Discover Penig

Penig combines a distinctive town history with paths along the Zwickauer Mulde and attractions such as the Kellerberge and Köbe Nature Park. You can choose different focuses for your stay: historic architecture, the history of pottery, underground passageways or walking trails. The following places and routes can help you decide what you would like to experience in Penig.

Townscape and Architectural History

A characteristic feature of the town is its narrow lanes, which connect the elevated town church of “Unser Lieben Frauen Auf Dem Berge” with Penig’s lower-lying streets. The town hall and church reveal different aspects of local architectural history. The town hall was built in 1545/46 in the Saxon Early Renaissance style. Its richly decorated, three-part portal is made of Rochlitz porphyry.

The town church is a late Gothic building. Its construction period spans from the building of the tower in 1476 to 1515. Its interior includes a coffered ceiling created by Constantin Saytz in 1688 and decorated with 70 biblical scenes. The long interval between construction of the tower and the ceiling also highlights the different historical dates of these architectural and decorative elements.

St. Aegidien is also associated with an annual tradition: the church service at the collegiate church takes place on the first Sunday after Trinity Sunday. If you would like to include this date in your travel plans, check the date for the relevant year.

Pottery and Local Tradition

Around 1500, there were twelve potters in Penig who paid the local potters’ tax. The historic pottery workshops shaped the suburb of Topfanger outside the Chemnitz Gate. This was due to the fire hazard posed by the kilns. The traditional settlement pattern can thus be linked to the craft of the time and the way it was practised.

The legend of the “Great Pot of Penig” is distinct from the historical account. It tells of a huge vessel fashioned by Penig potters under Master Hans Weider. As a local legend, the tale is part of the oral tradition; it should not be confused with the documented number of potters around 1500.

Walking Trails and the Weiße Spitze

Trails run along the Zwickauer Mulde and between Penig’s districts. A left-bank walking trail between Penig and Amerika passes the Weiße Spitze after entering the deciduous forest. The monument, which is more than two metres high, is a red obelisk made of Rochlitz porphyry. It was erected in 1838 and commemorates battles at the Mulde crossings before Leipzig.

A map extract helps visitors and hikers find their way: it shows paths and roads around Penig. Check that the map extract is available before setting out. The paths along the Mulde and between the districts, as well as the route to Amerika described above, offer different ways to explore Penig on foot.

Kellerberge and Köbe Nature Park

Work on the Penig Kellerberge began in 1511, started by brothers Wolff and Peter Rodten. Their underground passageways extend for around two kilometres across three levels. The site is open to visitors; check current visitor information and opening arrangements before travelling. In the Rochlitzer Muldental, the Kellerberge are presented as a visitor highlight in the “Valley of Castles.”

Köbe Nature Park comprises around twelve hectares of woodland, with a pond, an adventure playground and animal enclosures. A developed walking trail and a place to rest add to the park’s facilities. If you are visiting for a particular facility, check its current status in advance: individual facilities may change over time.

Discover more destinations: Großhartmannsdorf, Wechselburg, Striegistal, Burgstädt, Halsbrücke, Brand-Erbisdorf, Weißenborn/Erzgebirge, Roßwein.

For the regional travel overview: Central Saxony.