A Trip into History
The town of Markranstädt was first mentioned in a document in 1232. Probably founded as a subsidiary of the neighboring Altranstädt monastery, it was mentioned as a market town in 1287 and as a small town in 1354. Margrave Friedrich von Landsberg sold the court seat “Ranstete” with 1285 villages to Bishop Heinrich von Merseburg in 29. Ranstädt subsequently received market rights, from which the name Markranstädt is derived.
At the beginning of the 16th century, the St. Laurentius Church, which still stands today, was built. During the Thirty Years' War, imperial troops burned down the town, including the town hall and town archives. In the following years, Markranstädt was rebuilt. Between 1706 and 1707, Altranstädt Castle was of great historical importance. It was not only the political centre of Northern Europe but also the site of the Peace of Altranstädt. During the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig in 1813, the town was again badly affected. Until 1815, Markranstädt belonged to the Merseburg diocese of Lützen. The town experienced an economic boom towards the end of the 19th century with the construction of the first tobacco shops. The town's own brewery was also added. It was in operation until the XNUMXth century. second World War widely known for its “Markranstädter Pilsener”. Around 100 years ago, automotive history was written in Markranstädt. Markranstädter Automobilfabrik (MAF), built automobiles from 1908 to 1925 in the still preserved workshops on the Ziegelstrasse property. Hugo Ruppe (1879-1949) founded the company at that time. The very powerful MAF small cars with an air-cooled square engine were created. At peak times, up to 500 vehicles per year were produced in Markranstädt. Hugo Ruppe proved to be an unlucky businessman. Therefore, the last car was manufactured in 1925 and production stopped.
In 2009, the RasenBallsport Leipzig (RBL) club was founded and took over the starting rights of the first men's team of SSV Markranstädt for the fifth-tier Oberliga Nordost in the 1/2009 season. Since 2010, RBL has played in the Bundesliga and on the international stage.
On the Trail of European History
The magnificent St. Laurentius Church stands on Markranstädt's market square. The late Gothic, single-nave hall church was built between 1518 and 1528 on the walls of an older building and underwent a neo-Gothic restoration by Hugo Altendorff in 1871. The organ, installed in 1886, comes from the workshop of the master organ builder Urban Kreutzbach. There is also an altar table made of Weißenfels sandstone inside, which was decorated with a painted triptych in 1568. The baroque lectern with baptismal font from the workshop of the sculptor Caspar Friedrich Löbelt is remarkable. In addition to church services, the church invites visitors to enjoy art, for example the Markranstädter Music Summer and exhibitions.
The castle in the Altranstädt district is of great historical importance. European history was once written in its rooms and the so-called "Peace of Altranstädt" was negotiated. How did this come about? As a result of Sweden's hegemonic efforts in the Baltic region, against which Denmark, Saxony-Poland and Russia formed an alliance in 1697, the Northern War took place from 1700 to 1721. During this time, the castle came under Swedish occupation and was the headquarters and seat of government of the Swedish King Charles XII. On September 24, 1706, the then victorious Swedish King concluded the "Peace of Altranstädt" with Frederick Augustus I, known as Augustus the Strong, in Altranstädt Castle. As a result, Augustus the Strong gave up the Polish crown. The following year, Charles XII and the Imperial Austrian special envoy Count Wratislaw von Mitrowitz sealed the "Altranstädt Convention" on August 22. This guaranteed freedom of religion to Silesian Protestants. The so-called "Peace Room", in which the treaty was negotiated and signed, can still be visited today in Altranstadt Castle. It is open on weekends from May to October from 14 p.m. to 17 p.m.
In the center of the city there is another attraction: the local history museum with documented writings, objects of old crafts and everyday life. These vividly show the history of the city and life at that time.
bathing fun and culinary delights
The neighboring Kulkwitzer Lake, which was flooded from two brown coal mines at the end of the 1960s, is one of the first open-cast lakes in Leipzig's New Lake District. In addition to attractive beaches and a lido, it offers a wide range of water sports. The Meri Sauna is located directly on the shore of the lake and invites its guests to sauna and relax in a uniquely designed natural garden system with its own swimming pond. You can recharge your batteries after a sauna session in the in-house restaurant. Many other culinary offerings can be found around Kulkwitzer Lake - also called "Kulki" by Leipzig residents. You can also enjoy a meal in the pleasant ambience of the Rosenkranz Inn. This was where Markranstädt had its second contact with world history, because on July 23, 1807, Napoleon and his entourage stayed here overnight. He visited the inn a second time on October 19, 1813, when he was on his way back to the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig on the way from Lindenau to Lutzen performed as a guest.
The father of Fix and Foxi – a son of Markranstädt
Rolf Kauka, the comic producer and publisher, was born in Markranstädt in 1917 and spent his school years and youth here. His parents' house was at Albertstrasse 40. In 1947, his first publication appeared with the note Kauka-Verlag. At the beginning of the 1950s, Kauka began to develop his own comic characters. In May 1953, his first comic book, "Till Eulenspiegel", was published. In issue 6, the fox twins "Fix and Foxi" appeared for the first time and soon became audience favorites. The book became the biggest comic success in Germany.
Traditional events every year
Markranstädt offers its guests numerous cultural and traditional events. The Markranstädt Children's Festival is the oldest festival in the city. It takes place every year a week before the Saxon summer holidays and is organized by the Markranstädt Children's Festival Association. The first children's festival was celebrated in 1846 and was revived by committed citizens in 1992. It is celebrated with a cheerful children's festival parade, colorfully decorated floats, sporting competitions and many cultural events.
Since 2001, the regionally well-known “Markranstädter Musiksommer” concert series with classical music has been taking place in the St. Laurentius Church. A significant musical experience of the annual concert series are pieces on the Richard Kreutzbach organ, which dates back to 1886. The varied repertoire of the music summer includes chamber music, orchestral and organ concerts.
The Markranstädt vintage car rally “Via Regia Classics” also takes place every year in May and is organized by the Markranstädt vintage car club. The “MAFs” are also presented there, a brand of automobile that was manufactured from 1908 to 1925 in the workshop in Markranstädt that still exists today. During the Christmas season, guests can visit the Markranstädt Christmas market on the market square.
“Experience” Markranstädt’s green lung and discover history
The 400.000 square meter nature reserve "Kulkwitzer Lachen" is located directly on the Elster-Saale cycle path, half of which is water. The various bird species can be easily observed from the cycle path. Here you not only get a view of breeding birds, but also of the life of Scottish Highland cattle, which help to maintain the meadows by grazing. The progressive development of the cycle path network and the "Markranstädter Energiekreisel" circular path invite you to get to know the land and people of the city center and the 17 districtsto discover in many different ways by bike. The energy circle is a network of various farm, forest and hiking trails that connect the individual villages of the town of Markranstädt.
In the Lindennaundorf district, north of Markranstädt, there is a post mill that illustrates the craftsmanship of times gone by. The original mill was built in 1848. The remains of the historic mill were dismantled by committed citizens in 2009 and then rebuilt on what is now the Frankenheim-Lindennaundorf festival grounds. In the historic Kulkwitz district there is one of the oldest churches in Saxony, which looks like a fortified church. It was built around 1200 in the Romanesque style. During restoration work in 2015, a painting was uncovered in the apse that probably dates back to the 13th century. The very high-quality and well-preserved wall painting shows a depiction of the "Majestas Domini". Such Byzantine images are usually found mainly in southern Germany. In the Slavic region here they are very rare. In the Schkeitbar and Quesitz districts there are baroque churches from the middle of the 18th century that are worth seeing.
Important facts at one glance
Markranstädt, with its approximately 16.000 inhabitants and 17 districts, is located in the Leipzig district about ten kilometers from the city center of Leipzig. Its location in the countryside and its immediate proximity to Lake Kulkwitz speak for the attractiveness of the city. It is well connected to the local transport network, Leipzig-Halle Airport, the A 9 and A 38 motorways and numerous cycle paths.