"Freiberg in Saxony" Freiberg by german_eagle

Freiberg Travel Guide: 50 reviews and 338 photos

Untermarkt with cathedral and city & mining museum

Freiberg in Saxony (not Freiburg im Breisgau!) is located at the foot of the Erzgebirge mountains, in short distance to Dresden. Population is almost 50'000.

First settlements in the area are proved for the year 1156, but the first time the name "Freiberg" appears is in 1202. As the legend says, silver was found in the area in 1168 which caused a boom in the development of the town. The mining industry was base for the wealth of the state Saxony, and of course some of that remained in Freiberg itself.

While strolling through the charming old town you will see plenty of interesting townhouses, built in past centuries - Renaissance and Baroque style mostly. Highlights are the cathedral and the Obermarkt square.

Old townhouses near St. Petri church

Although mining works were finished in 1969 Freiberg is still a worldwide centre of geo-sciences.

The "Bergakademie" (mountain school) was founded in 1765 and thus the first in the world. Since 1992 the Bergakademie is a university. About 2400 students from more than 60 countries make Freiberg a surprisingly lively city with internation flair.

Intro Written Jan 8, 2005
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Reviews (33)

European Heritage Day Favorites (4)

Second Sunday in September is European Heritage Day. This means you can see the interior of buildings that are closed... more travel advice

Sightseeing in Optician shop Off The Beaten Path (7)

Whether you need new glasses or not, a visit in the optician shop "Brillenbar" at Obermarkt 8 is a good idea. The shop... more travel advice

Czech food in Freiberg Restaurants (6)

Yes, right in the middle of Freiberg, in Germany there is a place where you can have Czech food, beer and wine. They... more travel advice

Jakobi church Off The Beaten Path (7)

This church figures on the "Off the beaten path" list for solely one reason - it's not open on a regular basis, you have... more travel advice

Things to Do (9)
See All Burial chapel and Prince Elector...
Transportation (2)
See All Bus
Local Customs (2)
See All Christmas Market and related events

Shopping (2)
See All Private Coffee roasting facility
Nightlife (1)
Theatre
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Comments (8)

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yumyum Oct 4, 2011 at 10:27 AM

Great new tips from your recent trip!
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Kathrin_E Sep 26, 2011 at 10:31 AM

Great new photos! Some look oddly familiar...
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HORSCHECK Sep 19, 2011 at 1:39 PM

Ingo, gorgeous updates on your Freiberg page. The Stadtwirtschaft with the most sorts of Czech tap beer in Germany sounds tempting to me. *winkygrin*
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globetrott Jul 18, 2010 at 2:09 PM

What an interesting location, Ingo, and lots of great updates here ! Sachsen is really worth a visit again !
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bugulma Jul 12, 2010 at 3:31 AM

interesting updates. Nice place for the trip for my next coming to Dresden :-)
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matcrazy1 Jan 27, 2006 at 5:11 PM

Great, detailed information and beautiful pictures. This Tulpenkanzel (does it mean literally pulpit in German?) looks outstanding ---> I have to see it in person someday :-)
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tessy Jan 30, 2005 at 3:25 AM

Looks like a nice place. I really would like to take a coffee in the 20ies café
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Nemorino Jan 9, 2005 at 8:32 AM

Yes, it's easy to confuse places with -burg and -berg. Your description reminds me somewhat of Saarbrücken: No more mining, but some important institutions remain.