In many ways a historically significant site
The present town of Markkleeberg was created as a result of several village incorporations. With the unification of Gautzsch and Oetzsch-Markkleeberg on
The city was founded under National Socialist rule on January 1, 1934. Nevertheless, the twelve rural communities that make up today's city look back on a history that goes back thousands of years. It is striking that the character of the once independent communities has been preserved to this day. Urban structures, extensive parks, Wilhelminian-era villas and modern housing estates shape the face of the city. In October 1813, the largest cavalry battle of modern times took place in what is now the Wachau district of Markkleeberg, one of the three main battles of the Battle of the Nations, which heralded the end of Napoleonic rule. During the Second World War, from September 1944 to April 1945, a women's subcamp of the Buchenwald concentration camp existed in Wolfswinkel near Markkleeberg for more than 1.500 Hungarian Jewish women and girls as well as French resistance fighters. They had to do forced labor in the worsted spinning mill and for Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke AG.
The district town in the immediate vicinity of Leipzig was shaped above all by open-cast lignite mining. More than half of the current city area has been excavated over the past 70 years. Many villages and districts had to make way for the advancing open-cast mining. Markkleeberg made a name for itself internationally through the GDR agricultural exhibition "agra", which was established in 1946 and attracted a specialist audience from all socialist states. Since 2004, the former exhibition grounds have been used as an event site on behalf of the city of Leipzig.
Markkleeberg also attracted international attention with an underground treasure: in 2000, archaeologists and geologists found tools made of flint and for various purposes that were around 280.000 to 300.000 years old. These indicate the existence of an early form of Homo sapiens and are evidence of the oldest human traces in Saxony.
Extraordinary architecture as an expression of a special history
The town of Markkleeberg is characterized by several parks and garden landscapes that invite you to take a stroll. Kees' Park is located on the edge of Lake Cospuden and was designed based on the English model. Special features of the park are a picturesque copper beech avenue and the Eagle Gate at the northern entrance. The largest neo-baroque gate complex in Saxony outside of Dresden consists of a ten-meter-high arch decorated with columns and two magnificent wrought-iron gate wings.
The origins of the approximately 50 hectare agra park go back to the private Herfurth Park, which the Leipzig newspaper publisher Paul Herfurth had built as a summer residence for himself and his family towards the end of the 19th century. Replicas of Greek temples and life-sized baroque sculptures can still be admired here today. Herfurth's wife turned the family villa, known as the "White House", built in 1896/97 based on the model of the Petit Trianon in Versailles, into a social meeting place. Today, the imposing building houses the registry office and the Office for Culture and Tourism for the town of Markkleeberg. The Dölitz water mill as a technical monument and the Markkleeberg Eco School as well as the Ottmar Gerster Music and Art School complement the permanent educational offering in the park, which with its halls and open spaces offers space for changing events such as festivals, concerts, trade fairs and markets. Also worth seeing in the agra park is the German Photo Museum, which opened in 2013. The permanent exhibition "PHOTO FASCINATION" presents more than two thousand exhibits on the history of photography. In addition to unique historical cameras, there are also darkroom utensils and old display cabinets with contemporary photo frames to discover.
Other historically significant relics in Markkleeberg that are worth seeing are the Apelsteine, which commemorate the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig in 1813. The museum in the historic gatehouse in Markkleeberg, which opened in 1998, also deals with the history of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig. The highlight of the presentation on the Battle of the Nations is a 20 square meter, detailed diorama of the Battle of Wachau on October 16, 1813 with 5.500 figures. The exhibitions on the history of the gatehouse from the moated castle to the present day and on rural life and customs are also worth seeing. Special exhibitions complement the exhibition profile. To commemorate the Battle of the Nations every year, historical bivouacs from various nations are set up on the grounds of the gatehouse, where you can go back to Napoleon's time. At the Wave Gothic Meeting, the largest international meeting of the black scene, there is a pagan village with live music, Viking and knight camps, readings and much more.
The architectural diversity of the churches
Markkleeberg also has a lot to offer church lovers: The Auenkirche, the oldest surviving building in the town, was first mentioned in documents in 1372. Together with the castle and the Markkleeberg gatehouse, a valuable historical ensemble is formed. The neo-Gothic Wachau church ruins also offer a special ambience. The nave is still open today due to destruction in the Second World War, which gives the services and concerts that have been taking place again since 1997 a unique flair. The preserved details, such as the ceiling painting in the altar area, are also noteworthy. The Zöbigker church ruins lie quietly in the countryside on the edge of the former Cospuden open-cast mine. They fell into ruin after an organ fire in 1942. The "Zöbigker bicycle church" is to be used again in the future as a place of encounter, reflection and communication. Since 2007, the special atmosphere and numerous events have attracted culture lovers.
Outstanding personalities of Markkleeberg
Well-known personalities have left their mark in Markkleeberg. The Kees and Herfurth families are famous for their work in shaping the townscape of Markkleeberg with the two parks they built. A number of special artists also have roots in Markkleeberg. For example, the sculptor and medallist Adolf Lehnert lived and worked here for many years, as did the painter Johann Georg Quenzel. The internationally renowned painter Neo Rauch, representative of the New Leipzig School, also lives in Markkleeberg today.
Pure nature in and around Markkleeberg
A popular excursion destination is the 2006-hectare Markkleeberg Lake, which opened in 252. It was created between 1999 and 2006 as an artificial recreational area by flooding the former Espenhain brown coal mine. Here you can go swimming or be active on the water in the Markkleeberg canoe park. Restaurants, passenger ships, boat rentals and a climbing park offer something for every taste. The lake can be cycled around on well-developed paths and the tour can be extended to the neighboring Störmthaler Lake. The 5-star holiday resort "Seepark Auenhain" invites guests from near and far to spend several days at Markkleeberg Lake. Various wellness offers, a spacious pool and sauna area and the option of an active holiday on the lake round off the offer.
For most Leipzig residents, Lake Cospuden with its landscape park and diverse leisure opportunities is the symbol of Leipzig's New Zealand. The Zöbigker harbor conveys a special holiday feeling. With its colorful wooden houses, which house shops, rickshaw and boat rentals, as well as restaurants and vacation apartments, it invites you to enjoy the sun right by the water.
In addition, the Neue Harth mixed forest area, which has been newly reforested on a former mining waste site, is becoming increasingly important. There are several signposted circular trails with information boards leading through it.
Hikers can be active on foot or by bike in and around Markkleeberg. The Lutherweg Sachsen pilgrimage route, the coal-steam-light cycle route and the Elster and Pleiße cycle paths all lead through the town. The area surrounding Markkleeberg also has a lot to offer industry and technology enthusiasts. In Großpösna, around twelve kilometers away, there is the Mining Technology Park, which serves as an open-air museum and illustrates the industrial history of the region around Leipzig.
varied events
Markkleeberg offers a wide range of traditional cultural and sporting events. Competition venues such as the Markkleeberg canoe park promote the resort in the middle of Leipzig's New Lake District with national and international sporting highlights. The town festival and the 7-lake hike traditionally take place at the beginning of May. The cardboard boat race in the canoe park in August and the festival of 25.000 lights in September are also on the list of event highlights. The annual commemoration of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig in 1813 in October are also historically important. In addition, a wide range of adventure tours by boat, bus, bike or on foot are offered in and around Markkleeberg. Knowledgeable tour guides take you to remote corners away from the tourist crowds and tell you about the history.
Important facts at one glance
With around 25.000 inhabitants, Markkleeberg is a large district town in the Leipzig district in Saxony and is located on the Pleiße river on the southern edge of Leipzig. The town consists of eight districts. Markkleeberg is on the Leipzig-Hof railway line and the Leipzig-Plagwitz-Markkleeberg-Gaschwitz railway line. From Leipzig, you can reach Markkleeberg by S-Bahn in just under 20 minutes, by tram line 11 to Markkleeberg-Ost and by bus line 70 to Markkleeberg-West.