At this point in the game it seems there are two kinds of German towns. Ones that are fantastic for visitors, and ones that are fantastic for its residents. I think the town of Rochlitz falls to the former category. Not bad, considering Rochlitz isn’t even 24 square kilometers.
Yeah, sure, it’s got this totally awesome castle (Schloss Rochlitz) that was built way back in the mid-12th century, was once used as a POW camp by the Americans, and a museum during its days when the area was part of East Germany.
History aside, this castle’s two towers are a fantastic feat of German castle building.
Also as a reminder of Rochlitz’s East German, Soviet occupied days, there is a Soviet War Memorial in town.
Rochlitz even has its own medieval church, St. Petrikirche, that’s now Evangelical Lutheran. Another must see church in Rochlitz is the 15th century Kunigundenkirche.
At the Marktplatz, the location of Rochlitz’s annual Christmas Market, you’ll find the town’s 19th century Rathaus (Town Hall). And not all that far away you’ll see its Muldenbrücke, a brick bridge from the 1930s; and the Hängebrücke, a teensy-tiny bridge — both of which go over the Zwickauer Mulde.
One of the best places to see anything in Rochlitz is from atop the Friedrich-August-Turm. Of course the many walking trails also offer great views. The Rochlitzer Berg has a 2.7km trail, another is some 12.5km, and the Walderlebnispfad Wechselberg is 9.5km.
The length of the hiking trails remind me to tell you about the old Postmeilensäulen, or Post Distance Columns, built long before GPS and little kilometer markers marked every, well, kilometer. ;-)
What’s missing in Rochlitz is an overabundance of festivals. No biggie, since you’ll find concerts held in the local church once a month. You might not even miss them.
Wait, there is one. The Oldtimer Club holds an event right on the Marktplatz in September. The really bad part about that is most of you young kids today think the 1980s were back in Olden Times. I don’t feel old.
It’s all right if you think that — so long as we can all agree that Rochlitz totally rocks. ;-)
