Seiffen/Erzgeb. combines the Ore Mountains’ toy-making and folk art traditions with traditional woodcraft. Two museums offer different perspectives: the Toy Museum presents the traditions, while the Open-Air Museum focuses on historic workshops and a specific woodworking technique. A regional Christmas tradition is also part of the town’s cultural identity.

Toy-making traditions and woodcraft

The Ore Mountain Toy Museum presents Seiffen’s toy-making and folk art traditions across three floors. The museum includes a large, five-storey pyramid. The multi-level presentation and this striking object provide a clear framework for the themes of toys and folk art.

In the resort town of Seiffen, the Ore Mountains Open-Air Museum displays historic buildings and workshops from the 19th and early 20th centuries. Its reconstructed houses and workshops provide the historical setting; at its centre is the original, preserved Preißler turning workshop, powered by water. The museum also demonstrates ring turning, a traditional technique for making small wooden figures. Visitors can also work with wood themselves.

The museums appeal to different interests: the Toy Museum focuses on toy-making and folk art traditions, while the Open-Air Museum combines the history of workshops, ring turning and hands-on woodworking. If you are especially interested in how small wooden figures are made, ring turning offers a practical introduction to the craft.

Neinerlaa: an Ore Mountain Christmas tradition

A regional tradition associated with Seiffen is Neinerlaa, also called Neunerlei. This Ore Mountain Christmas meal consists of nine meaningful dishes, whose symbolic significance is part of the tradition. This seasonal celebration adds another dimension to the town’s toy-making, folk art and woodworking heritage.

Seiffen and the wider context of the Erzgebirgskreis

Within the Erzgebirgskreis district, Seiffen is considered the cradle of Ore Mountain folk art. The Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří Mining Region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since July 2019. Together, Seiffen’s folk art tradition and the Mining Region’s designation offer two perspectives: the town’s specific cultural identity and the broader regional context.

The Erzgebirgskreis also offers a distinct perspective for hikers. It has a signposted hiking network of around 4,500 kilometres. Panoramic trails around Schneeberg, Schwarzenberg and Zwönitz offer views of the historic town centres. One specific circular hike is the Schwarzenberg Panorama Trail: it runs along the heights around Schwarzenberg, is 13.8 kilometres long and takes about 4 hours and 5 minutes. Its views bring landscape and local history together.

The network and the named circular hike represent different scales for planning: the network shows the extent of the region’s hiking infrastructure, while the length and approximate duration of the Schwarzenberg Panorama Trail give a clear picture of one individual route. The Fichtelberg near Oberwiesenthal adds to the region’s landscape: at 1,215 metres, it is Saxony’s highest mountain.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Hohndorf, Burkhardtsdorf, Schlettau, Geyer, Schönheide, Gehringswalde, Tannenberg, Heidersdorf.

Back to the main travel overview: Erzgebirgskreis.