We are pleased that you wish to learn more about the work of the Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen. Here you have access to current and previous press releases on tourism in Saxony. For further questions and information the Press Officer Ines Nebelung will be at your disposal.
Contact:
| Ines Nebelung Head of Press and Public Relations Fon: 0351 - 4917025 Fax: 0351 - 4969306 E-Mail: presse.tmgs@sachsen-tour.de |
There’s a primeval forest right in the centre of Europe, and it’s in Thuringia. Hainich National Park became part of UNESCO’s World Natural Heritage last year and is one of the largest beech forests in Europe with 49 species of mammals, including wild cats and bats, almost 200 bird species, over 2,000 varieties of beetles and 1,600 species of mushrooms. The area is a perfect destination for a family holiday, and the park features a canopy walk which was the first one of its kind in an European National Park. It consists of a tower with a tree house and 530 metres of walkways guiding visitors through the treetops.
Newly opened this April and just next to the park is the so-called Wildkatzendorf (‘wild cats village‘), the only one in Germany, where visitors can observe wild cats in their natural habitat while following a specially designed path and enjoying some great views on Hainich National Park. Thuringia also offers great cycling trails, and the region’s most popular one, the Ilm Valley Cycle Trail, is ideal for families. A particularly attractive stretch of the route leads from Weimar to Bad Sulza where visitors can sample a Liquid Sound experience in the local thermal baths.
Germany’s most popular cycling trail also leads right through the Cultural Heart of Germany: The Elbe Cycling Path takes visitors through some of the best parts of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony. If you want to make a bit of an Olympic effort, the Magdeburg to Dresden stretch, for examples, takes eight days and on the way, cyclists will, among others, roll through the beautiful garden kingdom and UNESCO World Heritage Site Dessau-Wörlitz and can enjoy the beautiful Elbe meadows between Meißen and Dresden.
Going a bit further, the last stretch of the route up to the Czech border features some spectacular scenery with views on the Bastei Bridge 200 metres above the river in Saxon Switzerland. This visually stunning and dramatic landscape of sandstone peaks features fingers and thumbs of bare rock. Bizarre rock formations make the National Park Saxon Switzerland a paradise for climbers with 14,000 climbing routes and 1,100 peaks, with degrees of difficulty ranging from easy to extreme so no need to be a super athlete (yet). To rest tired legs (as well as arms and other parts of the body) spa town Bad Schandau right in the National Park is beautifully located on the banks of the Elbe.
For further information see the following links (URLs werden hinterlegt):
Hainich National Park
‘Wildkatzendorf’ (wild cats village)
Ilm Valley Cycle Trail
Elbe Cycling Path
Saxon Switzerland
For general information on the Cultural Heart of Germany see
www.culturalheart.info and www.facebook.com/CulturalHeartofGermany
Castle hotel breaks
As expected in a region that is so rich in history, there is no shortage of castles in the Cultural Heart of Germany. And not just any old castle: Wartburg castle towering above Eisenach in Thuringia is intertwined with German history like no other. The UNESCO world heritage site provided a refuge for Martin Luther from 1521 to 1522, who translated the New Testament into German here. Contemporary visitors can be certain to receive a more lavish welcome in the Wartburg castle’s five-star hotel. The rooms are tastefully furnished, the surrounding landscape is beautiful and the view from the restaurant’s terrace simply breathtaking.
For a proper fairytale experience, try Castle Landsberg in the south of Thuringia. Its history goes back to the 11th century, and the present castle was built in 1836 in Neo-Gothic style, modelled on English aristocratic estates. The building has a colourful history and belonged - after it was sold by its original aristocratic owners in 1920 - to a businessman from New York, a family from Berlin and served after World War II, among others, as an old people’s home before it was turned into a hotel in the late 1990ies. The room decor is fantastically over-the-top including suites with canopy beds and other frills. For history buffs, Auerstedt Castle might be just the ticket: The Prussian command was headquartered here during the Napoleonic wars, and guests can now stay in the former stables that have been transformed into apartments. The area is also Thuringia’s only wine-growing region with lovely landscapes.
One of Germany’s oldest moated castles, the Westerburg, can be found in Saxony-Anhalt close to the Harz mountains. The hotel and spa features four hectares of parkland and is perfect for combining a romantic countryside stay with trips to some of the region’s well-known historic towns. Wernigerode, Halberstadt and UNESCO World Heritage Site Quedlinburg are all within 40 km and full of beautiful timber-framed houses and quaint corners. The hotel is currently adding new rooms and will also open an extended spa area in April. Castle hotel Schkopau with a history dating back to the 10th century was transformed into a Renaissance castle by the von Trotha family who lived here until 1945, and lies now within 25 km from Halle-Leipzig airport, served by Ryanair flights from London.
City breaks for love birds, music aficionados and culture vultures
Forget about Paris or Venice, for a change, and try something different for romance. Such as Meißen in Saxony, home of the eminent porcelain manufacturer, and a lovely town on the Elbe river featuring the picturesque ensemble of Albrechtsburg Castle and Meißen Cathedral. The Welcome Parkhotel offers great views on both and a peaceful location on the river. The hotel’s complex includes an art nouveau villa, a summer terrace and beer garden right by the river. There’s a special ‘weekend for lovers’ package including a candle-light dinner, and while there, a tour of the Meissen factory is a must to pick some special gifts.
Only 25 km away, in Saxony’s capital Dresden, Bülow Residence provides a nice bolthole for couples. Tucked away in a cobble-stoned alley in the city’s baroque quarter, the interior is cosy, the service personable and there’s a Michelin star restaurant for a special evening just round the corner in the sister property Bülow Palais. Beautiful Hotel Elephant in Weimar, dating back to 1686, has special luxury romance packages that include champagne and flowers upon arrival and breakfast served each morning on the room. The themed suites are particularly stylish. Romantik Hotel Dorotheen Hof, offering a ‘Romantic days in Weimar’ package, is located in an enchanting park, perfect for strolls à deux.
Bach aficionados look no further. Leipzig is now home of the Arcona Living Bach 14 hotel newly opened last winter right in the city centre and opposite St Thomas Church. The Bach Museum is just next door and the hotel itself has a stylish boutique flair where the room design includes musical elements in different shapes and forms. Edgy art lovers can try the Paris Syndrom Hotel in the Galerie für Zeitgenössische Kunst (Gallery for Contemporary Art) where a hotel room has been created by the Chinese artist Jun Yang. Or stay in the Meisterzimmer apartment in the middle of the Alte Spinnerei, a former factory that now hosts dozens of galleries and artists’ studios.
For nature lovers and outdoor freaks
Schindelbruch in Saxony-Anhalt is a completely climate neutral hotel in a nature resort in the southern part of the Harz, committed to reducing the tourism footprint as much as possible. The surrounding forest and hills are perfect hiking grounds. Garden aficionados will love the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, and nearby Hotel zum Stein is a good base to explore this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hotel Helvetia in Saxony is a bio hotel offering regionally-sourced cooking and rooms that are designed according to ecological principles. Best of all is the location right in the centre of Saxon Switzerland, a dramatic landscape of sandstone peaks featuring fingers and thumbs of bare rock, towering over the meandering river Elbe. Hikers and climbers will love this.
Further information on the Cultural Heart of Germany:
www.culturalheart.info and www.facebook.com/CulturalHeartofGermany
Hotel websites
Wartburg Castle, www.wartburghotel.arcona.de/en
Castle Landsberg, www.meininger-hotels-mit-flair.de/schloss-landsberg/index.html
Castle Auerstedt, www.toskanaworld.net/web/en/content/content.php?areaID=19
Castle Westerburg, www.hotel-westerburg.de/en
Castle Schkopau, www.schlosshotel-schkopau.de/_en/index.php
Welcome Hotel Meißen, www.welcome-hotel-meissen.de
Bülow Residenz, www.buelow-hotels.com/4-star-hotel-in-dresden
Hotel Elephant Weimar, www.hotelelephantweimar.com/en
Hotel Dorotheenhof Weimar, www.dorotheenhof.com
Arcona Living Bach 14, Leipzig, www.bach14.arcona.de
Paris Syndrom Hotel, Leipzig, www.gfzk-leipzig.de/en
Meisterzimmer, Leipzig, www.meisterzimmer.de/index_en.html
Schindelbruch, www.schindelbruch.de/wohnen
Hotel zum Stein, www.hotelzumstein.de
Hotel Helvetia, www.hotelhelvetia.de
(Some of the website are in German only so please feel free to contact us for further information if anything tickles your fancy)
Press contact:
BConnects. Barbara Geier Communication Services/On behalf of Cultural Heart of Germany
barbara.geier@gmail.com, phone 07983 24 21 95
www.twitter.com/BConnects
The Moritzburg Festival under the artistic direction of the ECHO awarded cellist Jan Vogler belongs to the most internationally significant chamber music festivals. The 18th edition of the Festival under the patronage of the Federal Minister of the Interior of the Federal Republic of Germany, Dr. Thomas de Maizière, will dedicate itself to the German Romantics featuring works by Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bruckner and celebrating the Bicentennial of the birth of Schumann.
This year's Composer-in-Residence is Daniel Schnyder. The New York based composer and saxophonist reflects a perfect balance between the European musical tradition and the influence of American Jazz and World Music. He regularly appears in clubs in New York as well as in the most important concert halls throughout the world. With his ingenious and imaginative compositions he fascinates audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. A lot of his chamber music works will be performed in Moritzburg and Daniel Schnyder himself will play the saxophone parts.
Further highlights of the Festival 2010 include the two Gala-Concerts in Moritzburg and Proschwitz, where starred chefs promise unforgettable culinary experiences after the concerts. At the Moritzburg Castle the Dinner will take place outside in the Garden for the first time. On August 15 we invite the audience to the "Proschwitz Music-Picnic" to enjoy high quality chamber music in the Castle Park with delicacies from the Garden Bar.
In 2010, such well-known artists as Viviane Hagner, Mira Wang, Karen Gomyo, Valeriy Sokolov, Teng Li, David Aaron Carpenter, Jan Vogler, Henri Demarquette, Li Wei, Lise de la Salle and Charles Neidich will join in the Festival. For the fifth time, from 2nd August onwards the Moritzburg Festival Academy will once again welcome 40 young music students from all over the world in Moritzburg who come together to form the Festival Orchestra and play in several chamber music formations. The Academy musicians will play the opening concert of the Festival on 8 August 2010 at the Volkswagen "Die Gläserne Manufaktur" as well as chamber music concerts. The young Mexican conductor Alondra de la Parra is the 2010 resident conductor for the Academy.
In addition to 15 concerts in the baroque Moritzburg Castle, the Moritzburg Lutheran Church, the Proschwitz Wine Estate, the Volkswagen "Die Gläserne Manufaktur" and the famed Frauenkirche in Dresden the Festival will feature recitals, open rehearsals and composer lectures.
For the eighth consecutive year, the Volkswagen "Die Gläserne Manufaktur" supports the Moritzburg Festival as one of the main sponsors.
Contact / Information: Moritzburg Festival | Maxstr. 8 | D-01067 Dresden Tel.: +49 (0)351 - 810 54 95 | Fax: +49 (0)351 - 810 54 96, buero@moritzburgfestival.de | www.moritzburgfestival.de
New from 19 April: Lufthansa flies daily to Germany's 'Florence on the Elbe': LH 4767 - a flight number that is set to become familiar to many a British business and leisure traveller. It stands for the new daily non-stop flight from London Heathrow to Dresden, capital city of the German federal state of Saxony. The new Lufthansa flight starts on 19 April. Tickets to Dresden are available from £89 return including taxes and charges (excluding agency booking fees).
The new route between London and Dresden will feature a modern Airbus A 319 operated by British Midland (BMI), part of the Lufthansa Alliance. If it's BMI on the outside, it's Lufthansa on the inside: from the Airbus's 138 comfortable seats to the onboard catering. The flight leaves Heathrow at 12:35 daily and, after a flight time of around two hours, lands in Dresden at 15:30 local time. The return flight from Dresden leaves at 16:05 local time and lands in Heathrow at 17:05.
As with all Lufthansa flights, members of the Lufthansa Miles & More bonus scheme can of course collect miles on these flights. Flights can be booked on the Lufthansa website at www.lufthansa.com, via the portals of affiliated partners, via the Lufthansa Call Centre (0871 945 9747, open 24/7), via Lufthansa's partner travel agencies or at the Lufthansa sales desks at the airports.
Flughafen Dresden GmbH is a subsidiary of the Central German Airports Group. In 2009 Dresden Airport registered 1,72 million passengers and 34.800 aircraft movements. The summer schedule, which is valid until 30 October 2010, features about 290 departures per week to 54 destinations in 17 countries in Southern, Central and Eastern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Dresden International Airport's catchment area includes Saxony, Southern Brandenburg, Northern Bohemia in the Czech Republic and Lower Silesia in Poland.
The flight schedule online: www.dresden-airport.de.
Saxony is in a festive mood in 2010 which is reflected in the numerous new attractions for its visitors. Saxony not only caters to people seeking an active holiday in a natural environment but also to lovers of art and culture and to tourists who simply want to relax. The state is presenting an attractive tourist programme on the Germany Travel Show at the German tourism authority's 3-state stand called "The Cultural Heart of Germany".
The Dresden State Art Collection is commemorating its 450th anniversary and officially opening its Turkish Chamber, one of the world's most spectacular collections of Oriental art in March. In June the new Albertinum, the museum featuring art from the Romantic period through to the present time, will be presenting its anniversary exhibition "Future since 1560. The Exhibition" from April until November. The 300th anniversary of the Meißen porcelain factory is being commemorated by the Dresden State Art Collection in the Japanese Palace with the exhibition "Triumph of the Blue Swords. Meißen porcelain for the nobility and citizens 1710 to 1815". For the Meißen porcelain factory the anniversary celebrations will include expositions, limited anniversary editions and festival and culinary events such as the special exhibition "The Philosopher's Stone - A 300-year old Legend" from 8 May until 31 October 2010. Selected objects of the early era of Meißen porcelain production will return to the site where they were originally created. On 23 January the factory will be presenting the special exhibition "All Nations are Welcome" featuring items which were made for the former Russian tsarina Catherine the Great. The anniversary will also be commemorated with new travel arrangements in the porcelain and wine-growing region of Meißen. Visitors to Europe's oldest sparkling wine cellars, Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, will also be welcomed to Europe's first theme vineyard.
The Bach Museum at the Leipzig St Thomas church will officially open with a festival weekend on Bach's 325th birthday on 21 March. A highlight will be the treasure chamber featuring precious manuscripts of Bach and his sons. In 2010 Chemnitz will be celebrating a festival of industrial culture which includes a historic procession. Here the 125th anniversary of the Wanderer works and the 175th anniversary of the German railway system will be commemorated. The Chemnitz Art Collections will be honouring the life and works of the artist Karl-Schmidt-Rottluff on his 125th birthday.
In addition, more than 40 musical festivals and events will be held in Saxony. A definite highlight will be the Dresden musical festival which is being held under the motto "Russlandia". In Leipzig a Mendelssohn festival and in Zwickau and Bad Elster Robert Schumann festivals will be held to commemorate the 200th birthday of Robert Schumann. The "Manufacture of Musical Instruments in the Vogtland Theme World" for music societies and amateur orchestras with its various programmes will be attracting people to the European cradle of the manufacture of musical instruments. The 40th International Dixieland Festival will be a major attraction during the 75th anniversary celebrations of the Dresden International Airport.
For people who prefer to link culture with Wellness, Saxony is just the right place: As a Wellnessdestination Saxony is offering relaxing and Wellness holidays combined with top-class cultural programmes and active leisure-time activities.
Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Bautzner Str. 45-47, D-01099 Dresden, Tel.: 0049-351-49170-0, Fax: 0049-351-4969306, info@sachsen-tour.de
In 2010, Europe's oldest manufacturer of porcelain will celebrate its 300th anniversary. When the Saxon ruler Augustus the Strong declared that the production of the "White Gold" should be moved to Meissen's Albrechtsburg Castle two years after the his scientists in Dresden had discovered how to make porcelain, he had high hopes that the secret would not leak out from this fortified walls. But it did way too soon. "Meissen", however, has remained the most respected name in porcelain manufacturing in Europe and its "Crossed Blue Swords" are the oldest trademark in the world. Special exhibitions will be held in the Meissen State Porcelain Manufactory, production site since the 19th century, at Albrechtsburg Castle, in the Japanese Palace in Dresden which used to house the vast porcelain collection of Augustus the Strong, now in the Dresden Zwinger, and in Leipzig which played an important role in distributing the Meissen porcelain through its trade fair. www.meissen.com
It was also Leipzig where Johann Sebastian Bach, whose 325th birthday will be celebrated in 2010, lived for 27 years and where he is buried in St Thomas' Church. On March 20th, the completely revised and much enlarged Leipzig Bach Museum will reopen. The life and works of Johann Sebastian Bach and his family are presented in an interactive multi-media exhibition. One of the highlights of the new museum is the treasure chamber, which holds original Bach manuscripts and other precious objects. The visitors will also be able to arrange the instrumental parts of a Bach hymn to their taste or experience the original sound of Baroque instruments. www.bach-leipzig.de
One of the many other musicians who left their traces in Leipzig is Robert Schumann who came to study at the famous university and later married the famous pianist Clara Wieck. Their former home in Inselstrasse is now a museum, just like his birthplace in the Saxon town of Zwickau. On the occasion of Schumann's 200th anniversary in 2010, Zwickau will hold a Schumann Festival in June. Leipzig and Dresden, where Schumann created his most famous works, will also honor the famous Saxon composer. www.schumannzwickau.de; www.schumann-verein.de
The Dresden State Art Collections belong to the world's greatest museum organizations. In 2010, they will celebrate their 450th anniversary. With the ongoing reconstruction of Dresden Castle, more exhibition space is becoming available. In February, the Turkish Chamber, part of the Armory Museum, will open its gates. One of the best collections of Ottoman art, collected by the Saxon rulers over many centuries, it has not been on display since World War II. Highlights are ornamental weapons and armors and the original tents of the Ottoman rulers from the siege of Vienna. Highly anticipated is the reopening of the New Masters Picture Gallery in the Albertinum on Brühl's Terrace. The renovated exhibition building has gained a spectacular hanging depot and ample space to display the highlights from its important collection of 19th and 20th century art, ranging from Caspar David Friedrich to Gerhard Richter. www.skd-dresden.de
For more information on Saxony, please contact: Tourism Marketing Company of Saxony, Bautzner Strasse 45-47, 01099 Dresden Phone: +49 351 491700; Fax: +49 351 4969306 info@sachsen-tour.de www.visitsaxony.com www.culturalheartofgermany.de
Millions of visitors have experienced Saxony as a unique centre of culture and art. The federal state is also one of Germany's leading concert and stage centres. Saxony regularly presents internationally famous theatre and music productions and festivals. The state's more than 40 music festivals a year attract top international artists. In addition, art lovers from around the world marvel at the splendid art collections of Saxony's many museums. Saxony's cultural heritage consists of more than 1000 years of music and art history. This has turned Saxony into one of Germany's top tourist attractions.
Popular historical sites
Urban tourists enjoy discovering narrow cobblestone lanes, sleepy boroughs and small boulevards. Many of the smaller romantic towns pride themselves in their 1000-year old market squares and their cultural events. For example Meißen as the cradle of European porcelain production with its famous factory where porcelain has traditionally been made by hand since 1710. Unique in the world is also the „Terra mineralia" mineral exhibition in Freiberg. Many of the earth's more than 80,000 treasures are sparkling in Freudenstein castle in the heart of this town in the Ore Mountains. But also in Pirna, Radebeul, Torgau, Grimma, Annaberg-Buchholz, Plauen, Zwickau Kamenz, Bautzen, Görlitz and Zittau there are cultural-historical treasures which will turn any visit into a memorable experience.
Church naves, castle gates and pleasure palaces
Another example of Saxony's great cultural-historical heritage are its numerous palaces, castles, parks and gardens. These are often used as backdrops for theatre and music productions, castle festivals, knight's tournaments and exhibitions as well as for romantic weddings. People can also spend the night in some of these historic locations. The Fürst-Pückler-Park in Bad Muskau with its palace is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Rich artisan traditions
Saxony is also world famous for its rich artisan traditions. Artisan products from the Ore Mountains are renown around the world under the famous "Ore Mountain Wood Carving" label. Another first in Europe, the production of musical instruments has been a tradition in Saxony's southern region since 1677. Plauen is the production site of the very filigree Plauener laces. Glashütte is known for its masterly production of high-quality proprietary watches. Enjoying Saxony's natural sights A visit to Saxony can of course also combine art and culture with an active holiday as well as with a family holiday. Mountain climbing in the Saxon Switzerland National Park, hiking on the Vogtland-Panorama trail, cycling on the Elbe cycle track, a family holiday at family- friendly places and family-friendly accommodation and leisure-time facilities as well as a relaxing holiday at one of the numerous traditional Saxon health resort towns is all only a short distance from the state's many art and cultural attractions. Bookings for Saxony can be made at www.booking.com.
Contact: Tourismus Marketing Gesellschaft Sachsen mbH, Christina Czach, Bautzner Str. 45 - 47, D-01099 Dresden, Tel.: +49 (0)351-49170-23, Fax: +49 0351-4969306, info@sachsen-tour.de, www.sachsen-tourismus.de
