map

Annaberg is situated at an altitude of 673 m at the foot of the Hoher Pöhlberg (823 m) in the Erzgebirge region of soutwestern Saxony. The town was founded in 1496 as "Neustadt am Schreckenberg" five years after silver had been found in the Schreckenberg mountain. Already in 1497 it was chartered as a town. Two years after the church of St. Ann (see below) was begun, the town became known as "St. Annaberg". At that time it was the second-largest town in Saxony. The mining of silver reached its peak in 1537. The tradition of lace manufacture is documented since 1561. The first factory for ornamental trimmings opened in 1832. This industry became so important that an own technical school for this brach of industry was founded here in 1909. The railroad from Annaberg to Chemnitz was opened in 1860, the railroad to Weipert (now Vejprty, CZ) in Bohemia followed in 1872. After World War II, Annaberg and the town of Buchholz were merged in 1945; the new municipality took the name Annaberg-Buchholz.

The Sankt Annenkirche (church of St. Anne) [centre] was built in 1499–1525 and is the largest and one of the most important examples of the late Gothic Upper Saxon hall churches. The massive tower was completed in1532. In 1539 the church became Protestant. Art historical treasures are the intricate late Gothic ribbed vaulting and numerous carved stone reliefs. The "Bergaltar" ("mountain altar") was created in 1521 by Hans Witten and an unknown sculptor. It is one of the world's very first pieces of art depicting labourers. The baptismal font and the "Beautiful Gate", originally created for the monasteries of Chemnitz and Annaberg, also were created by Hans Witten. Two of the large bells in the tower, cast in 1814, were confiscated in 1942 but fortunately were not melted down. They were found again in Hamburg and returned to the church in 1948. The large organ was built in 1884 by the Walcker company and was reconstructed in 1992–1995.

Between 1523 and 1559 Annaberg was home of the famous mathematician Adam RIES (1492–1559).