Hi,
Looking for suggestions for a few days in Leipzig and 5 hour stopover (by train) in Dresden. I'm especially interested in intellectual history, role of Leipzig in 1989 revolution, music. We'll be staying in the center of the city. Interested in a good walking tour or even a private guide.
For music, do not miss the Bach museum!
Edit: I think this old discussion doesn't mention the Leipzig restaurant which has a fictional connection to Goethe's Faust,
https://www.auerbachs-keller-leipzig.de/en/-goethe-keller-.html
Not everyone is interested in Contemporary Art, but the main museum in Leipzig has many "socialist surrealism" paintings by Neo Rauch, the originator of the New Leipzig School of modern painting style. He is little owned in the USA, but influential in Europe.
I think the Bach Museum is of most interest to those who like classical music, but it's a really important landmark of western music. It can't be skipped.
The "Round Corner" Old Stassi Headquarters and Zeitgeschichtliches Forum are both interesting, to learn about time under Communist occupation.
As you indicate , you are interested in history and music ( I assume you mean classical music ( in the broad sense ) If you can obtain tickets for The Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra , that is quite an experience - https://www.gewandhausorchester.de/en/ A major highlight is The Museum of Fine Arts . A wonderful collection . the highlight for me was the array of works by the artist Max Klinger , His monumental statue of Beethoven ( created for the 1902 Vienna Secession Exhibition ) is located here , .https://mdbk.de/en/collections/#sculpture-collection and look here - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Klinger
Excellent private guide: Gisa Schönfeld who is recommended in the Rick Steves Germany guide for Leipzig. She also appears in the RS tv episode that includes Leipzig. I did a tour with her in 2016. She was very responsive and very eager to show me the things I wanted to see.
The Monument to the Battle of the Nations is one of the more impressive monuments I have seen. Definitely worth seeing if interested in such things.
Thank you for the helpful suggestions.
Curious here ... what is the difference between just plain old history and intellectual history ?
I'm certainly unsure of what the OP meant , but I'll take a shot at that - " plain old history " - I would define that as purely factual information that applies to historical entities , places or periods , as examples . " Intellectual History " - That would apply to criticism , and / or analysis of historical facts , especially as they might apply to other . and often contemporaneous , entities . As an example , you could consider the period of Fin De Siècle Vienna ( 1895 - 1912 ) as a series of purely historical events and issues . This book , however, analyses and criticizes the period in detail , relative to the factual information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fin-de-si%C3%A8cle_Vienna
By intellectual history, I mean the history of ideas--so historic sites related to universities, libraries, philosophers. I know the University of Leipzig is very old, and that Goethe, for example, studied there. This could also be things like the role of Leipzig in the Reformation. We like to visit the homes of writers. One of the respondents mentioned a restaurant with a connection to Goethe's Faust! I love it. Also of course, the role of Leipzig in the 1989 Revolution. I know it was important--I wonder what there is to "see"?
I'm not sure how to respond to individual suggestions. I also appreciated the Gewandhaus mention and was able to get tickets to a performance (though not the Gewandhaus Orchestra) there. And apparently the Bach festival starts the day after we leave--but there will be some smaller, free performances in the days prior at the Thomaskirche. So many thanks for all these ideas.
The Gewandhaus also has tourist tours, which is helpful in the months when there is no concert activity. I found the tour helpful in understanding why Kurt Masur, while Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, was so relentless about how awful it was to have a concert hall with no pipe organ.
I think I forgot to mention the not-too-far Dessau-Wörlitz Gartenreich, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a great, mostly outdoors, sort-of "Executive" Open Air Museum. Even among the remains of Imperial Europe, it's an unusual place. There's a restaurant-road with many outdoor cafes nearby (walkable), don't know if it has a special name.
music
An excellent walk is the Leipziger Notenspur, which takes you on a 3.2 mile circuit to the most important buildings and monuments of Leipzig's musical history. Definitely recommended!
I forgot to mention the not-too-far Dessau-Wörlitz Gartenreich
In this context, we should also not forget the Bauhaus and the new Bauhaus Museum in Dessau itself.
