through Chemnitz today?
What about a stroll
Chemnitz
…gateway to the Erzgebirge.
Chemnitz 2025 – European Capital of Culture
In 2025, the Saxon city of Chemnitz will hold the title “European Capital of Culture” together with 38 other municipalities from Central Saxony, the Erzgebirge and the Zwickauer Land.
This region, which is linked by its rich cultural and industrial heritage, invites you to take a journey of discovery to the east of Germany, in the middle of Europe.
The unseen becomes visible
The motto “C the Unseen” is about shining a light on what was previously unknown and undiscovered. Chemnitz 2025 sees itself as an invitation to experience places, people and activities that have not previously been the focus of tourist interest.
The title “European Capital of Culture” offers the opportunity to discover these hidden treasures and experience a multi-faceted picture of the city and its surroundings.
Chemnitz and the region warmly welcome their visitors and look forward to presenting themselves in all their diversity.
A year full of experiences and encounters
January 18, 2025 will mark the start of a year full of inspiring events that invite you to participate and be amazed. There will be a colorful program of festivals, exhibitions, theater performances, performances, sporting events, culinary delights and creative workshops.
Numerous local initiatives, but also national and international artists, will enrich the program. The goal: create encounters, enable experiences and build a bridge between the past and the present.
Chemnitz 2025 is a year in which not only stories will be told, but new stories will also be written.
Chemnitz surprises and has many sights to offer: including the special industrial architecture and the largest contiguous Art Nouveau district in Europe – the Kaßberg. Particularly noteworthy is the harmony between new and old, which can be admired in the immediate city center of Chemnitz. In the nearby Erzgebirge you can visit mines or the countless palaces and castles or experience Erzgebirge folk art up close.
Places of making and change
Chemnitz is a city in the east that has constantly reinvented itself. Shaped by tradition and upheavals, from the period of industrialization to the end of the GDR to the renaming of Karl-Marx-Stadt to Chemnitz, the city combines a strong can-do mentality with the ability to transform social and economic upheavals into opportunities for innovation . This mentality remains a hallmark of the region today, focusing on both the challenges of the past and the opportunities of the future.
Industrial culture: from the past to the future
Chemnitz, Zwickau and the Erzgebirge have made a decisive contribution to Germany’s industrial development, particularly in the areas of textile industry, mechanical engineering, railways and automobile manufacturing. Mining in the Ore Mountains once made the region an economic stronghold, and the traditional handicrafts are still known worldwide today. The Erzgebirge/Krušnohorí mining region has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2019.
Industrialization not only brought prosperity, but also a flourishing of art and culture. Top-class museums, unique architecture and a variety of historical sites – from castles from the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque to theater and music traditions – bear witness to this development. But it’s not just the history that is noticeable: the region attracts visitors with a dense network of hiking, cycling and water routes and is a lively place of change and cultural diversity.
Chemnitz 2025 is a year of discoveries, encounters and exchange. This is where industrial history meets art, tradition meets innovation, and people from all over the world are invited to be part of this extraordinary year.
We have put together a list for you of some ‘must see’ attractions and events. You’re sure to find something to your taste.
Other events
An overview of all events in Chemnitz can be found at www.chemnitz.de
Other events
Insider tips
Museum Gunzenhauser
This extraordinary museum features art from the 20th century and the world’s largest collection of the works of Otto Dix.
Chemnitz Industrial Museum
This former foundry contains the most comprehensive display anywhere of the development and history of industrialisation in Saxony and in Chemnitz itself – a perfect experience for young and old.