In 2021, Görlitz celebrates its 950th city anniversary. The city is looking forward to the popular annual highlights and to celebrating them together with citizens and visitors. In addition, the area of the town hall will become an event forum with a wide range of offerings from May to October 2021. Numerous ideas from Görlitz citizens, which were awarded prizes in the "We are Görlitz" competition, will also make the city area more colourful in the anniversary year.
Good Friday, 02 April 2021
The traditional Way of the Cross on Good Friday with its stations from St. Peter's Church to the Holy Sepulchre in Görlitz can unfortunately not be carried out as usual this year. However, this Way of the Cross can be viewed virtually as a 3-D tour on the website of the Evangelical Cultural Foundation Görlitz: http://www.evkulturstiftunggr.de/eng.html
The devotion for the hour of Jesus' death will be livestreamed from the Golgotha Chapel of the Holy Sepulchre in Görlitz at 3 pm on Good Friday. http://evkulturstiftunggr.de/streaming.html
29 April - 05 May 2021 - Cancelled!
The French composer Olivier Messiaen proved that music does not separate, but connects, when he composed his masterpiece "Quartett auf das Ende der Zeit" during his imprisonment in the prisoner of war camp Stalag VIII A in Görlitz (today Zgorzelec) and performed it for the first time in the camp on 15 January 1941. Around the 15th of January, in memory of all those who suffered and hoped in this camp, the International Messiaen Days will take place - a festival with high-calibre artists that makes it possible to experience the existential power of music in a variety of ways.
18 May - 23 May 2021
Since 2004, the trinational festival has offered young and established filmmakers from Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic a forum and the public a cross-border programme with around 100 films, concerts, exhibitions, readings and parties in the border triangle on the River Neisse.
23 May 2021
The various churches of Görlitz present a musical festival of a special kind. Every year the annual Görlitzer Organ Night takes place on Whitsunday. You can experience the organs in the churches of the "Evangelische Innenstadtgemeinde" and the organ in the cathedral St. Jakobus. The Sun Organ in St. Peter's Church will open the Night of the Organ with a concert and end it in the evening.
The exhibition can be seen in "Brüderstraße 9", one of the Görlitzer Hall Houses. In addition to the main exhibit, the unrenovated Hall House itself, there are large-format photos of other Hall Houses along the Via Regia, a high-precision 3D print of the building at "Brüderstraße 9", and an animated film about the Görlitzer Hall Houses.
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2 June - 13 June 2021
A quarter of a century of rousing jazz in Görlitz: The festival offers concerts at four "lost places" and other venues in Görlitz, Berthelsdorf, Löbau, Bad Muskau and Horka. An atrium, old factory buildings, castle courtyards and a historic stable become sound spaces for great music and meeting places for a surprising audience.
6 June 2021
The European Marathon is planned again for the beginning of June. The run will be prepared according to the valid Saxon Corona Protection Ordinance. There will be a new course, where there will be the half marathon, the 10 km run and a short distance.
probably 20 June 2021
Visitors have the exclusive chance to look at more than twenty restored, non restored, well-known and unknown houses of all architectural styles which are usually not open to the public.
1 July - 3 July 2021
For three days, the streets and squares of the European city of Görlitz/ Zgorzelec are transformed into a large open-air theatre stage and become a meeting place for cultures. The ViaThea is a meeting place for artists and spectators of different nationalities.
Enjoy theatre in a wonderful atmosphere and become part of a variety of productions. Experience a new city on these days. Be curious and look forward with us to the international street theatre festival ViaThea in Görlitz/ Zgorzelec.
17 July - 18 July 2021
The Silesian pottery market is a craft market. The potters stand with their name for the quality and uniqueness of their products. Each piece is the result of loving craftsmanship. The Silesian pottery market surprises with an impressive variety. No matter if decoration articles or utensils, all goods can be found in different styles.
22 August - 24 August 2021
21 years of ultimate challenge at Lake Olbersdorf in front of the scenery of the Zittau Mountains Nature Park. Experience with us the fascinating history of our O-SEE Challenge from a 5-man run to an internationally highly regarded highlight in the cross-triathlon scene.
Cross-Triathlon-Sport at the highest level accompanied by an exciting supporting program - it´s a MUST! It offers fun and experience with international flair for all athletes, spectators and guests.
27 August - 29 August 2021
For three days, the historic city centre of Görlitz and one of the districts of Zgorzelec are turned into a stage for a historic spectacle where both locals and visitors enjoy the biggest festival in the region. People laugh, dance, sing, meet, talk, feast, buy, paddle and celebrate. Several stages in the city centre offer a varied programme which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.
The multi-sector cultural festival reflects the transformation of Lusatia as a cultural theme of European format and global significance. To this end, a wide range of events will take place in the region from Lübben to Zittau and thus across the states of Saxony and Brandenburg: concerts, theater, jazz, song recitals, exhibitions, installations and discussions.
12 September 2021
On this day, you go on a discovery tour in Görlitz to some of the almost 4,000 monuments, which otherwise remain rather hidden. In the surroundings of the monument day, the special heritage of the town can be experienced through concerts, guided tours and many other activities with the craftsmen's market and a supporting programme.
19 November 2021 - 09 January 2022
In the romantic scenery of the Obermarkt in front of the trinity church, both small and large skaters can skate.
03 December - 19 December 2021
Craftspeople and traders present commodities and delicacies from Silesia, Saxony, Poland and Bohemia. Christmas crib, animal enclosures or reading tent are popular attractions for all visitors. Moreover, you can look forward to high-quality merchandise from the border triangle and tasty culinary delights from our region. A lot of music is played on the historical stage every day. From classical trombone sounds to Christmas jazz to the Great Christmas Singing. A special attraction will enrich the market time: Romantic ice skating on the Obermarkt.
June 2022
Traditionally in June each year, the Landskron BRAU manufactory is a hot spot. At the "BRAUfest der Sinne" a world of pleasure opens up for the visitor. In a beautiful listed Wilhelminian style area on about four hectares there are attractions for the whole family. The highlight is the spectacular fireworks display on Saturday evening.
Autumn 2022
This festival week is dedicated to the musical work of Johann-Sebastian-Bach and is performed in the Görlitz churches of the Protestant "Innenstadtgemeinde". In addition to the opening concert you will experience cantata devotions and a radio service for the harvest festival and the performance of a cantata in St. Peter's Church.
Picture sources:
Photo „Exhibition - The Görlitzer Hall Houses”: Ulrich Schwarz (Berlin), Photo "Messiaen days": Meetingpoint Music Messiaen, Photo "Stations of the Cross procession": C. Freudrich, Photo "Neiße Filmfestival": Hannes Roensch, Photo "Organ Night": Evangelische Innenstadtgemeinde, Photo "Jazzfestival": Reinhard Schubert, Photo "European-Marathon": Europamarathon Görlitz-Zgorzelec e.V., Photo "Restoration Day": Stadt Görlitz, Photo "Landskron Brewery Festival": Landskron BRAU-MANUFAKTUR, Photo "Street Theater VIATHEA": Nikolai Schmidt, Photo "Pottery Market": Roswitha Wintermann, Photo "O See Challenge": Stadt Zittau, Photo "Historic City Festival": Sächsische Zeitung, Photo "Lusatia Festival": Nikolai Schmidt, Photo "European Heritage Day": Rainer Michel, Photo "Ice skating in Görlitz": Nikolai Schmidt, Photo "Christmas Market": Nikolai Schmidt, Photo "Bach Week": Magnet Werbeagentur
Historic City Festival Görlitz, Photo: Nikolai Schmidt
