Discover Hainichen through three themes: literature, textile history and optical technology. The Gellert Museum is dedicated to literature, the Clothmakers’ House offers a glimpse into the craft, and the Camera Obscura displays a moving image in the correct orientation. The Discovery Trail is a circular route to the city’s sights and takes in several of these themes.

Literature and clothmaking

The Gellert Museum is a literature museum with a special collection, “Art Inspired by Fables.” Its offerings include exhibitions and projects designed for visitors aged four and up. Those interested in literature and fable art will find a clear thematic focus here.

The history of clothmaking in Hainichen offers a different perspective. Its heyday began with the guild charter of 1481. In 1783, the clothmakers’ guild decided to build a new masters’ house; the first meeting was held there a year later. The Clothmakers’ House survived the city fires and, following its restoration, retains its Baroque form. The demonstration workshop showcases crafts once practised in Hainichen. This makes it easy to distinguish the themes of literature and fable art on the one hand, and crafts and architectural history on the other.

Camera Obscura and Discovery Trail

The Camera Obscura was inaugurated on Rahmenberg on 23 June 1883. Its 11-metre-high tower was built between 1982 and 1985. Since 1985, this technical attraction has been open to visitors. Inside, they can see a colourful, moving image displayed upright and in the correct orientation. Unlike the literary focus of the Gellert Museum, the emphasis here is on an optical phenomenon.

The Discovery Trail is a circular route for exploring Hainichen’s sights. Its stops include the projection of live images in the Camera Obscura and the weaving demonstration workshop in the Clothmakers’ House. The trail thus combines a technical experience with an insight into the history of crafts. If you would like to visit several sights along a circular route, this offers a different way to find your bearings than visiting a single museum.

Cycle routes and the wider destination of Mittelsachsen

Cyclists also have specific points of reference. In September 2024, a 1.6-kilometre cycle path from Falkenau to the southern edge of Hainichen was officially opened. In addition, the S 201 forms part of a connected cycle network of more than five kilometres between Hainichen, Falkenau and Gersdorf. The first detail refers to a specific section of path and its endpoint; the second describes the connected network between three places.

The wider destination of Mittelsachsen is shaped by river-cut landscapes, gently rolling hills, broad floodplains and steep rock faces. Outside the winter season, Mittelsachsen offers opportunities for hiking and cycling. The Porphyrland Geopark in Mittelsachsen also invites visitors to enjoy these activities. These regional points of interest complement Hainichen’s local cultural and technical themes without replacing them.

Discover more destinations: Penig, Weißenborn/Erzgebirge, Oederan, Hilbersdorf, Niederwiesa, Erlau, Wechselburg, Ostrau

Go to the wider travel overview: Mittelsachsen.