On the trail of a historic city
The history of Geithain goes back to the Neolithic period: Even at that time, settlements with the culture of stitch band pottery were located in the current city area. In the Bronze and Iron Ages, the surrounding area was also gradually settled. Geithain was first mentioned in a document in 1186 as "Chiten" - the name comes from the Old Sorbian "Chyten/Chytan" and refers to the place of a person named Chyt. In the Middle Ages, Geithain was administered by a bailiff who had his seat on the Freihof. The Geithain powder tower, which is still worth seeing today, was part of this Freihof and also part of the city fortifications. In 1335, the first council constitution followed and Geithain received its first mayor. In 1349/50, the city gained the reputation of "curia et castrum" - Latin for "court and castle" - and referred to the two main characteristics of the city. The oldest known city seal dates back to 1416 and formed the basis for today's city coat of arms, which was introduced in 1904. This shows a black battlemented wall and three towers - the Butterturm, the Obertor and the Pulverturm - on a golden background.
The town's first brewery was built in 1529 and Elector Moritz granted Geithain the right to brew in 1553. In the Middle Ages, this was one of the privileges of the landowner and state ruler and was automatically tied to a specific piece of land or area. In 1833, the town was given a civil town charter. At that time, around 3.000 people lived in Geithain. Linen weavers, craftsmen and tailors worked here.
Another milestone was set with the construction of the train station in 1869. Three years later, the Neukieritzsch-Chemnitz railway line was opened, thus establishing the connection to the Saxon-Bavarian railway network. In 1887, the connection to the Leipzig-Geithain-Chemnitz railway line followed - a prerequisite for the city's good transport connections, which continue to this day. When the Leipziger Land district was created in 1994, Geithain lost its status as a district town. It was not until 2020 that it regained this status as a large district town. Over the years, a total of 17 municipalities have been incorporated into Geithain.
Historical sights
The Sorbian origin of the town's name lies in a settlement that was located in the area at the time. Each settlement had a rampart as a boundary - a city wall that can still be seen today. At one time, only St. Nicholas Church was enclosed by the wall. But Geithain developed from a row village along the trade route into a typical town with an old town that was completely walled. The western part of the city wall with the lower gate and gatehouse in particular is very well preserved to this day. Visitors can find further remains of the original city wall not far from the customs house: it was built when Geithain joined the Saxon Customs Union in 1897. However, its foundations show the remains of a bastion from the 11th/12th century. These were used as the basis for the construction of the current building. There is also a corridor under the house that connects Geithain with its surrounding area under the city wall.
Another highlight of the city is St. Nicholas Church with its two 42-meter-high towers, which was built in the 12th century. This is how the three-aisled hall church with its double-tower façade was built on the mountain spur of the former castle in the western old town, between which is the Romanesque Pentecost Gate made of porphyry tuff. The Gothic choir polygon was built in the 14th century, and construction of the hall house with its mighty roof began in 1504. Instead of the planned vault, however, a flat ceiling was installed in 1594, which still amazes viewers today with its painting by Andreas Schilling from Freiberg. The church was gradually completed by various architects and a Romanesque-Gothic work was created. The so-called Kalandstube is located in the associated rectory. The Kaland brothers once met in these rooms - a kind of welfare organization that wanted to enrich church life. Even today, various wall paintings from the 16th century can be seen in the rectory with its medieval residential tower. Another special feature of St. Nicholas Church is its underground passages. They run for over 1.100 meters through the entire Kirchberg, which was once formed by volcanic activity 285 million years ago. They were used to store food and as an air raid shelter during the Second World War. Today, the underground attraction can be visited on guided tours.
The powder tower is an integral part of Geithain's townscape. Immortalized on the town's coat of arms, the former free tower is considered the town's landmark. It once served as the cornerstone of the town's fortifications and as a watchtower for enemy observation. Today, the town's most important building is the town hall. With foundations dating back to the 15th century, it was rebuilt in 1535 to its current form. In 1900, it was rebuilt again: the side facing the market was furnished with a representative balcony and clock tower.
History to Experience in the Local History Museum
If you want to experience the history of the town in one place, the local history museum is the right place for you. After extensive renovation, it was reopened in 1995 and to this day provides exciting insights into the development of the settlement and town, the most important buildings, the crafts and enamel works, the pharmacy industry and Geithain as a garrison town. Young historians in particular will get their money's worth: on various themed tours such as the knights and medieval program or a scavenger hunt, the history of Geithain can be experienced in a playful way.
Geithain's animal friends
Since 1985, the municipal zoo has been home to numerous animal species such as donkeys, llamas and African pygmy goats. A special experience for young visitors is a guided feeding with the zoo's mules or the pony wellness program.
idyll in the city center
The city park offers a break from the hustle and bustle of the city: you can experience nature in the middle of Geithain's center on a long walk. If you need a culinary boost afterwards, you'll find it at the Sommerhof. There you can enjoy hearty home cooking in a rural location. The Gasthof Sachsenbaude in the Narsdorf district is also recommended. If you want to explore the city on a trip lasting several days, the Hotel Leipziger Land is the perfect place to stay overnight. The idyllically located Waldpension Hegemühle is also an inviting place to stay.
Into the cool water
If you need to cool off on hot summer days, the outdoor pool in the southeast of the city is the place to go. Visitors have access to a 10.000 square meter sunbathing area, as well as a beach volleyball court, soccer goals and table tennis tables. Big and small water lovers can let off steam in the paddling pool with slide, the 25-meter swimming pool, the diving pool and the non-swimmers' pool.
The self-built cinema
The people of Geithain are known above all for their commitment. Before the cinema was built on what is now Louis-Petermann-Straße, most cultural events took place in the former hotel "Haus Altenburg". However, since the need for cultural assets was so great after the war, the people of Geithain took the initiative and created their own cinema. After a year of construction, the leisure center was inaugurated on March 3, 1956. The cinema began showing the film "The Devil's Circle."
Famous Sons of the City
The most famous Geithainer is Paul Guenther: Born in 1860, he emigrated to America in 1890. By 1910 he was the largest stocking producer in the USA. In 1925 he donated a school to his hometown, which still exists today. Benjamin Hederich was also born in Geithain in 1675. He is one of the well-known German encyclopedia and textbook authors. Hennig Frenzel, born in 1942, is also well-known as a native of Geithain: once active as a football player for 1. FC Lokomotive Leipzig, he was a 56-time national player and also won the bronze medal at the 1964 Olympics.
Event Highlights
The annual highlight of Geithain is the town festival. Every year in June, numerous exhibitors invite visitors to the historic town center with their shooting and candy stalls and carousels. The town shows off its diversity in a lively festival atmosphere. The number one event location in Geithain is the community center: from cabaret to concerts and readings, a wide variety of events are on the agenda there.
The diversity in northern Saxony
The town of Geithain is not only characterized by its historic and attractive old town, but also by its geological and economic diversity. It is located on the northern edge of the Granulite Mountains, which are mainly characterized by moraine landscapes. The most striking elevation is the Rochlitzer Berg at 350 meters high. Dolomite - a chemical sedimentary rock - was also mined in Geithain. Even during the lifetime of Elector Christian I, there were reports of lime kilns and quarries in and around Geithain. In 1815, the town produced around 36.000 bushels of lime annually in six lime kilns. The emerging industrialization also led to an upswing in the start of operations of additional kilns.
Geithain enamel was also important from an economic point of view. With the company GEO-Emaillierung, the town can look back on 120 years of history of enamel craftsmanship. The company, founded in 1898 as Gräßler & Co, once only manufactured enamel tableware. Over the years, the company established itself as a world leader in the manufacture of drinking water storage tanks and water heaters and has already received several awards.
Important information at a glance
With its approximately 7.000 inhabitants, the town of Geithain combines modernity with tradition. As part of the Saxon hill country, the large district town lies between the Kohrener Land and the Muldental. The convenient location between Dresden, Chemnitz and Leipzig not only enables day trips to the town, but also ensures Geithain's good economic reputation.