Webcam view on Augustusplatz
Leipzig, situated in the German state of Saxony, holds the distinction of being the most populous city in the region.
Positioned approximately 160 km southwest of Berlin, Leipzig graces the southernmost part of the North German Plain known as the Leipzig Bay. This strategic location is where the White Elster River converges with its tributaries, Pleiße and Parthe, forming an expansive inland delta named “Leipziger Gewässerknoten.” Here, Europe’s largest intra-city alluvial forest, the Leipziger Neuseenland, has flourished.
Encircled by the Leipziger Neuseenland, an area featuring artificial lakes originating from former lignite opencast mines, the city and many of its boroughs derive their names from Slavic roots.
Leipzig boasts a rich trading history, tracing back to the era of the Holy Roman Empire.
It is a vital junction, intersected by two significant medieval trade routes, the Via Regia and the Via Imperii. The city’s trade fair has roots dating back to 1190. Moreover, Leipzig emerged as a publishing hub between 1764 and 1945.
Post-Second World War and during the German Democratic Republic era (East Germany), Leipzig maintained its status as a prominent urban center, although experiencing a decline in cultural and economic prominence.