First visitor center for Unesco World Heritage Site planned in Marienberg

An important point of contact for visitors to the Erzgebirge/Krušnohoří UNESCO World Heritage Site is being created in Marienberg: the first of six visitor centers on the Saxon and Czech sides. With the recognition of the region as a World Heritage Site, it has joined the ranks of globally significant cultural landscapes, explained Saxony's Minister of Culture and Tourism Barbara Klepsch (CDU) at the laying of the foundation stone. This treasure must be cared for and its value to tourism must be sustainably enhanced. "The World Heritage Visitor Center will make an important contribution to this."

Implementation has been repeatedly delayed

The mining region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site for five years. "With the visitor centers, we are literally placing lighthouses in our World Heritage Site," explained Steve Ittershagen, Managing Director of the World Heritage Association. However, implementation has been repeatedly delayed. The town of Marienberg, for example, once set the opening date for its center at the beginning of 2024. It will be located on the town's striking market square, which was built in the 16th century according to the ideals of the Italian Renaissance. The historic old town is one of the 17 components of the Montanregion on the German side, with a further five in the Czech Republic.

More visitor centers planned

More visitor centers are planned for Schneeberg, Annaberg-Buchholz and Freiberg as well as in Krupka and Jachymov. They are to become important points of contact for guests and locals. The content of the centers will reportedly be designed by a creative agency.

In addition to the mining region, Saxony has two other cross-border UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Muskauer Park and the settlements of the Moravian Church.