| Leipzigs surrounding area is also well worth exploring. The following is just a small selection of places to visit . What is surely unique is the recultivation of the former brown coal open cast mining areas, which is the largest project of this kind in the world. A large example of this (57 km) is to be found in the south of Leipzig. The EXPO project Cospudener See (lake) is already completed, and is open for public use since June 2000. Other massive holes resulting from open cast mining, which resemble a moon landscape, are still to be flooded. Also worth a visit is the open cast mining area still being worked, which is in the region surrounding Europes most modern brown coal power station, in Lippendorf. The fruits of a similar project can be seen near Bitterfeld (north of Leipzig), where former open cast mining areas were recultivated, resulting in numerous lakes which are suitable for bathing, in natural surroundings. The highlight here has to be the iron town "Ferropolis", built using the now obsolete excavators formerly used for digging coal. These massive machines dug 70 million tons of brown coal out of the earth, until the beginning of the nineties. Also to be seen here is an amphitheatre designed by John Park, which is built to hold 25000 spectators and is used for theatre and concerts. Another place to visit is the Beatles museum in Halle, which is only about half an hour away from Leipzig. This private collection, started in 1964, is the largest of its kind outside England, and has been opened to the public in a 350 m large museum, since April 2000. About one hour away from Leipzig is the Bauhaustown of Dessau - home of the Bauhaus. In the 1920's, Walter Gropius designed numerous artistic creations here, mainly using glass, steel and concrete. Our secret tips are raft and canoe tours on the River Mulde, as well as a completely preserved STASI - BUNKER (GDR secret state police), close to the gates of Leipzig in a small town called Machern. Please check with us first though, because of special viewing appointments. |
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