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Region

Leipzig Region

Did you know that one third of Leipzig is covered in a green belt? Its core, the Auenwald, a wide strip of floodplain forest through the city, is unique in Europe and can be discovered on a boat trip along the canals and rivers or by bicycle.

Almost 30 years after the German Reunification, Leipzig is one of the most dynamic cities in Europe, with the fastest-growing population in Germany. Hardly any other city can claim as rich a musical heritage as Leipzig. This is where Johann Sebastian Bach, Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Robert and Clara Schumann all worked, and where Richard Wagner was born. Music lovers may be interested in a performance by the world-famous St. Thomas Boys' Choir in their historic surroundings, a concert with the Gewandhaus Orchestra or a performance at Leipzig's Opera House. And Leipzig is young, urban and creative as well. Former industrial districts have become the main headquarters for innovative start-ups and designers, packed with galleries and quirky cultural spaces like Spinnerei, Kunstkraftwerk or Tapetenwerk.

But there's even more: Mighty castles and magnificent palaces, idyllic cycle and hiking routes and a breathtaking, action loaded yet family friendly lake and river areas with beautiful waterways - all within one hour by car from Leipzig city center. Diversity is what describes it best – Welcome to Leipzig Region.

Halle (Saale)

With almost 241,000 inhabitants, Halle  is the largest city in Saxony-Anhalt and is known for its beautiful Saale and the romantic Saale valley. More than three quarters of the city area are parks, green and forest areas. This is particularly visible and can be experienced on the Peißnitz island and in the protected meadows of the Saale river with the many side arms of the Saale. The Saale flows through three federal states and is more than 410 km long. There are many reasons to visit the city on the Saale, especially for guests interested in cultural or city tours. The origins of Halle are a salty past. The salt springs in the city brought wealth and prestige to the over 1,200-year-old city.

Maintaining the heritage of salt production in the manufactory operation, that is what the salt workers in the Thale zu Halle – the Halloren – have dedicated themselves to until this day. In the Halloren- und Salinemuseum the boiling of salt is shown in the show operation. The museum is currently under construction.

But there is much more to discover, for example the Handel House, the composer's birthplace. Nowadays, it is a museum and in addition to a permanent exhibition, 700 historical musical instruments from the Handel Baroque period are shown. Or you can enjoy the unique view from the over 40-meter-high bridge between the two Hausmann towers of the church Marktkirche over the roofs of the city and learn interesting facts about the everyday life of the people living in the tower, the so-called Türmer family. These 225 steps are definitely worthwhile.

 

Anhalt-Dessau-Wittenberg

Discover the land and the people of a unique region at the heart of Germany. Discover a region of rich history and UNESCO World Heritage embedded in an impressive landscape. Whether you’re here for the weekend or for an extended stay – visiting the WorldHeritageRegion of Anhalt-Dessau-Wittenberg provides a lasting experience. Feel the exceptional charm of a region where tradition and modernity mingle in a unique way.

Where once large-scale excavators drove deep into the ground mining lignite, today is the home to the Goitzsche Landscape Park right outside the town of Bitterfeld with its diverse attractions for water sports enthusiasts, recreational visitors, nature enthusiasts, and active guests. FERROPOLIS, the „city of iron“, is with its vivid open-air museum a unique witness of the industrial history and at the same time home to several international festivals and events

A fascinating cultural landscape, which Goethe himself enthused about, is waiting for you between the Elbe and the Mulde – in the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz. In 2000, the Garden Kingdom was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in addition to our three other World Heritage Sites: the Bauhaus Buildings in Dessau, the Luther Memorials in Wittenberg and the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve.

Saale-Unstrut

Saale-Unstrut is a peaceful piece of earth and, as a place of human habitation, is so immensely old that its history is not measured in centuries, but in millennia. This region, lying halfway between Leipzig and Weimar, is one of the most fascinating travel destinations in Central Germany. Saale and Unstrut are tranquil rivers. Looking at the land from a boat gives you an entirely new perspective on the many things to see, such as the Dornburg palaces, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Naumburg cathedral, Memleben monastery and imperial palace or Neuenburg castle and Freyburg. Beer gardens and taverns offer locally made wines and foods.

For nearly 300 years, coal mining has shaped the face of Geiseltal valley. Gigantic bucket-wheel excavators scraped more than 1.4 billion tons of lignite out of the soil. But in 1993, the last coal train left, marking the beginning of the region’s structural change. The former open-pits have been filled with water, creating Lake Geiseltal, which covers an area of 18 square kilometres and is now part of the Saale-Unstrut cultural landscape. The lake is a paradise for water sports, hiking and cycling. In the middle of this nature reserve today even wine is cultivated. The vineyard is one of the most valuable outcomes in open-pit rehabilitation and was the first of its kind in Germany.