Historical Market Fair Zwickau — Through the Ages

Three Market Squares, Three Eras — A Journey Through City History

The Historical Market Fair Zwickau — Through the Ages is one of Saxony's most well-thought-out city festivals. Instead of an arbitrary medieval reenactment, it features a dramaturgical concept: Three central squares of the old town together form a historical arc from the Middle Ages to the Industrial Revolution. The festival is embedded in the Open Monument Day, which takes place nationwide on the second Sunday in September — those walking through Zwickau on the festival day can switch between the festival mile and the monument tour.

Domhof — Middle Ages and Early Modern Period

The Domhof is located in front of the Cathedral of St. Mary (Dom St. Marien), Zwickau's central sacred building from the 14th/15th century. Here, the life in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period is staged: Craftsmen in historical costumes demonstrate blacksmithing, saddlery, wool spinning, bread baking in an earthen oven, and parchment making. Squires practice with wooden swords, jugglers entertain the audience, herb women sell medicinal herbs, and a small stage presents medieval music with bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, and lute.

Hauptmarkt — The Biedermeier Era and Robert Schumann

The Hauptmarkt around the Town Hall and the Robert Schumann House (birthplace of the famous composer Robert Schumann, born in Zwickau in 1810) becomes the Biedermeier Market: Stalls with porcelain, picture frames, trinkets, crocheted lace, milliners with bonnets. Young ladies and gentlemen stroll in historical costumes of the 19th century, piano trios play Schumann and his contemporaries, and a Biedermeier-style café offers cake and tea. The Robert Schumann House itself opens its doors for special guided tours.

Kornmarkt — Industrial Revolution and Old Crafts

The Kornmarkt showcases the technical revolutions of the 19th/20th centuries and old crafts: Steam engine models, mining trains (Zwickau was an important mining town), printing presses, looms. The famous Zwickau automobile manufacturing (Audi predecessor Horch and Audi works founded in Zwickau in 1899) also gets its place with vintage cars and models.

Jugglers, Street Artists, Music

Overall, jugglers, street artists, stilt walkers, fire artists, storytellers, and musicians roam the old town. On small stages, medieval music alternates with 19th-century classical music and industrial music. For children, there are hands-on activities — archery with suction cups, coin minting, bread baking, candle dipping, quill writing.

Zwickau — Schumann City with Industrial History

The district-free city of Zwickau, with around 88,000 inhabitants, is located in western Saxony and is the birthplace of Robert Schumann (1810) and the place of activity for the automotive pioneer August Horch (Audi founder). With the Cathedral, the Schumann House, and the August Horch Museum, the city combines musical history, industrial history, and medieval heritage — a perspective that the Historical Market Fair makes visible in a single event.