Chemnitz: an 'unlikely renaissance' for the 'forgotten' town

The "largely forgotten" city of Chemnitz in the heart of Saxony has been crowned one of the joint European capitals of culture for 2025, said The Sunday Times.

Formerly known as Karl-Marx-Stadt, the birthplace of Germany's industrial revolution might seem like a surprising choice, until you realise the EU scheme's goal is to put overlooked destinations on the cultural map.

"I must admit, when I first heard the news, it sounded like a particularly unfunny German joke," said William Cook in The Telegraph. Has the "unprepossessing city" really had an "unlikely renaissance?" Once "renowned for its art and music", Chemnitz was "flattened by the RAF" during the Second World War, before being largely rebuilt as a "futuristic citadel of faceless tower blocks" under East Germany's Communist regime.

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Today, though, much has changed. Gleaming new buildings are "springing up" while "shabby" old ones have been vastly improved, and there's a sense of "local pride and discreet optimism that's often missing in more touristic destinations".

The "former industrial hub" has hit the headlines in recent years due to right-wing extremist protests, said DW. Now, with its new accolade the city is "fighting for a new image" by bringing its vibrant cultural scene to the fore and welcoming all walks of life.

Chemnitz is peppered with fascinating historical sites, including art nouveau buildings and a 20ft tall bronze Karl Marx monument, which "stands as a reminder of the city's complex past", said Forbes.

Using its industrial history as a "platform for artistic expression", more than 30,000 of its Communist-era garages once used for storing machinery have been transformed into venues that will be hosting a series of vibrant exhibitions. The city has also launched an "expansive" Purple Path art and sculpture trail running through 38 towns and villages in the Chemnitz region, showcasing the works of renowned Saxon artists.

Located around a three-hour drive south of Berlin, Chemnitz isn't "especially easy to get to" but the attractions, spanning everything from blues festivals to theatrical shows in factories, "seem to merit the effort", said The Sunday Times. One example is the "astonishing fine art collection secretly hoarded at the Wismut uranium mine".

"Remarkably" for such a small city, Chemnitz has a range of "excellent" museums, said The Telegraph. The "most spectacular display" can be found at Saxony's state archaeology museum set within a "striking" art deco department store, while the Kunstsammlungen am Theaterplatz art gallery features a "superb" array of German Expressionists. Elsewhere, in a "medieval monastery on a wooded hill, overlooking a tranquil lake", you'll find the Schlossbergmuseum, which is home to a "modest" local history collection.

When it comes to hotels, you can't go wrong with the "majestic" Chemnitzer Hof, said Simon Calder in The Independent. Located in the centre of the city, it was "probably the most atmospheric and comfortable place I stayed last year".