Görlitz: Old Town, Museums and Cultural History

Görlitz combines a distinctive historic cityscape with churches, museums and opportunities to explore the surrounding area by bike. When planning your trip, you can focus on what interests you most: architecture and city history, exhibitions, film or outdoor activities. The topics covered range from St. Peter’s Church and the Holy Sepulchre to the route along the Neisse.

Old Town and sacred architecture

Görlitz’s historic cityscape includes 4,000 architectural monuments and is considered one of the best-preserved ensembles in Central Europe. A defining feature of the city skyline is the twin towers of St. Peter’s Church, one of Görlitz’s landmarks. The church’s interior also offers a remarkable example of organ building: the Sun Organ has 17 sun-shaped groups of pipes and can imitate birdsong, including the calls of the cuckoo and nightingale.

Another religious building is the Holy Sepulchre complex. It consists of a double chapel, an anointing house and a tomb chapel modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Together with St. Peter’s Church, it shows the different forms religious architecture takes in Görlitz: on the one hand, the striking church with its twin towers and distinctive organ; on the other, an ensemble of several interconnected buildings.

Museums and city history

The Kaisertrutz spans 14,000 years of cultural history; it also houses special exhibitions and a modern gallery. The Silesian Museum in the Schönhof has a different focus: it presents nine centuries of Silesian history and explores Silesian history and culture across 2,000 square metres. Comparing their subjects can help you choose: the Kaisertrutz offers a broad cultural-historical perspective, while the Silesian Museum places the history and culture of Silesia at its centre.

The Reichenbach Tower also combines history with a viewpoint. Its themes include the city’s defences and the history of the tower keepers. Görlitz can also be explored through its film history: more than 100 film productions have been made here since the 1950s. This adds another cultural point of interest to the city’s architectural and museum perspectives.

Walking route, cycle route and trip planning

A walking route through the historic Old Town begins and ends at Görlitz Information Centre on Obermarkt. If you plan to take it, check the current access conditions before your trip. For a different way to explore, a cycle route follows the Neisse from the Old Town Bridge to Hagenwerder and then continues to Berzdorf Lake. The lake is described as a recreational lake with water sports, beaches, and walking and cycling paths. The route information provided therefore describes two different options: a walking loop starting and ending at Obermarkt, and a cycle route with a stated continuation to the lake.

To reach the cycle route, take tram line 1 or 2 to Jägerkaserne, then walk about ten minutes to the Old Town Bridge. Check current local public transport information before setting out. The directions thus describe both how to get to the Old Town Bridge and the continuation via Hagenwerder. They do not specify a total duration for the entire cycle route.

Culinary connections

Görlitz’s traditional dishes draw on Silesian, Saxon and Polish cuisine. Schlesisches Himmelreich (Silesian Heaven) is a distinctive dish of Silesian cuisine. These connections provide a culinary context for your trip without implying anything about a particular restaurant or its menu.

Discover more destinations: Mittelherwigsdorf, Herrnhut, Großschweidnitz, Gablenz, Oybin, Schönau-Berzdorf Auf Dem Eigen, Weißkeißel, Ostritz.

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