map

Glauchau, the district town of the district Chemnitzer Land is situated at an altitude of 283 m on the river Zwickauer Mulde in the administrative district Chemnitz of Germany's state of Saxony. Its origins go back to the castle of the lords of Schönburg (later counts of Schönburg-Glauchau), which was built around 1170/1180. The town church St. Georgen was first mentioned in 1256. By 1335 Glauchau had obtained the status of a town. Since the early 15th century clothmaking and weaving were important economic factors for the town. The first spinning factory was opened in 1846, the first factory with mechanical looms opened in 1864.

The Rathaus (town hall) [top picture: centre] obtained its present appearance in 1818. The first town hall of Glauchau had been constructed in 1440. The belfry of the town hall contains a carillon made from porcellain from Meißen. It is played three times each day.

The Bürgerheim (former König-Albert-Stift) [bottom left] was built as a home for senior citizens in the second half of the 19th century. It is still in use for the same purpose.

The Stadtbad (municipal baths) [bottom right] was built in 1904/1908.

The mineralogist, physician, politician, teacher and historian Georgius AGRICOLA (1494–1555) was born in Glauchau. He attended schools in Glauchau, Chemnitz and Magdeburg, and then studied at the university of Leipzig and worked as a teacher at Zwickau. After his return from a journey to Italy, where he graduated, he returned to Saxony and worked as a physician in Joachimsthal (now Jáchymov, CZ) and in Chemnitz where he also became burgomaster. His fame is based on his books on grammatics, mineralogy, mining and history, which he published under his assumed name Agricola, the latin translation of his real name, Pawer (Bauer = engl. farmer). After his death he was buried in the cathedral of Zeitz. His most important book, 'De re metallica', which he had finished in 1551, was only published in 1556, one year after his death.