Borna is a wonderfully photogenic town, about 30 kilometers south of Leipzig. From the Town Hall with its majestic clock tower to the natural beauty of its lakes, woods, reservoirs and parks, you will want to capture images everywhere with your camera.
Walk along the idyllic Wyhra River for your opening shots. It cuts right through the center of town, dividing it into two easily accessible halves.
For a landmark shot, stop by the Reichstor, one of four original gates that guarded and gave entry to the town. Only this one has survived intact, although it was rebuilt in 1723. It now serves admirably as the Town Museum.
Next, head over to Martin Luther Square and take a picture of the 14th-century Emmaus Church. It is quite a conversation piece, because this church was not actually constructed here. Instead, it was cut from its foundation in Heuersdorf, a dozen kilometers away, and transported to this location in 2007. How incredible!
You will want to snap pictures of the lovely fountain at Dinterplatz, the half-timbered Haubitz Farmhouse, and perhaps something altogether modern: the wind-power generators just outside the suburb known as Thräna.
If you time your visit well, there will be lots of smiling faces to photograph, too. Public markets attract happy shoppers every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, with fresh produce and local crafts on sale. And the Saturday before Christmas is reserved for a very special Christmas Market, drawing crowds from the outlying areas.
Local festivals feature residents in period costumes, acrobatic performances, roving musicians and vendor stalls lining the streets. At the annual Borna Town Festival, carnival rides are set up, including a huge Ferris wheel, and the streets echo with laughter and cheers.
Oh, and don’t forget to save a little film for a visit to Burg Gnandstein in Kohren-Sahlis. It is Saxony’s best-preserved medieval castle, dating back to the 13th century. You will find it south of Borna, located along the Wyhra River Valley in what’s called Kohrener Land (Kohren Country), the tourist region to which Borna proudly belongs.