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Tram stop in Leipziger Straße
Osterstein palace
Pulverturm in the shadow of a Plattenbau
The muralZwickau: Home to Trabant and Robert Schumann
... these are the most famous sons of the city. Zwickau is known for music and cars.
The composer Robert Schumann was born here on June 8, 1810.
In 1904, the early times of the automobile, August Horch founded his factory. To give it a more sophisticated image he translated his name into Latin and created a brand that is still common on German roads more than 100 years later: Horch ("Listen") became Audi.
Cars from Zwickau also populated the roads of the DDR. The Trabant, the most common vehicle of the DDR, was produced here.
However, there is more to see and hear in Zwickau. Unfortunately there is but a small number of historical buildings preserved in the city centre. It wasn't so much the war that ruined the old town but four decades of socialist city planning. There are some highlights, though. Zwickau has the medieval Priesterhäuser, the cathedral and some other churches, the buildings round market square, large art nouveau quarters... and the Brühlette, the DDR's answer to the Hamburger.
Maybe one would not cross oceans just to see Zwickau. But if you happen to be in the area and have some time left, this city is worth a closer look.
