The path from an agricultural town to a popular holiday destination
Naunhof was settled from the middle of the 12th century. A moated castle was built along the trade and transport routes between Leipzig and the Margravial Meissen regions and cities to the southeast at the beginning of the 13th century. Naunhof was first mentioned in a document in 1223, when Ludwig IV, Landgrave of Thuringia, laid siege to the "castrum Nuwenhof". During the Thirty Years' War, enemy troops largely destroyed the fortifications.
Since Naunhof was important as a craftsman and agricultural town for the surrounding area and had an ideal location between Grimma and Leipzig, a road ran through the town. In the 16th century, a town hall and a brewery were built next to the fortified stone road that led to Leipzig. The first water mill was built in the 14th century. In 1515, a windmill was built, which is now considered the oldest surviving building in Naunhof. From 1550, the route of the "Riding Post" introduced by the Saxon Elector Moritz ran through the town. As tolls had been collected since the 15th century, the town's importance continued to grow. In 1557, Naunhof and all its fiefdoms were sold to Hans von Ponickau, the district governor of Grimma and Leipzig. In October 1813, Naunhof was occupied by Napoleonic troops in the vicinity of the Battle of the Nations near Leipzig.
Until the beginning of the 20th century, beer brewing was an important source of income for the town. As early as 1850, around 40 estates and houses in the town had the right to brew and serve beer all year round. From 1880 onwards, the popularity of the idyllic town as a summer resort grew: more and more townspeople chose Naunhof as their new seasonal or permanent place of residence. Within a few years, the number of houses and villas doubled and the population has grown steadily since then.
stroll through the town
A must-visit is the Evangelical Lutheran town church in Naunhof with its organ, created by the renowned organ builder Friedrich Ladegast. It is one of only 200 Ladegast organs to have survived to this day. The exact year the church was built can no longer be reconstructed, but it is believed to have been built around 1500. Today, the church is a cultural center for the region. Regular concerts, including those with the Saxony Youth Choir, the St. Thomas Choir of Leipzig, and the Leipzig Chamber Philharmonic, attract visitors from near and far to Naunhof. Another attraction in the Albrechtshain district is St. Peter's Church. First mentioned in documents in 1382, it is dedicated to the patron saint of the Apostle Peter. The church houses a carved altar from 1510 depicting Mary with the Christ Child and 14 other saints. In 1723, a stately manor house was built in the Naunhof district of Ammelshain, a castle-like Baroque structure. The castle park, with its over-century-old trees and a village pond, still invites visitors to stroll along the poplar avenue to the castle. Ammelshain's image is also dominated by a late Romanesque choir tower church. It was probably built in the mid-13th century, and the tower with its gabled roof indicates an old fortification.
Experience Naunhof's special atmosphere
Naunhof has several exceptional museums where you can experience the history of the area and its inhabitants first hand. The Museum of Office Technology displays historical exhibits such as typewriters, calculators and an extensive collection of computers from the GDR from 1981 to 1989. Not far away is the first Saxon tower clock museum in the historic half-timbered house of the former Naunhof girls' school. Carefully restored mechanical tower clocks, a bell mechanism and time measuring devices from four centuries are on display here. The main and secondary clock mechanisms, most of which are still functional, are also impressive.
The Kugel Gallery is located directly at Markt 1 and has hosted over 1984 exhibitions since it was founded in 170. In addition to local artists from Naunhof and the Muldental, there have also been exhibits by Paul Klee, Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dalí.
The local history room presents a special piece of Naunhof. There, local chroniclers painstakingly collect evidence of times gone by. In addition to the historical finds, works of art from Naunhof and the surrounding area are also on display.
The factory site of a former crane manufacturer has now become a center for art and culture. The Old Crane Factory offers space for regular craft workshops such as blacksmithing, willow weaving or bookbinding as well as musical events and festivals. On Sundays, the cyclist café opens its doors and treats hungry guests to seasonal cuisine and fresh ingredients from the company's own garden. The crane factory hall can also be rented as an unusual location for weddings or similar events.
The Erdmannshain cultural barn can also be booked for celebrations ranging from baptisms to milestone birthdays. On one Sunday a month, the Erdmannshain local history association also offers a wide range of events. The barn, which was rebuilt by numerous helping hands and opened in 2015, has space for 30 to 70 people.
Naunhof personalities
Naunhof's most famous personalities are the writer, journalist and children's book author Robert Grötzsch and the former Saxon State Minister Manfred Kolbe. The neurologist Rudolf Götze and the tropical medicine specialist Ludwig Külz were also born here. In the Naunhof town church there are also monuments to Rudolf von Ponickau and to the pastor Johann Georg Schöne.
events for young and old
Concerts, city festivals, cabaret evenings and art exhibitions take place at regular intervals in the Naunhofer Kultur WerkStadt. With additional events for children and young people, it becomes a cultural center for young and old.
Since 2010, the regional vintage car and tractor meeting has taken place every year in August in the Ammelshain district. Whether it's a Lanz Bulldog from 1942 or a Wartburg 311, built in 1957 - this is where tractor and vintage car enthusiasts' hearts beat faster. The event now attracts thousands of visitors every year, who can marvel at the diverse, passionately maintained vehicles and talk to their owners.
The Alte KranWerk also opens its season every year in March/April with the Spring Festival and ends it with the Family Thanksgiving Festival in October. The festivals always have the motto of sustainability, art, workshops, music and, above all, lots of fun for the whole family.
The Little Paradise near Leipzig
Naunhof is predestined for an outdoor trip. The town is located in the Parthenaue, the last landscape in the Leipzig region that has been left in its natural state and not changed by brown coal mining or river regulation. It is not without reason that the location in the largest contiguous forest area in the southeast of Leipzig earned the town the status of a summer resort 100 years ago. Numerous bathing lakes in the immediate vicinity make Naunhof an attractive destination for water sports enthusiasts. The Albrechtshainer See, with a climbing forest including eleven courses with more than 100 climbing elements and a campsite, is also an ideal destination for family trips. The Haus Grillensee on the bathing lake of the same name, also known as Naunhofer See, offers plenty of space for youth and class trips or conferences. It is particularly attractive there in summer, as the conference breaks can then be used for stand-up paddling, splashing around and letting off steam.
The Moritzsee or Ammelshainer See is also known for its idyllic setting and excellent water quality. During the GDR era, up to 20.000 people a day are said to have enjoyed the summer there. Then as now, the Moritzsee is particularly popular with nudists. The "See You" festival takes place here once a year, with many live bands and DJs playing.
An extensive network of cycle paths connects Naunhof with the forest and lake area and the neighboring towns. The 60-kilometer-long Parthe-Mulde cycle path from Leipzig to Grimma also runs through the town. The post mill in Fuchshain is also worth seeing. It is 400 years old and still in working order. The mill owner has maintained the historic building, which is now powered by an electric motor.
Important facts at one glance
Naunhof is home to around 8.800 residents in its districts of Albrechtshain, Ammelshain, Eicha, Erdmannshain, Fuchshain and Lindhardt and is located around 25 kilometers from Leipzig. Travelers can reach the city from Leipzig on the regional train 110 in around 22 minutes or by bike via the Parthe-Mulde cycle path (41 kilometers). Thanks to its direct location on the A14, the city is also ideally accessible by car.