Zittau: Discover unexpected cultural treasures
The historic town of Zittau is located in Upper Lusatia at the foot of the Zittau mountains where Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic meet. Its history goes back 750 years and takes visitors to a time when the town became rich and powerful through cloth trade and damask weaving. Even Zittau's greatest sights – two Medieval lenten cloths – are textiles. Culture lovers will also delight in the “Zittau Treasure”, a unique collection of elaborately designed and adorned tombstones and plaques commemorating the deceased from the 16th to 18th century which can be seen in the local monastery church.
Zittau’s fully preserved historic town centre is a treasure in itself. The market square is dominated by a magnificent town hall in the style of an Italian palace featuring a beautiful council hall and the church of St. Johannis with its 60-metre-high tower for excellent views. Further architectural highlights are the mighty Zittau Salt House, an armoury, horse stable and storehouse from the 16th century, Baroque fountains and the Fleischerbastei, one of the town’s old fortifications.
