The Intervention Areas, the central urban development project for the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025, will be presenting itself to Chemnitz residents and guests with its own stand at the programme showcase in the Stadthalle on Saturday. Actors invite interaction.
A total of 30 locations will undergo a transformation in the Intervention Areas programme. The projects are diverse and range from the remodelling of historic buildings to the creation of new public spaces: The traditional Hartmannfabrik has been converted into an information and visitor centre for the European Capital of Culture in the festival year. A new district park is being created on the renaturalised Pleißenbach stream on a former railway site. And Christmas markets and village festivals are being held on the Euba fairground.
Around 30 million euros from the overall European Capital of Culture budget are available for these construction projects. In addition, the City of Chemnitz is expecting further funding from specialist funding programmes amounting to over 30 million euros. This is expected to result in an investment volume of more than 60 million euros.
"The European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 is not just an event programme with over 1,000 events, but a unique urban development project," says Mayor of Construction Michael Stötzer. "In 30 projects, brownfield sites have been cleared, forgotten corners rediscovered and long-cherished wishes fulfilled. In this way, we are bringing the Capital of Culture into the neighbourhoods of the people of Chemnitz and creating places of encounter and exchange."
Time frame
The construction work will be realised over four years with different construction phases and times. The first completed project was the new market fountain, which was put into operation with a big celebration in April 2022. Further projects and construction phases, for example at the Stadtwirtschaft and Pleißenbach, will be completed by the second quarter of 2025.
Information on the individual projects
Places of new beginnings
The "Places of New Beginnings" include four projects that transform vacant buildings into new, vibrant uses. Industrial halls, commercial courtyards and an artist's residence are being refurbished and converted into studios, creative courtyards, museums and event venues. These new spaces offer attractive locations for start-ups and the creative industries, among others. The creation of these locations will give rise to new partnerships that promote economic and cultural development in Chemnitz. They will also develop into tourist attractions.
- Hartmannfabrik
The Hartmannfabrik was opened in May 2024 after extensive refurbishment. It is home to the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 gGmbH and serves as a visitor and information centre for guests from near and far. After standing empty for a long time, the listed production hall from 1864 was renovated in a successful public-private partnership by the Pfeifer family of entrepreneurs, supported by funding from the federal government, the Free State and the city. Once built as a production facility for machine tools and part of the globally successful mechanical engineering company of Chemnitz's "locomotive king" Richard Hartmann, it is now once again a place for creativity and innovation.
- City economy
On the site of the former city cleaning plant, which was built around 140 years ago in Chemnitz's working-class neighbourhood of Sonnenberg, a cultural, creative incubator, a maker hub - "Die Stadtwirtschaft" - will be created by 2025 through low-threshold redevelopment. Communal spaces, a neighbourhood warehouse, a neighbourhood canteen and courtyards complete the site. The first creatives moved into "Haus D" at Jakobstraße 46 back in 2018, and the open workshops of the Stadtfabrikanten and the Bandcamp are now up and running. The users are developing the site together with the city of Chemnitz as a community and should also
also have a say. The Stadtwirtschaft is the maker hub of the Makers, Business & Arts project of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025.
- Garage Campus
The former depot of Chemnitzer Verkehrs-AG in the Kappel district offers a lot of undiscovered design potential on 30,000 square metres steeped in history: the so-called Garage Campus has been under construction for the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025 since summer 2021. Final construction work is currently underway on the site to complete the project, event and creative spaces of the first construction phase in spring 2025.
- Karl Schmidt-Rottluff ensemble
Karl Schmidt-Rottluff was born in Rottluff (now Chemnitz) in 1884. He was a co-founder of the Brücke group of artists and an important representative of Expressionism in Germany. After many years of initiatives and preliminary planning, the city of Chemnitz has decided to convert Karl Schmidt-Rottluff's former parents' house at Limbacher Straße 382 into an artists' centre. Together with the neighbouring mill, where Karl Schmidt-Rottluff spent his childhood, the house will be developed into another hotspot of Expressionism in Chemnitz. The Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz will operate the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff House.
City by the river
"Stadt am Fluss" is an infrastructure project that has been given high priority by the people of Chemnitz. Vibrant places are being created along the Chemnitz and its tributaries, connecting the city and the river in new ways and setting the scene.
- Chemnitz River
o Altchemnitz river baths
The area at the former Altchemnitz river baths has been redesigned in a natural way. A new pedestrian bridge connects the city park with the neighbourhoods to the east of the Chemnitz. Striking wooden decks invite you to sunbathe and relax, while shady trees create cosy places to sit and relax.
o Railway viaduct
The historic railway viaduct, earmarked for demolition by Deutsche Bahn AG, has been preserved thanks to civic engagement and today stands as a symbol of the commitment of the people of Chemnitz. The area under the viaduct is being
as an entrance to the city park, with a cycle path, park paths and a small square with seating sculptures made from old bridge elements. Completion is planned for the second quarter of 2025.
o Nordpark and Helgoland
In Nordpark, sun loungers with small tables invite you to linger, while a newly planted weeping willow and fresh lawn round off the picture. On the opposite bank of the river, a new path linking Eckstrasse and Müllerstrasse has been created near the former Helgoland allotment site. Large stones in the embankment provide access to the water, while tree trunks and boulders serve as seating.
- Neighbourhood park on Pleißenbach
A new green corridor is being created on the site of the former Altendorf goods station, which at 2.4 hectares is the largest intervention area. The renaturalised Pleißenbach stream has been transformed into a near-natural watercourse and also provides flood protection. A 59-metre-long bridge spans the reopened section of the Pleißenbach and will connect the premium cycle path with Limbacher Straße in future. Historic relics such as buffer stops, set rails and kilometre stones preserve the character of the former goods station. Completion of the current construction phase is planned for the second quarter of 2025, with further construction phases to follow.
- Kappelbach green corridor: "Am Feldschlößchen" play and rest area
A bicycle rest area with a play and fitness area has been created on the formerly overgrown area "Am Feldschlößchen". A shelter with fitness equipment, a wheelchair-accessible seating area and bicycle parking spaces invite you to exercise and relax. A large play area for children picks up on the proximity to the tram museum.
Public squares
The "public squares" are the result of intensive participation by the people in the neighbourhoods and localities. The stakeholders from the city areas, together with their citizens, selected a public place to be redesigned as part of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025. Each of the eight areas of the citizens' platforms and each of the eight incorporated localities received a maximum of 325,000 euros.
A few selected examples illustrate the diversity of ideas: The new Gablenz citizens' park was created on a former wasteland, while the first water playground for children in Chemnitz invites them to refresh themselves in the Morgenleite park. In Grüna, visitors can get active on a pump track, and a historic railway bridge has become the eye-catcher of the new rest area on the Chemnitz Valley cycle path. A lift in the Wittgensdorf primary school makes it possible for everyone to visit the long-running event series "Big art in a small place" for the first time. A central reception pavilion opens in Küchwaldpark in spring 2025. The Höhenweg 2025 cultural trail also offers hikers unique views of Chemnitz and the neighbouring Erzgebirge communities.
Building Mayor Michael Stötzer: "These projects have one thing in common: they were preceded by lively participation by citizens, associations and numerous other stakeholders in the city districts and localities. I was able to see for myself that the idea works wonderfully at several openings over the past few months: the future users took possession of "their" intervention area in the city and neighbourhoods with great joy - with countless ideas on how to turn the new places into lively places of encounter and exchange."
Individual projects
- Schillerplatz
The centrally located Schillerplatz, laid out in 1861 as the city's first park, has been redesigned in keeping with its listed status and combines historical elements with modern utilisation requirements. As part of the Purple Path, it has featured a work of art by Osmar Osten since the end of 2024. Johannes Belz's popular Klapperbrunnen fountain was put back into operation in July 2023.
- Sports forum
Event areas were added to the Sportforum and new functional buildings were erected. The renovation of the 27-metre-high marathon tower was a particular challenge: an internal steel skeleton was installed and the roof was renewed. Honours are held in the listed reception hall under a restored wooden ceiling. An eight metre high earth wall protects the main stadium from the wind and preserves its historic appearance. The renovated arcades are to house an open-air exhibition on Chemnitz's sporting history.
- Reassessment of the theatre
The planned refurbishment of the theatre needs to be reassessed. It has been established that the budget of 16 million euros provided, including the prospect of subsidies, is not sufficient. Further investigations and decisions are therefore required in order to secure sustainable prospects for the Chemnitz Theatre. During the Capital of Culture year, the theatre will remain in its temporary home in the Spinnbau on Altchemnitzer Straße. Other attractive venues are available in the city for the "Theatre of the World" festival in 2026, one of the first legacy projects of the European Capital of Culture Chemnitz 2025.
Overview of categories and projects
Places of new beginnings
- Hartmann Factory
- City economy
- Garage Campus
- Karl-Schmidt-Rottluff-Ensemble
City by the river
- Chemnitz River
o Altchemnitz river pool
o railway viaduct
o North Park
o Helgoland
- District park on the Pleißenbach
- Kappelbach green corridor: "Am Feldschlößchen" play and rest area
Public squares
- Market fountain "Manifold"
- Vettersstraße event area
- Gablenz civic park
- Küchwald pavilion
- Rest area on the Chemnitz Valley cycle path
- Lessingplatz
- Morgenleite Park
- Culture trail Höhenweg 2025
- Frei-Otto-Park
- Einsiedel Youth Club Club E
- Euba fairground
- Bergstraße leisure area
- Cultural park at Klaffenbach moated castle
- Lohse-Uhlig-Steig
- "Centre" Mittelbach
- Arthur Lange" club centre Röhrsdorf
- Lift for events room at Wittgensdorf primary school
Individual projects
- Schillerplatz
- Sports forum
- Theatre
Further information on all 30 intervention areas at https://www.chemnitz.de/de/unsere-stadt/stadtentwicklung/interventionsflaechen
Printable photos are available for download in the Chemnitz 2025 press area at https://chemnitz2025.de/informieren/presse/.
In addition, a 60-page brochure provides information about the intervention areas. It is available at the press centre in the Carlowitz Congress Centre, at the programme showcase in the Stadthalle and from next week (week 4) at the city's distribution points