Visitors to the European Capital of Culture will be welcomed next year in a lavishly renovated former factory building in Chemnitz. The Hartmannfabrik has been completely refurbished over the past few years at a cost of around 10.5 million euros. The keys were officially handed over on Friday. The building, which is around 15 to 20 minutes' walk from the main train station, will not only serve as a prestigious visitor center, but also as the headquarters of Kulturhauptstadt GmbH.
The project was implemented in a public-private partnership. The construction project was financed by the private owner Udo Pfeifer, who also received funding from the heritage conservation authorities. As the user, the city rents the property. According to Pfeifer, work began in 2021. Like similar projects, it has become around 20 to 25 percent more expensive than initially planned.
Chemnitz is expecting around two million visitors next year as European Capital of Culture under the title "C the Unseen". The opening is planned for January 18. More than 1,000 events are on the program, said the commercial director, Andrea Pier, on Friday. Numerous congresses and trade fairs are also planned for Chemnitz in 2025.
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