Located in the German province of Saxony, Leipzig is Germany’s eighth largest city and nicknamed “The Hero City.” With approximately 1.1 million residents, the city is located at the intersection of two very important trade routes: the Via Regia and the Via Imperii. Because of this, Leipzig has been traditionally known as an important trade city.

Additionally, Leipzig is home to one of Europe’s oldest universities, which dates back to 1409. Today, Leipzig University has become one of the most popular in the nation, with a body of around 30,000 students from all over the world. Throughout history, Leipzig has also become known as a center for music, with renowned composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach and Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy having lived and worked in the city. Because of this, Leipzig also boasts of having one of the oldest symphony orchestras in the world, as well as one of Germany’s most notable opera houses.

Leipzig Facts:

• Leipzig is located approximately 100 miles away from Berlin. 
• The city became part of East Germany after the end of World War II.
• Leipzig covers an area of about 115 square miles.
• Leipzig is also a modern-day center for the arts, housing numerous world-renowned museums. Leipzig is home to two of the automobile manufacturing giants, BMW and Porsche, which have established large production plants in the city, which help drive the local economy. 
• The city also focuses on medical research and biotechnology, two areas in which it has become a world leader.

Leipzig Major Attractions:

• The Battle of the Nations Monument: The Battle of the Nations Monument is one of Europe’s largest monuments.
• The Leipzig Bayerischer Bahnhof: The Leipzig Bayerischer Bahnhof is Germany’s oldest train station. It can be visited with a guided tour.
• The Leipzig Zoological Garden: These gardens serve as home to approximately 850 different species of animals and have the largest facilities for primates in the world.

Auerbach’s Cellar: Auerbach’s Cellar is a basement-level restaurant that was used by Goethe in one of the scenes from Faust.