The important Saxon ceramic artist Kurt Feuerriegel (1880-1961) came to the city at the beginning of the 20th century and brought this craft to the fore in our region and in Central Saxony. Behind the rather bourgeois facade of Frohburg lies a charming city with historical sights and a varied repertoire of cultural offerings.
Frohburg on the way to the city
The name Frohburg is derived from the Middle High German adjective fro, which means "happy, cheerful, cheerful". Frohburg was the "happy castle" or the "castle where one is happy to live". The first written record goes back to the name of origin of a nobleman. In 1198, Albertus de Vroburg from the Altenburg burgraves' family is named as a witness in a document. A castle complex as a representative defensive and residential place with a settlement probably already existed at this time. In 1233, Frohburg is first mentioned in a document as oppidum It is an economic center with special rights. However, the founding of a town and the transfer of town rights are not postulated in the document. Until the 19th century, Frohburg remained a small town of regional importance and was governed by the landlord. Only with the General Town Ordinance of 1832 and the election of the first mayor in 1834 did Frohburg gain municipal independence.
The town was only able to recover from the economic decline that began in the mid-19th century thanks to the start of brown coal mining and the establishment of a cotton printing works around 1883. Today, Frohburg and its 33 districts belong to the Leipzig district.
A city with a castle and history
The most famous landmark and an important witness to the history of the town of Frohburg is the castle. The oldest building in Frohburg, with its adjacent castle park, is located in the southeast of the town center. The medieval castle complex, built around 1200, was converted and expanded into a stately palace complex. Until 1945, it was the center of one of the largest manor houses in Saxony. The five construction phases from the Romanesque period to the 19th century can still be admired on the facades and inside. The highlights of a tour of the castle include the Romanesque cellar vault, the baroque staircase, the colorful wooden beam ceiling, the Renaissance wall paintings and the two rooms with classicist room paintings. The castle museum also offers a large historical repertoire, including a unique and extensive collection of ceramics by Kurt Feuerriegel and an exhibition of historical toys. The exhibitions, designed with great attention to detail, as well as the museum's educational and cultural offerings attract visitors of all ages. The adjacent English-style castle park invites you to take a stroll.
Tour through an atmospheric old town
The view from the castle across the castle pond leads to the "Old Paint". The building with its beautiful sandstone portal was built in 1682 as a new dyeworks. In 1929, the Frohburg City Museum found its first home here. From the castle, you can reach the former brewery via Brauhausgasse. It was built in the 18th century. Today, it houses the city library and the city archive. Above the castle, on the highest point in the city, stands the church of St. Michaelis since it was named a city. It was built in the Gothic style as a three-aisled hall church. The eventful history of the church with its high Gothic windows is characterized by repeated destruction and subsequent reconstruction. In 3, it was redesigned in the neo-Gothic style. A valuable bronze gravestone at the tower entrance shows Doctor Melchior von Kreutzen. He acquired the castle in 1877 and held several offices in the service of the Elector of Saxony. In addition, he worked as a Protestant visitor for the churches in Thuringia in 1549. The tour continues through Frohburg's old town to the centrally located Bahnhofstrasse. There was a printing works here, which for decades printed the "Frohburger Wochenblatt" and later "Der Wirtschaftsanzeiger". If you follow this street, you will reach the town's market square, formerly the central trading place. In the middle is the Centaur fountain, which has adorned the market square since 1539. The fountain shows the fight between a centaur and a dragon. The architectural eye-catcher of the market square is the charming town hall in the Dutch Renaissance style. The building, completed in 1899, impresses with its alternation of bright red brick and light sandstone surrounds. Other buildings worth seeing around the market square are the first town hall from 1887, the "Alte Post" and the former "Roter Hirsch" inn, which was built in 1865. It was first mentioned in 1412 and is one of the oldest buildings in the city. From 1548 onwards, the former ballroom housed a cinema with 1928 seats. In 400, it was finally renovated by private owners and today serves as a residential and commercial building.
An exciting city tour also includes the impressive rectory, the “Born’s Mill” and the post mile post from 1727.
Exploring Frohburg
Anyone who wants to visit Frohburg and delve deeper into history will find interesting information on the history of Frohburg's historical sights on the house signs. A guided city tour also offers the opportunity to explore the charming little town with its numerous sights and diverse offers for cultural and sporting activities. Alternatively, the tourist and citizen information office offers a brochure with which you can explore the town on your own. Recently, your own smartphone can also help you explore the town. The tour can be found digitally on the town's website. QR codes can also be scanned in the town, which show a lot of information about history.
Anyone who is impressed by the historic flair and cozy atmosphere of the town can enjoy home-made cakes, ice cream sundaes or a coffee at the weekend in the Schlosscafé Frohburg. You can also sit and linger in one of the dozen restaurants that can be found throughout the Kohrener Land. The cozy guest rooms, outdoor seating with beer gardens and playgrounds invite you to enjoy food and drink. Particular emphasis is placed on tradition and originality here.
home of pottery
Kurt Feuerriegel was one of the most important ceramic artists of the 20th century in Saxony. After studying at the School of Applied Arts in Dresden, he went to Frohburg. The Saxon state government commissioned him to revive the pottery trade, which had been established in the Kohren region for centuries, and to save it from decline. In 1910 he settled in Frohburg. He bought an old pottery in Töpfergasse and founded the "Workshop of Saxon Ceramic Potteries". The town thus developed into a centre of ceramic production. The ceramic panel at the former workshop and architectural ceramic works in the Frohburg townscape are reminders of his work today: among others, the panels on the pottery and weaving at the train station, the "Pottery Girl" at the old sports field from 1936 and the relief of Gutenberg on house number 26 in Bahnhofstrasse. A fascinating selection of his numerous pottery works can be admired in the castle museum.
Tips for Leisure Activities
Frohburg is very popular with motorsport enthusiasts because of the annual road races on the Frohburger Dreieck. This event has attracted thousands of fans since 1960. It is organized by the ADAC's motorsport club MSC Frohburger Dreieck eV, among others. The Michaelismarkt, choir concerts, the art and mill day and the Kohren pottery market are also among the nationally important events for the whole family. In the Kohren-Sahlis district, you can still admire real handicrafts and buy regional products in the pottery workshops.
If you want to explore the attractive surroundings as well as the culture, you should take a trip to the surrounding forest landscape, which is shaped by the river Wyhra. A 14-kilometer-long hiking trail around Frohburg is recommended, which leads through the Eschefelder Teiche nature reserve, home to over 100 species of birds and lush river meadows. Water is in great demand in summer. The natural outdoor pool in particular, with a separate toddler pool, children's playground, water games, beach volleyball court and stand-up paddling, is a gem for young and old water lovers and sun-seekers.
excursion destinations in the surrounding area
Seven kilometers from the Frohburg market is Gnandstein Castle, which was built as a Romanesque fortification at the beginning of the 13th century. In addition to several exhibitions, the castle complex also features the keep, historic living quarters with baroque furnishings and a late Gothic chapel. Numerous events, guided tours and fairy tale tours for children attract visitors of all ages.
Just two kilometers away are the imposing ruins of Kohren Castle. The two tower ruins with high entrances remain of the hilltop castle, which was built around the year 1000, in addition to the surrounding wall. An overnight stay in the Linda hayloft hostel is great for children. After climbing the western fort FORTEZZA, you can snuggle up in the fresh hay and dream of new adventures. Frohburg is also on the Saxony Luther Trail. This popular, approximately 550-kilometer-long circular hiking trail leads through the varied landscapes of the Leipzig region and past places of the Reformation and Martin Luther's work. The stamping point for an entry in the coveted hiking booklet is Frohburg Castle.
Important facts at one glance
Frohburg is located on the border with Thuringia and has 33 districts with around 12.400 inhabitants. The town is located 35 kilometers south of Leipzig, halfway to Chemnitz, and can be reached from Leipzig by S-Bahn in just under an hour. The A72 federal motorway is located five kilometers east of Frohburg.