If you love history, photography, or Hollywood classics, you may already be convinced enough to visit Görlitz! But the appeal of this little city goes way beyond the above-mentioned highlights.
Maybe you fancy walking over a bridge into another country? Yes, crossing the border between Germany and Poland is as simple – and picturesque – as strolling along the Old Town or John Paul II Bridges.
Indeed, Görlitz and its twin Polish city, Zgorzelec, used to be a single unit, split after World War II. Still today, locals go about their business hopping from the German to the Polish shore and vice versa on a daily basis. So Görlitz/Zgorzelec definitely also ticks off that multi-cultural element!
What’s more, Görlitz is surrounded by greenery. From scenic river paths to lush parks and old neighbourhoods with tall trees, you’ll never be far from nature.
If you’d like a city break that combines heritage, culture and nature, make sure to book yourself a little Görlitz getaway. And for tips on 5 unmissable things to do in Görlitz, read on!
1. Admire Perfectly Preserved Architecture
As Görlitz was virtually spared from World War II destruction (one of the only cities in Germany, in fact), today’s visitors will discover a wide range of architectural styles spanning at least 9 centuries. Testifying to this fact, there are around 4,000 protected buildings and monuments in Görlitz!
Of course, like all parts of East Germany, Görlitz’s buildings suffered during the communist era, but since the fall of the wall, these have regained their original splendor.
In fact, restoration was made possible so quickly by a generous benefactor whose identity remains unknown to the public. Since 1995, Görlitz’s mysterious saviour has been donating millions of euros to renovation efforts each year.
2. Visit a Baroque Mansion: Glimpse at the Wealth of Yesteryear
Step inside Görlitz’s Barockhaus and escape to the 17th century. This beautiful mansion is at the heart of the Old Town and belonged to one of Görlitz’s most successful merchants.
The elaborate home testifies to Görlitz’s wealthy past, as a town at the crossroads of several important Eastern European trading routes. Sail through lavishly decorated rooms and imagine what daily life was like for members of the Ameiss family.
Before you leave Barockhaus, make sure to stop at the crown jewel of this stately home: the Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences. This is such a wonderful feature that it deserves its own section in this post!
3. Wonder at the Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences
Book lovers, you need to stop at the Upper Lusatian Library of Sciences when you visit Görlitz! Set within Barockhaus, it is home to over 140,000 books and is widely considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries on the planet.
You’ll most likely want to get a picture of the famous Historic Library Hall with its wooden, quadruple arches, so make sure that you purchase a ticket that includes photo rights!
This costs 5 € on top of the regular 5 € entrance fee to the Barockhaus. (Be sure to bring cash, as when I visited I had to run to an ATM because cards weren’t accepted.)
4. Discover Görlitz’s Fortified Towers
As were many cities in Europe, Görlitz was once protected by a wall. Three out of 4 original fortified towers remain, watching over Görlitz for 900 years.
The tallest one is the Reichenbach Tower, most likely built back in the 13th century, although the exact date is unknown. Today, the 51-metre tower is a viewing platform.
Then there’s the Thick Tower (or Dicke Turm in German). While Reichenbach was modified over the centuries to suit current trends and needs, the Thick Tower remains today roughly as it was back in the 1250s, minor restorations aside. Travelers can visit the inside of the tower, as it holds a small museum.
Fun fact: during the Communist era, students at the nearby university liked to party inside the Dicke Turm!
Görlitz’s third watchtower is called Nikolai. Historians estimate that it was built before 1250, making it the oldest remaining tower in Görlitz. Today, it is also a museum – and makes for a great central element when photographing street scenes, like below.
5. Step Into Movie Scenes
Görlitz is sometimes also referred to as Görliwood, and it indeed is the German Hollywood, granted the title of European Film Location of the Decade from 2007 to 2017.
Interestingly, GDR rulers started this filming tradition in the 1950s to produce propaganda reels. Since then, over 100 movies and TV series have come to life in the streets of Görlitz. There are many ways that visitors can experience the world of film while in town.
One very popular option is to do a guided tour of the stately Brauner Hirsch mansion, in which 8 movies of different genres – including the Grand Budapest Hotel – were shot.
Visitors can also sit back and relax aboard the double-decker Görliwood Entdecker bus, taking them to Görlitz’s many, varied filming locations. (Please note that both the Brauner Hirsch and Görliwood Entecker tours are currently only offered in German.)
Through a self-guided Walk of Görliwood, movie buffs can explore the Filmstadt on their own as well.
Since the end of February 2020, themed display windows outside the Brauner Hirsch and in Görlitz’s Untermarkt showcase artifacts, props and sets used in popular films. All stations are illuminated and can be visited at any time.