On the traces of Plauen's industrial culture

At the start of the route, we recommend visiting the Schaustickerei, where you will gain valuable background knowledge about the lace and embroidery industry in Plauen and experience the function of the embroidery machines up close.

The second stop on the city walk is the Julius Tietz department store (today the district office). You can get there by tram from Vogtlandklinikum towards the central stop Tunnel or by car to the Neustadtplatz parking lot. The Tietz family company empire began in 1882 with a textile retail business in Gera and was extremely successful with the new sales strategy of offering a mixed assortment in large department stores.

Continue past the former Gebrüder Lay lace and ready-to-wear factory to the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of the city of Plauen. The designs of the building completed in 1915 come from the renowned architects Lossow & Kühne from Dresden, who also designed Leipzig Central Station. It became a masterpiece of architectural creation.

Continue over the Friedensbrücke, which with a 90 m span arch, a height of 21 m, and width of 17 m, is still the longest-spanned stone arch bridge in Europe. From the bridge, you can see the former Leopold Oscar Hartenstein curtain factory (today the promotion company for vocational training).

Optional route: Via Aktienweg you reach under the bridge. The Aktienweg was created in 1859 by the Aktienbrauverein, later Sternquell Brewery. On the other side of the bridge, a staircase leads back to Friedensstraße. If you choose this way, you should use the pedestrian traffic light at Dittrichplatz to get to Neundorfer Straße.

Arriving at Dittrichplatz, you can use the train towards the city center or follow the tracks to the New Town Hall. The construction of the New Town Hall from 1913 to 1922 was necessary because the population increased sharply due to the boom in the embroidery and lace industry, and administrative tasks increased drastically. The savings bank next door was also designed by city building councilor Goette and built in 1911/12. Past here, turn onto Nobelstraße towards the Vogtland Museum. Today's museum houses bear witness to the flourishing cotton goods trade of pre-industrial times. The double house built from 1787 to 1789 with the splendid ballroom in the Louis XVI style was commissioned by Johann Christian Baumgärtel.

Along the steeply sloping Mühlberg, leave the malt house on the left and reach the Fabrik der Fäden Weisbachsches Haus Plauen Deutsches Forum für Textil und Spitze. As a new and innovative museum for the textile industry, the Fabrik der Fäden has opened its doors since November 2023 in one of the oldest surviving manufactory buildings in Germany, offering 1,200 square meters of interactive exhibition space.

Follow the alley further and take a look at the weavers' houses and the craftsmen's courtyard. Even today, these houses convey an impression of the living conditions of most Plauen residents over 200 years ago. The entire development of the area between Mühlgraben and the White Elster is closely linked to the flourishing cotton weaving of the 17th and 18th centuries. On the right from here, you can see the Hempel factory. Founded in 1830, the finishing establishment F. A. Hempel earned a good reputation with the finishing of embroidery, lace, and curtains.

After climbing the stairs of Pfortengasse, you pass St. John’s Church, reach the Old Market and the Old Town Hall. Now a culinary stop in the rustic pubs or small cafés of the old town is possible.