example dates back to the 16th century. The Grassi Museum building was erected in the early 20th century in the Art Deco architectural style.

Open time

Museum of fine arts

 4.6/5

2325 reviews

The collection was founded in the mid-19th century on the initiative of local businessmen and bankers. Many of them sacrificed part of their private collections to create the gallery. The museum’s holdings have been added to throughout the 20th century, with the last major donation in 2004 (a collection of French paintings). The first building of the museum was destroyed in 1943 and a new modern glass cube structure was built in the 2000s.

Open time

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Wednesday: 12:00 – 8:00 PM
Thursday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Friday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Gewandhaus

 4.7/5

4619 reviews

The city’s concert hall, where the symphony orchestra of the same name is housed and performs. The musical group was founded in the middle of the 18th century. The historic building was destroyed during World War II, and a new concert hall was built in 1981. Brilliant orchestras from Europe play at the venue, bringing classical repertoire. Works by great German composers are often performed on stage.

Open time

Oper Leipzig

 0/5

Leipzig has had an opera tradition since the early 17th century. The first music theatre building was erected in 1693, which was later demolished. A new building was built in 1868, but it was also destroyed during the bombings of 1943. In 1960 a modern building in a rather laconic style appeared. The stage opened with a production of the incomparable R. Wagner’s opera The Meistersingers of Nuremberg.

ALTE WAAGE

 4.9/5

9 reviews

A replica of a 16th century building located on the Market Square. The historic structure, which was completely destroyed in 1943, was built specifically for the Chamber of Weights and Measures. In the 19th century, the Alte Vaage ceased to fulfil its function as the Chamber moved to another location. Until 1943, the building housed the directorate of the Leipzig Fair. In the 1960s, an inaccurate copy of the Alte Vaage was created to a design by W. Müller.

Open time

Leipzig

 4.5/5

2277 reviews

The station building was built at the beginning of the 20th century and is considered one of the largest in the world and the largest in Europe. The front facade is almost 300 metres long. Inside there are more than 100 shops. After partial destruction in 1943, the station was completely rebuilt by the 1960s. The general reconstruction was carried out in 1990. As a result, the station has 26 platforms and serves more than 150 thousand people a day.

Open time

Zum Arabischen Coffe Baum

 3.7/5

414 reviews

A coffee house with a history, where composers Johann Sebastian Bach, R. Schumann and R. Wagner liked to visit. Even Napoleon Bonaparte himself visited this cafe. Careful guides will be happy to tell tourists all this. The institution has been operating since the XVIII century and over the past centuries has been preserved in its almost original form. The interior space is divided into Arab, Viennese, French halls and a coffee museum.

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Auerbachs Keller

 4.4/5

7487 reviews

An ancient restaurant located in the historic centre of Leipzig. The institution enjoys nationwide love and undying popularity. This place was first mentioned in 1428 as a tavern where wine was traded. It was here, according to Goethe’s story, that Faust and Mephistopheles met. In terms of real-life characters, one of the famous regulars of the Auerbach Cellar was the reformer Martin Luther.

Open time

Monday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM
Tuesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM

Mädler-Passage

 0/5

A shopping complex located in the centre of Leipzig. Its history began in 1525 with a small wine bar. Over time, a showroom was added. At the beginning of the 20th century, the complex was substantially enlarged, but the historic cellars remained intact. In addition to the historic exhibition of wine, porcelain and leather goods, the Madler Passage is now home to offices and commercial pavilions.

Zoo Leipzig

 4.7/5

59659 reviews

The zoo appeared in the city in 1878 in a private restaurant. Gradually it expanded and covered an area of 27 hectares. There are 850 species of animals (more than 10 thousand animals) in the zoo. It also has its own aquarium, where about 2.5 thousand fish live. One of the parts of the zoo is the tropical park “Gondwanaland”. It became famous throughout Europe due to its huge area and a large number of exotic plants.

Open time

Monday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Tuesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Wednesday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Friday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM