Open Monument Day in the city of Chemnitz

Technical and industrial buildings characterise cities and entire regions. As individual monuments or monument ensembles, they are positive location factors for the economy and tourism.

Craftsmanship forms the basis of our heritage landscape. Traditional craft techniques such as stone and woodworking, metallurgy, weaving techniques or pottery and their technical developments and specialisations are reflected in our cultural heritage. The rapid development of towns and communities during the industrialisation phase led to entire regions acquiring an industrial character within a short period of time.

Beginning around 1800, the early onset of industrialisation by German standards, Chemnitz developed into the most important industrial location in Saxony. The city also experienced considerable spatial and demographic growth. Even today, many factory buildings and preserved technical facilities bear witness to the splendour of those times. Some of them have been preserved or repurposed.

The city of Chemnitz offers a varied programme on the subject of "Craft, Technology, Industry":

The opening event will take place on Sunday 13 September at 10.30 a.m. in the Stadtbad. In addition to the Open Monument Day, the celebrations for the "80 years of the Stadtbad" anniversary will also begin.

A short opening speech will be given by the newly elected mayor for construction, Michael Stötzer. The event will be accompanied musically by the opera's saxophone quartet, while the Chemnitz Opera Ballet will perform short miniatures choreographed by Reiner Feistel and Sabrina Sadowski.

The Chemnitz municipal swimming pool is an outstanding monument to the functional architecture of the New Building style of the 1920s. When it opened, it was one of the largest indoor swimming pools in Europe at the time. In 1928, the Chemnitz city council decided to plan and build a large indoor swimming pool on the site of Johann von Zimmermann's demolished machine tool factory. The result was one of the most prominent New Objectivity buildings in Chemnitz, planned by the city's building department under the direction of city planning officer Fred Otto and realised under the supervision of city building director Max Neumann. The ensemble of buildings is characterised by the clever arrangement of cubist structures, the size of which depends on the internal function. The complex is crowned by a square-gridded skylight above the 50-metre hall. The swimming pool complex also includes the 25-metre hall, bath and shower sections, sweat baths and the central foyer with a wide staircase. The façades are structured by rows of flush, finely mullioned windows. The main façade is set back, with a building-high concrete pergola in front of it as a decorative element.

The ensemble is completed by works of fine art, such as the flag pedestals in the forecourt near the main entrance with their accompanying groups of water animals by Chemnitz sculptor Bruno Ziegler. On the front wall of the 50-metre indoor swimming pool, an artistically designed clock with 12 zodiac signs, four star reliefs and a clock face as well as the city coat of arms by Georg Türke, ceramic tiles by the company Teichert Meißen.

The official inauguration of the municipal swimming pool took place in March 1935.

After the opening event, there will be guided tours of the municipal baths at

11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. technical tours and

11.15 am / 1.15 pm / 3.15 pm historical tours.

Due to the limited number of participants per tour, pre-registration is required at the ticket office.

Guided tours are also offered from the Stadtbad with information on the history and current use of selected monuments in the area:

11 a.m. "Industrial monuments on the Chemnitz", Thomas Morgenstern, Chemnitz Monument Protection Authority

The first watermills for various industrial purposes developed at a traditional location north of the medieval town centre, directly on the Chemnitz river and millrace, as early as the 16th century. From 1800 onwards, the location was characterised in particular by early dyeing companies: J. P. Gehrenbeck, Louis Hermsdorf, Schrepel & Kutzschbach AG. Theodor Haase acquired the dye works at Rochlitzer Straße 19 - 21 from the Gehrenbeck family in 1910 and expanded it. The directly neighbouring residential and office building was built around 1810 in neoclassical style, later rebuilt and extended and today features the characteristic Art Deco style (around 1922). The building complex of the former "Theodor Haase dye works" with factory buildings, water tower, chimney and office building is a monumental ensemble of special industrial-historical quality that characterises the cityscape. Its location directly on the banks of the Chemnitz is particularly striking and attractive, as is that of other factories of the 19th century.

19th century factories, which are explained in the tour, such as the Janssen factory, Rother & Kuntze and the weaving mill at Georgstraße 38.

11.30 a.m. "From Stadtbad to Villa Schwalbe, monuments in conversion", Bettina Schülke, Chemnitz Monument Protection Authority.

The walk provides an insight into the refurbishment and successful conversion of buildings along Fabrikstraße and Schloßstraße. Historical data is provided, information is given on the heritage protection monitoring of the refurbishment projects and problem areas are highlighted. The route leads from the recently renovated former factory building in Georgstraße past the Janssen factory and Rother & Kuntze in Schloßstraße to the Hartmann factory building and ends at Villa Schwalbe in Fabrikstraße.

Further items on the programme are

Museum of Technology Signal boxes II and III with cable drainage system, Hilbersdorf

On this year's Monument Day, the "Eisenbahnfreunde Richard Hartmann" e.V. (Friends of the Richard Hartmann Railway) association, which has been a committed supporter for many years, is once again offering guided tours of Signal Boxes II and III on the history of the cable drainage system and a historical wagon process on the site of the former marshalling yard.

Signal box III, which is now used as a museum, as well as the signal box that was subsidised with federal funds

2013 - 14 refurbished signal box II with engine room will be at the centre of the guided tours. But there will also be explanations of the partially reconstructed cable drainage system with tensioning towers, cable drainage carriages, signal bridges and other accessories, in the immediate vicinity of the Saxon Railway Museum in the former Hilbersdorf depot. The "Eisenbahnfreunde Richard Hartmann" e.V. association was honoured with the special prize of the German National Committee for Monument Protection in October 2014 for its special commitment to the preservation of historical monuments.

Open: 10 a.m. - 3.30 p.m. Guided tours throughout the day as required (with a minimum of 8 participants) by FÖV "Eisenbahnfreunde Richard Hartmann" e.V.

11 a.m.: Wagon process in original technology,

Film screenings in the engine house on the subject of the goods station and special exhibition on Hartmann locomotives worldwide.

Former spinning mill, Amselgrund 30 in the Altenhain district

At the beginning of the 19th century, Johann August Hößler, fiefdom owner and feudal judge of Altenhain, commissioned Christian Friedrich Uhlig, an important Saxon church architect from Altenhain, to build a water-powered spinning mill. The cotton spinning mill was first mentioned in a document in 1833. From 1890, the spinning mill was used for furniture production for around 100 years before it stood empty for many years after 1990 and fell into disrepair. In 2011, imk automotive GmbH purchased the Hößler spinning mill and converted it into a company headquarters and research institute by the end of 2014. After the Bernhard spinning mill in Chemnitz-Harthau, the spinning mill in Altenhain is one of the most important, well-preserved early factory buildings in Saxony. The towering, well-proportioned building with its striking mansard roof is in the tradition of Baroque manor houses and is an important work in the oeuvre of master builder C.F. Uhlig.

On Open Monument Day at 10.30 a.m., the owner and managing director of imk automotive Gmbh, Dr Jens Trepte, and Cathrin Fuchs from the monument protection authority will provide insights into the converted listed building and give information on the renovation.

Kappel tram depot, Zwickauer Straße 164

In1880, the Englishman William Roebuck applied for a licence to operate a horse-drawn tramway in the city of Chemnitz. He was granted the licence for 35 years, which explains the idiosyncratic English gauge. The first line ran from the main railway station to Nikolai Bridge (today: Falkeplatz) and on to Kappel, where the main depot was set up. Just two years later, the company became part of Dortmund's "Deutsche Lokal-und Straßenbahngesellschaft", which then merged with Berlin's AEG to form the "Allgemeine Lokal- und Straßenbahngesellschaft" in 1890 with the introduction of electrification. In 1893, the first Chemnitz electrified tramway was in operation. In 1908, the city took over the Chemnitz tramway operation for 10.5 million Reichsmarks. By 1910, the eight-track vehicle depot, which is still preserved today as a museum, was built at the main depot in Kappel. Further depots are subsequently built in Altendorf, Altchemnitz and on the northern Sonnenberg.

The entire complex of the Kappel tram depot and depot was almost completely listed in 2009, after the large vehicle hall and nine traction units and trailers had already been listed since 1980. Many of the buildings and facilities, most of which are now empty, are closely linked to the history of the Chemnitz tramway. Over the next few years, the Verein der Straßenbahnfreunde e.V. plans to secure and utilise further buildings for the restoration and exhibition of historic trams and buses.

The building is open from 10.30 am to 5 pm. The Verein der Straßenbahnfreunde e.V. offers

11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. guided tours on the subject of "Chemnitz's last narrow-gauge depot - from horse-drawn railway to tram museum". Rides on the narrow-gauge tram will also be offered.

Schönherr factory, Schönherrstraße 8

The Schönherr factory at the foot of the Schloßberg is located on the historic site of the former spinning mill of Wöhler & Lange, founded in 1799. After its dissolution, the site was used and expanded from 1834 by master mechanical engineer J. G. Haubold, who later became part of the Sächsische Maschinenbau-Compagnie.

The Sächsische Webstuhlfabrik was founded in 1851 by Louis Schönherr & Ernst Seidler in Altchemnitz and moved into the buildings of the Maschinenbau-Compagnie in Schloßchemnitz in 1854. In 1857, Louis Schönherr was the sole owner of the loom factory. This was followed by a continuous expansion of Louis Schönherr's mechanical engineering company into the Sächsische Webstuhlfabrik A.G. It was the largest producer of weaving machines in the country and of supra-regional importance. The different construction phases are clearly recognisable. There are neo-classical buildings from around 1835 (buildings 8a and 5a), a number of factory buildings from the Wilhelminian period and a modern extension adjoining building 8 in a functional design by architect Max W. Feistel. Buildings no. 9, 10 and 7 belong to the core area of the factory complex, which enclose an elongated inner courtyard in two- and four-storey wings.

The factory buildings from different eras form an outstanding architectural ensemble of great industrial-historical significance. The refurbishment and conversion of the listed old buildings in a large mix of industries, which has been realised in stages since the end of the 1990s, is exemplary in the Free State of Saxony and throughout Germany.

The property is open from 11 am to 3 pm. The newly opened restaurant "max louis" offers a monument menu. Advance booking is required on 0371 - 464 024 33, the menu is subject to a charge.

At 2 p.m., there will be a guided tour of the site with managing director Mrs Eckert , during which she will explain the historical development of the site and the further construction measures planned until its final completion in 2017.

A guided tour entitled "Between industry and craftsmanship from the Schönherr factory to the castle" will begin at 3 pm. The tour guide, Mrs Meisel, will provide interesting facts about craftsmanship, technology and industry, starting at the Schönherrfabrik, via Schönherrpark, the Gagfah estate and the villas on Salzstraße to the castle. The meeting point is the villa (House 5), Entrance A in the Schönherrfabrik grounds.

Factory building at Beckerstrasse 13, formerly Gebrüder Goeritz AG

Since 1880, the production facilities of the upholstery fabric weaving mill of the Goeritz brothers have been located at Beckerstrasse 11 - 13 on the Chemnitz River and have been extended and remodelled several times. After 1883, a forge with boiler room and chimney was added to the original single-storey weaving mill with office building. In 1904, part of the weaving mill was demolished and an impressive new four-storey factory building was constructed along the Chemnitz. The existing boiler house with chimney and the machine house were retained and integrated into the new building. The architect was Wenzel Bürger from Chemnitz. The architecture of the factory building, erected in 1904, was executed in traditional red facing brick architecture with white and green decorative bricks. The façade facing Chemnitz is designed symmetrically with large windows divided by cornices and pilaster strips. The plinth storey was designed with segmental arch windows over two storeys high and visually separated from the bank wall by a balcony projecting over the entire length of the building. It served as a connecting path to the other factory halls.

The corner of the four-storey building is characterised by a semi-circular tower-like

tower-like joint with a former pointed tower roof. Inside is a spiral staircase made of cast iron, which is very significant due to its precise positioning.

Part of the factory was destroyed during the Second World War and subsequently demolished. What remained

the four-storey factory building, whose destroyed roof was replaced in a simplified form.

in a simplified form. Production continued in the building until the early 1990s, after which it stood partially empty for many years.

From 2012, the listed building was extensively renovated and repurposed as a "Business Village". In addition to office, sales and exhibition space for Büroland GmbH, the top floor also houses flats.

The building is open from 11.30 am to 3 pm. Guided tours of the building are offered on request. There will also be presentations on the history and renovation of the property by architect Liane Remmler and on the current utilisation concept by owner Uwe Thuss.

Schmidt-Rottluff residence and mill, Limbacher Straße 380 and 382

In 1883, mill manager Friedrich August Schmidt, who came from Lichtenwalde

Schmidt, a mill manager from Lichtenwalde, acquires the mill property in Rottluff, which has been documented since 1548. His first son Karl was born here on 1 December 1884. After the old mill was destroyed by fire in 1892, the owner F. A. Schmidt had a new mill building with living quarters for the miller's family built in the right-hand part of the house in 1893-94. After a long period of vacancy, the town acquired the listed building. The facades and roof were renovated using funds from the second economic stimulus package. Parts of the mill technology have been preserved and can be viewed. In 1892, a fire destroyed the old mill and the house where KarlSchmidt-Rottluff was born. In 1893 - 94, F. A. Schmidt rebuilt the mill, which is still preserved today, as a steam mill with a flat for the miller's family in the right-hand part of the house, today Limbacher Straße 380.

In 1913, F.A. Schmidt sold the mill and property to Paul Kaden, a brother-in-law of bakery owner Emil Reimann, for health reasons. He continues to run the mill. The Schmidt family uses the proceeds from the sale to build a new country-style house on a separate plot of land slightly to the west above the mill - today: Limbacher Straße 382. The ensemble thus consists of the two parental homes of the artist Karl Schmidt-Rottluff, the world-famous expressionist painter and graphic artist.

At the end of 2014, the Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Chemnitz e.V. association was founded with the aim of gradually renovating the interior of both buildings and using them as a cultural meeting, event and educational centre.

Both buildings are open from 2 - 4 pm. The newly founded Förderverein Karl Schmidt-Rottluff Chemnitz e.V. organises guided tours of the buildings as required.

Tenement house Marienberger Straße 13

The apartment block was built around 1900 as a closed, three-storey building with a front garden. The originally preserved Wilhelminian-style façade with yellow facing bricks is characterised by a particularly elaborate ornamental design of the two roof bays.

In the entrance area and the entire stairwell, an expressive Art Deco-style colour scheme has been preserved and is being painstakingly restored by specialist craftsmen and restorers. The architecturally valuable multi-storey apartment building features remarkable details. The building is an example of the large number of apartment blocks that were built in many districts of Chemnitz as a result of industrialisation in the 19th century.

The owner, Mr Taube, and Ingrid Schönherr from the monument protection authority will give a guided tour at 2 p.m. to provide an insight into the work of the carpenters, the façade restoration and the restorer in the painting trade. In addition, the energy-efficient refurbishment of the building envelope, the building technology and the use of renewable energy sources in the old building will be explained.

Along Zwickauer Straße: Old clinker bricks given a new lease of life

A guided tour on the subject of "Old clinker bricks given a new lease of life - hidden and almost forgotten treasures from Ruß-Chamtz" will take place at 2 pm along Zwickauer Straße.

The tour guides Grit Linke and Udo Mayer will provide information on important industrial buildings, some of which have already been successfully repurposed.

The meeting point is the main entrance to the Industrial Museum.

At 2 pm, Peer Ehmke, Kunstsammlungen Chemnitz/ Schloßbergmuseum, will give a lecture on "1764 - How cotton came to Chemnitz", which will show that merchants from what is now Greece were actively involved in the industrial revolution in Saxony.

There are a total of seven portraits of foreign merchants from the end of the 18th century in the Schloßberg Museum's city history collections. Six of these so-called "Macedonian portraits" are on permanent display in the CHEMNITZER GESCHICHTE BILDERSAAL exhibition. In recent years, intensive research has been carried out into the historical background of the paintings, which has brought to light astonishing facts that have so far received little attention in Chemnitz and Saxon historiography: For a period of around 50 years from 1764, settlements were established by cotton merchants who came from northern Greece, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. This led to a major boom in the textile industry and Chemnitz developed into the "Saxon Manchester". It was therefore no coincidence that the first Saxon and second German cotton spinning factory was established here in 1799. Based on contemporary sources, the lecture traces the events in Chemnitz in detail, but also embeds them in the European history of the 18th and early 19th centuries. Information is also provided about a research trip that took the author of the lecture to the merchants' places of origin in what is now northern Greece.

Open churches on Open Monument Day

St Jakobi City Church, Jakobikirchplatz 1

Built 1350 - 65 as a three-aisled Gothic hall church. 1405 - 12 choir extension, 1877 neo-Gothic remodelling, 1911/12 west gable and Art Nouveau façade by Schilling and Gräbner. Partially destroyed in 1945 and rebuilt, reconstruction of the nave completed in 2009. During the recent restoration of the original choir room, rare findings were uncovered. Funded by the German Foundation for Monument Protection and the Federal Ministry of Culture and Media.

Open from 11 am - 3 pm,

Guided tour at 11 a.m. by Dr Stefan Thiele, parish of

St Jakobi-Johannis

St Mark's Church, Körnerplatz 10

The monumental central building from the Wilhelminian period was built between 1892 and 1895 in neo-Gothic style according to plans by the Berlin architects Kröger & Ambesser. The red clinker brick building with its striking twin towers and slender spires is a symbol of the "Sonnenberg" residential neighbourhood and is important in terms of urban planning and monument preservation. The almost completely preserved neo-Gothic interior with original historical light fittings, which has been painstakingly restored over many years, is of great artistic and historical value. The church is used for multifunctional purposes under the management of the parish and the support association.

Open 1 - 5 pm,

Tower tours and guided tours on request with the parish support organisation

Castle church, Schloßberg 11

The late Gothic hall church with Romanesque architectural remains from the early days of the monastery church is one of the town's most valuable cultural monuments. In addition to the stone evidence of the Romanesque chapel, the ribbed vaults and the north portal, the wooden works of art such as the high altar and the flagellation column are valuable features. In the years 2006 - 2010, the castle church received a new symphonic-romantic organ from the company Orgelbau Vleugels.

open 14.30 - 17.30

3.30 pm Lecture "Craftsmanship and technology in organ building"

KMD Siegfried Petri explains the construction and operation of an organ using the Vleugels organ in the castle church as an example. Extensive visual material and sound samples provide an insight into the interior of the organ.

Concert "Romantic music of the 19th century"

We would particularly like to emphasise the now well-established tradition of ending the Open Monument Day in Chemnitz with a musical highlight. This year, the Weimar musicians Prof Volkmar Lehmann (piano) and Katrin Schroeder (flute) have been engaged for a concert.

Prof Volkmar Lehmann has been giving concerts worldwide since 1958, was a lecturer at the "Franz Liszt" Academy in Weimar and is still active today as a director of masterclasses in piano and chamber music juries in Germany, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. He has numerous radio, television, record and CD productions to his name.

Katrin Schroeder studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Weimar and at the Prague Conservatory. She took part in various masterclasses, teaches various flute courses, has a teaching position at the "Ottmar Gerster" music school in Weimar, was a jury member at various regional competitions and regularly gives concerts, also with the pianist Volkmar Lehmann.

The concert "Romantic Music of the 19th Century" with Prof Volkmar Lehmann and Katrin Schroeder will take place at 5 pm in the Schloßbergmuseum, Renaissancesaal.

The programme includes pieces by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy and Carl Reinecke.

Admission is free.