Aue: Mining History, Art Nouveau and Animal Worlds

Aue combines mining history and Art Nouveau with wildlife watching and activities. At Heidelsberg, an educational trail introduces visitors to mining from the 17th to the 19th century; in the city, you can also discover historic architecture and a range of leisure activities. This lets you shape your stay around the topics that interest you most.

Mining History at Heidelsberg

The mining trail at Heidelsberg shares insights into historic mining. Display and information boards, along with historic mining features, provide tangible points of interest along the route. More than 200 mines once extracted tin ore at Heidelsberg—a figure that illustrates the importance of mining in the history of this place. Walking the trail is considered an impressive nature experience.

The trail begins at the City Museum and leads to the Huthaus of the Weiße Erdenzeche St. Andreas. The museum also focuses on local history and the area’s historic mining. It is housed in a reconstructed Huthaus dating from the 17th century, set amid a former miners’ settlement. This means you can combine a walk featuring information boards and historic objects with a museum visit on the same day out.

City History and Art Nouveau

Another historic landmark is the Friedenskirche Aue-Zelle. Designed and built by Dresden building councillors Schilling & Gräbner, the church is considered an outstanding example of Art Nouveau in religious architecture. It was consecrated on Laetare Sunday, March 22, 1914. In addition to the mining theme, architecture enthusiasts will find their own way to explore Aue’s history here.

A walk through Aue also offers a glimpse of the city’s built heritage: you can explore numerous bridges and the façades of old townhouses in the Gründerzeit and Art Nouveau styles. From the city centre, the City Museum is just a few minutes’ walk in the direction of St. Nicolaikirche and the Eichert residential area. This can help you include a museum visit in a day spent in the city centre.

Discover Animals and Nature

The Aue zoo is home to more than 400 miniature animals representing over 70 species. These include rare miniature forms of wild animals and the world’s smallest domestic animal breeds. Animal and species numbers may change over time. The Zoo of Minis in Aue specialises in miniature and dwarf animals and is considered the only zoo of its kind in the world; visitor facilities include a playground.

The miniUNI at the Zoo of Minis complements the animal theme with seminars, workshops and opportunities to meet under the motto “Following Nature’s Trail.” As part of these activities, participants can observe small or large animals, search for tracks and collect herbs under the guidance of trained specialists. This offers different ways to engage with nature, from observing animals to looking for tracks and plants. When planning your visit, you can therefore consider both the animals and the guided nature activities as separate themes.

Activities in the City

If you’d like to include active pursuits, Icehouse Aue offers an ice rink measuring approximately 22 × 56 metres for recreational skating and endurance sports. It is located in the former workshop of the Wismut mining equipment plant BBA. Visitors can swim laps at the Aue swimming pool, a sports pool in the Aue district. If swimming or skating is part of your plans, check the respective opening times in advance.

Alongside historic walks, you can choose from animal watching, nature activities, ice skating and swimming. These options let you tailor your stay to your interests rather than limiting Aue to a single type of excursion.

Getting There: The Wider Region

For the wider Aue-Bad Schlema region, regional trains provide access via Zwickau or Chemnitz. Bus services connect key attractions within the region, and the area can be reached by car via the B93, B101 or B169. These regional connections provide a basis for your journey and further exploration.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Lauter/Sachsen, Geyer, Eibenstock, Thum, Schlettau, Neukirchen/Erzgebirge, Tannenberg, Annaberg-Buchholz.

Go to the regional travel overview: Erzgebirgskreis.