Großenhain Favorite Tips by german_eagle

Promenade/former city walls

Favorite thing: Großenhain once had very solid city walls, even the Swedish troops had to take note of that when they besieged the town with no effect in the 30-years war twice (1637 and 1642). From 1738 on, however, the fortifications were torn down, finally only few remains were left after 1851. Fortunately the grounds were not overbuilt but used for a promenade around the old town where one can take a leisure stroll in our days.

Pics 1 + 2: Powder tower and city walls at Topfmarkt/Franz-Schubert-Allee. It's the only remaining tower of the fortifications.

Pic 3: Lessing monument, Lessingplatz (Eastern end of the old town)

Pic 4: flower beds in the moat of the former castle (Schloss)

Pic 5: Mozartallee, western entrance to the old town

Old town

Favorite thing: Großenhain has a nice, albeit not overly exciting old town. The town has been destroyed by big fires several times over the centuries, e.g. in 1540 and 1744, the latest one in 1872. The structure and appearance of the old town is dominated by two- or three-storey townhouses from the reconstruction after the last big fire. A few Renaissance houses are preserved also, but the facades were mostly redesigned in Baroque style. Since the town has never been very wealthy the decoration is not overly ornate as in other Saxon towns. However, the cobbled alleys and mostly restored townhouses make for a cute overall picture and it is nice to take a stroll, do some (window) shopping and have a bite to eat here or there.

The Market square is the centre of Großenhain. The town hall was built in Neo-Renaissance style in 1875, the tower as one landmark of the town has a top modeled after the Reichenturm tower in Bautzen. The Diana fountain (1914) on the square reminds of the huntings in the surrounding forests. Unfortunately the square is mostly used as a parking lot except on (food or e.g. Christmas) market days.

Fondest memory: Picture #1: The corner Meißner Str./Schlossstr., the top of the town hall's tower at the left side, the Schloss tower right.

Picture #2 is the view from the flower clock by the Marienkirche to the Market square with town hall.

Picture #3: the "parking lot" Market square and the view toward Marienkirche.

Picture #4: Diana fountain on the Market square

Picture #5: Frauenmarkt, the main shopping street