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Hear it, see it, feel it, learn it

One of the regions with the richest culture in Europe, going back 1,000 years – it comes as no surprise that Saxony attracts the most cultural tourism in Germany.

High-class art, culture and a musical landscape that is the best of its kind in Germany. Magnificent palaces, castles and gardens are all part of the region’s great cultural and historical heritage.

Easy on the ear

What visitors from around the world value most is Saxony’s art and cultural events. Nowhere else in Germany are there so many ensembles and orchestras, concert halls and world-class theatres. Choirs such as Dresdner Kreuzchor and the  St. Thomas Choir in Leipzig and ensembles such as the Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Saxon State Orchestra have been here for more than 400 years. Every year, among other things, more than 40 nationally and internationally renowned music festivals take place. It is hard to put a figure on the many church and laypeople’s ensembles, choirs and music groups. Take a journey through Saxony’s musical history and you will come across some big names and a rich musical heritage: Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, Robert Schumann or Heinrich Schütz.

And today? The region offers Kraftklub, Silbermond and Trettmann venues and inspiration for their music. The largest European dark wave music meet-up takes place every year in Leipzig. Highfield , the largest indie rock festival in East Germany, and Kosmonaut at the Oberrabenstein reservoir near Chemnitz gladden the hearts of music festival fans. The Dave-Festival in Dresden evokes a club feeling, while Bunte Republik Neustadt, the biggest city district celebrations in Europe, bring a splash of colour to Dresden once a year.

The world’s a stage, the countryside a backdrop

In the city or the countryside, classical or in local dialect – Saxony’s ensembles have a repertoire as varied as the region itself. The Semper Opera House in Dresden, Leipzig Opera House or Leipzig Gewandhaus Theatre can justifiably call themselves flagships of the Saxon stage. Numerous theatres have a long history, some going back more than 100 years – with everything from classical stages to open-air theatre among rock formations or street theatre festivals. Saxony also makes a unique film setting. Hollywood is a warmly welcomed regular guest in Görlitz, and the number of prominent film festivals is unrivalled in Germany. Saxony also sees itself as the birthplace of modern expressionist dance, boasting globally unique institutions for training dancers: the centre for modern dance in Dresden-Hellerau and the Palucca University of Dance.

Art and museums

Old, new and very much alive and active masters (and above all their works) can be found in Saxony. The great traditions of the visual arts have left their mark to this day. Whether you explore the art treasures of the Green Vault in Dresden's Zwinger, trace the life of the author Karl May in Radebeul, admire the legendary Gunzenhauser collection in Chemnitz or marvel at the last Trabant car in Zwickau there is much to discover in Saxony’s 500 museums.

Get moving together

At the best kind of sports club, its members not only do sports but also make new friends and acquaintances.
In Saxony, some 667,300 people regularly get fit with 4,450 sports clubs. From water sports on the many rivers and lakes of Lusatia or Leipzig’s Neuseenland, climbing, hiking or mountain biking in the Ore Mountains, the Lusatian hills or the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, to winter sports, there are activities to get everyone moving. In addition to sports, there are another 25,000 clubs all committed to the common good.

Get outdoors and unwind

The classic destinations such as Saxon Switzerland or the Ore Mountains are particularly beautiful, of course, but that is not all. There are also more than 2,600 palaces and just as many castles, for example. Picturesque villages await visitors, such as the toy-making village of Seiffen, the baroque wedding village of Zabeltitz, or Wartha in the lovely biosphere reserve.

Picture credits : pixabay , Martin Krok