Discover Kirchberg

Kirchberg: Mining History and Hiking Trails

Kirchberg combines mining history, local textile history and hiking opportunities. The “Kirchberger Granit” landscape conservation area includes Kirchberg; the König-Albert Tower stands on Borberg, with views towards the Ore Mountains and Vogtland. Different themes come together here: history, landscape and walking trails. When planning your visit, consider whether you would like to spend more time on museums and mining history or on hiking and views.

Mining at the “Am Graben” Visitor Mine

The “Am Graben” visitor mine explores the history of iron ore mining in Kirchberg, which dates back to the 17th century. Underground, you can see sinter formations made of iron ore, black manganese ore and calcite. More than 330 metres of Kirchberg granite can be visited in the mine. This brings two distinct aspects into focus: the history of mining and the rock formations in the mine. The section open to visitors may change during safety work; check the extent of the accessible area before your visit. Guided visits are available by prior arrangement outside regular opening times. Arrange your visit in advance.

Two Museums, Two Historical Perspectives

The Meisterhaus was built in 1812 as the former guild house of Kirchberg’s cloth makers and now houses Kirchberg’s textile and local history museum. The building and all its rooms are accessible without barriers. If construction work is under way, it is advisable to check the accessibility information again before your visit. The museum brings together the town’s textile heritage and local history; the building’s former role as a guild house offers an additional historical perspective.

The Alt Kirchberg Museum is housed in a reconstructed wool merchant’s house. It presents the history of Kirchberg and the former GDR. The museum is open during the Borberg Festival and the Old Town Festival. Outside these festival opening times, guided tours are available by prior arrangement. If you are planning a visit, check the festival dates or arrange a tour in advance. The two museums thus focus on different subjects: the Meisterhaus covers textile and local history, while the Alt Kirchberg Museum focuses on the town’s history and that of the former GDR.

Hiking, a Discovery Trail and Views from Borberg

The Hoher Forst mining landscape includes a nature and mining discovery trail, as well as a rest area for hikers with the Huthaus Engländerstolln shelter. The Seven Hills circular trail includes Borberg and is 11.2 kilometres long. The König-Albert Tower also stands on Borberg. There are 53 steps to the observation tower; from the top, views extend towards the Ore Mountains and Vogtland. These details answer different planning questions: 11.2 kilometres is the length of the circular trail, while 53 steps describe the climb up the tower. You can therefore plan the hiking route as a longer outing and treat the tower as a separate viewpoint on Borberg.

Hiking in Zwickau District

Zwickau District has an extensive, well-developed network of marked hiking trails, with many rest stops and places to eat; around 700 kilometres can be explored on foot. This figure applies to the district as a whole. By contrast, the Seven Hills circular trail, which includes Borberg, is a specific route with a stated length of 11.2 kilometres. The regional information and local trail details therefore offer two different scales for planning your trip.

Discover more destinations: Limbach-Oberfrohna, Waldenburg, Lichtentanne, Crinitzberg, Oberwiera, Mülsen, Glauchau, Hartenstein

See the full travel guide: Zwickauer Land.