Döbeln is a versatile town that not only has an exciting history to offer, but also culture and sports enthusiasts get their money's worth.
Doblin castle was first mentioned in 981 on a donation deed, but has not existed for a long time. However, this city at the Freiberger Mulde is home to other impressive historical artefacts. The most famous witness of the passage of time is the venerable church of St. Nicolai, which features one of the largest surviving late Gothic carvings in Saxony – the Miracle Man. This mobile, life-sized linden wood sculpture is one of Europe's very few preserved examples of medieval piety. These figures pictorially represented the suffering of Christ.
Döbeln really began to flourish with the advent of silver mining. Unfortunately, due to the Thirty Years' War and severe city fires, only a few prehistoric monuments were left standing. The Döbelner Theater, built in 1872, was badly damaged in a fire around 1911. It reopened only a year later, and is now home to the Mittelächsische Theater. The new Town Hall, built in the Neo-renaissance style, was inaugurated in 1912. It houses the original Döbelner giant boot, and the city museum. Art lovers can visit current special exhibitions in the "Small Gallery of the City Museum", and view works by Erich Heckel, the Döbeln-born German Expressionist painter and graphic artist, in the "Sparkassenhaus" Erich Heckel.
Döbeln's historic horse-drawn trolley has been rolling through the city again since June 2007. The trolley runs every first Saturday of the month between May and October and on the two weekends ofthe Christmas market. Passengers have the opportunity to roll through the lively center at a leisurely pace. It is guarantee´d to be an unforgettable experience. The German Horse Trolley Museum retells the history of horse-drawn trains and trolleys all over the world.
Sports enthusiasts will be delighted to discover very well-developed hiking and cycle path networks which are ideal for family trips and extended exploring in the area.
