Leipzig

Leipzig is one of the historic commercial centers of Germany, located where the Holy Roman Via Regia and Via Imperii met. The old Town Hall, above contains a top notch history museum.

Leipzig has lots of fun buildings, like this one housing a Viennese cafe.

The GDR destroyed Leipzig's oldest church, the Paulinerkirche (built in the 13th century), in 1968. After the fall of the GDR it was replaced by the Paulinum, the church of the University of Leipzig.

Leipzig's new town hall, built in 1899.

Bach worked in Leipzig from 1723-1750.

Another interesting Leipzig building

Auerbachs Keller is one of the oldest restaurants in Leipzig, and the first place Mephistopheles take Faust in Goethe's Faust.

The Mephisto Bar next door is excellent.

An odd housing development next to Leipzig's main park

Leipzig is located next to a large forest-park.

The Sixth Coalition inflicted a decisive defeat on Napoleon at Leipzig in 1813. 100 years later a massive memorial was built by the German Empire to promote German nationalism.

Some of the last fighting between the Nazis and U.S. forces occurred here at the end of World War II.

Part of a cavalryman's uniform from the battle

The battle involved a good deal of urban fighting.

The inside of the monument is... interesting.

The monument has great views.

The Leipzig City Museum has some interesting pieces, like 1574 Lutheran painting making fun of Calvinists for doing communion wrong.

That seems unpleasant.

Martin Luther's wife's wedding ring. One of the thirteen pieces of it is caricature of a covetous Jew.

Leipzig citizens were expected to bear arms to protect the city, and they had no standing army until 1866.

A dress made up from worthless marks from the 1930s.

The GDR is not remembered fondly here.