Chemnitz, an 800-year old city, is named after the river Chemnitz and is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Between 1953–1990, it was named Karl-Marx City. Chemnitz, located in the northern foothills of the Erzgebirge, or Ore Mountains, with a population of almost 245,000, is spread over an area of 220 sq km.
How to Get There:
Chemnitz is accessible by air, rail and road. The two international airports of Leipzig/Halle Airport in Leipzig and Dresden Airport are about 70 km from Chemnitz. A third airport, the Leipzig-Altenburg Airport, just 39 km from Chemnitz, is connected to the UK (London Stansted, daily) and Barcelona Gerona (three times a week) by Ryanair. Regular trains and buses are freely available to the city-centre. Chemnitz is well connected by train to many important destinations, including Berlin and its main railway station wears a busy look. There are two national highways and six regional highways linking Chemnitz to every city in Germany.
What to See:
The "Kulturkaufhaus DAS tietz", where you'll find the Museum of Natural History
that presents an artificial volcano eruption every 90 minutes and the Petrified Forest, with a dozen petrified trees that look almost like normal trees, but are 290 million years old; the Schlosspark and the Küchwald park; the smallest castle in Saxony, Burg Rabenstein (Rabenstein castle) the size of an average house but with a beautiful tower, the Karl-Marx monument that the people of Chemnitz still call their "Nischel" (head), the Klaffenbach Water Castle; The Red Tower, the oldest preserved landmark of Chemnitz, built around the end of the 12th century, and many more; Castle Church / Schlossberg museum, late-Gothic hall church was built in 1136 as a Benedictine monastery. Chemnitz has a network of public transport comprising mainly of buses and trams.
Where to Eat:
Bratwurst Vendors, Kassca, HeckArt, Ankh, Turmbrauhaus (Beer and steak €14) are good places to eat German food. And as is the case everywhere today, the number of fast food keep proliferating.
Nightlife:
The Chemnitz Schauspielhaus (the theater) and the Chemnitz Opernhaus stage plays almost every night, except during the summer holidays. For the more adventurous, Buschfunk: Cocktails nonstop!, Brazil, Cafe Kutsche, La Bouché and Delicate are places you want to take in. Note: Since February 1st, 2008, Saxony's bars are smoke-free. A new law prohibits smoking in bars except from those with an extra smokers' room.
Hotels:
There are over 40 hotels in Chemnitz in the 2-4 star class, charging between € 40-110. The Achat Hotel Chemnitz, Mercure Hotel Kongress Chemnitz,Mercure Hotel Kongress
Chemnitz and the Forsthaus Gruena Hotel Chemnitz are recommended.
