550 years Anniversary
The origins of the town lie in the 15th century, when as early as 1453 a mine uff dem Sneberge bie Zcwickau is mentioned and in the following years a mining boom (Berggeschrey) begins. After several silver discoveries, a wildly growing scattered settlement developed from 1471 on. In 1477, 153 mines are already known by name and in the same year the “Great Silver Find” occurs in the field of the Alte Fundgrube. In 1481 the mining settlement on the Snow Mountain (german: Schneeberg) is already elevated to the status of a free mining town. In 1483 Duke Albrecht of Saxony founded the Schneeberger Münze. The town’s rapid wealth became widely visible in the early 16th century; the citizens made possible the construction of St. Wolfgang’s Church, the largest late Gothic hall church in Saxony and the town’s current landmark. In 2021 Schneeberg celebrates the 550th anniversary of its town foundation.
City Fire and Baroque Town
Schneeberg is also called the baroque town (Barockstadt) of the Ore Mountains. The cause was August 13, 1719, when a fire broke out in the center of the town and quickly spread to a wildfire, destroying the buildings of the city center. In the rich city there was enough capital for a quick rebuilding of the city. This was realized in the late Baroque style and numerous remarkable Baroque buildings were created, which still characterize the cityscape today.
Fürstenplatz
Our panorama presents the street view of the west side of Fuerstenplatz with the transition to Seminarstraße on the right. The Fuerstenplatz square is located at the back of the town hall and thus forms a common large square area with the market square on both sides of the town hall. To be seen here from the left are the Schmeil House with its striking rococo façade, then a rich baroque building modeled on Leipzig town houses with an anchor symbol above the portal (unrenovated), another town house (green façade) and the Fürstenhaus which today belongs to the Sparkasse bank. To the right of the crossing Sonnengasse is the baroque building of the cultural center “Goldne Sonne”, to its right the street continues in less conspicuous buildings with partly baroque portals along Seminarstraße (preview under the detailed pictures).
The Historic Old Town of Schneeberg is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Montane Cultural Landscape Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří”.
This street perspective of the Fürstenplatz in Schneeberg was presented in week 35 of our 101 weeks 101 cities of europe project. Additionally you will find our Schneeberg panorama in our virtual exhibition Saxony Street Fronts.
