Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei is an enormous space used for art shows, artists’ studios, parties, a restaurant and more. The site is credited with revitalizing Leipzig’s artistic scene when it was founded in the early 1990s, soon after the fall of the GDR. Look for signs of its previous life in its machinery and workers’ houses, where once thousands of workers plucked cotton thread in the small town on the outskirts of the city.
Spend time exploring the outside of the buildings, constructed solidly in the late 19th century and enduring two world wars. Admire the redbrick walls and try to identify the workers’ cottages, 20 factories, kindergarten and more that once served as both workplace and home for the people who came here from Leipzig and other parts of Europe.
Appreciate the contrast to the exterior in the lobby, where high walls now show a slick, modern and minimalist aesthetic.
Sign up for one of the popular tours, which visit a few artists’ workshops and some of the old machinery rooms still set up for production. Try to spot the old train platforms where bales of thread were once loaded to be shipped throughout Europe and around the world.
Have lunch in the restaurant and browse through art galleries that have radically transformed these buildings.
The Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei complex stretches over a small campus west of Leipzig’s city center in the Plagwitz neighborhood. Walk here in 10 minutes from the nearest subway station at Leipzig-Plagwitz, which is a 15-minute subway ride from the central train station. The city center is a few minutes beyond that. Bike from the city center in about 20 minutes or drive in about the same time. Bike parking is available on site. Find limited street parking a few streets away.
Public areas of the Baumwollspinnerei are open from mid-morning to early evening. One-hour tours run every Tuesday to Saturday from noon to late afternoon. Book online. Longer tours are available for groups by reservation.
