Excursion destination watch manufactory Glashütte

Those who, in addition to Natureand Hiking culturally in the Ore Mountains wants to occupy himself, comes to the Folk art and perhaps also the watch manufacturer Glashütte.

Traditional craftsmanship

The Museum of the Glashütte Clock Manufactory is a must for every visitor to the Erzgebirge and especially for those interested in culture who are enthusiastic about the traditional craftsmanship of clock making. The museum is located in the historic building of the former watch factory and provides a vivid insight into the history and development of watchmaking in Glashütte.

Fascinating exhibition

Over an area of 1,000 square metres, visitors can experience the fascinating world of mechanical timekeeping. The exhibition presents an impressive collection of clocks that have been produced from the founding of the manufactory in 1845 to the present day. Visitors can not only view the clocks, but also watch the craftsmen at work and learn about the manufacture and restoration of clocks.

Das Museum bietet auch Führungen an, die die Geschichte der Uhrenmanufaktur und die Technologie hinter der Herstellung von Uhren erklären. Ein besonderes Highlight ist das „Zeit-Automat“ genannte Uhrwerk, das die Zeit in vier unterschiedlichen Zonen anzeigt und in der Lage ist, die Bewegungen von Sonne und Mond zu simulieren.

Over 175 years of history

The history of watchmaking in Glashütte begins in 1845, when Ferdinand Adolph Lange founded a watch factory. He not only brought watch production to Glashütte, but also the idea of mass production and the use of high-quality materials.

At that time, the region was known for its mining and glassmaking traditions, which formed a solid basis for watchmaking. In the following years, Glashütte developed into an important centre of the watchmaking industry, where numerous mechanics and watchmakers perfected their craft and developed innovative technologies.

Nach dem Zweiten Weltkrieg wurde die Uhrenindustrie in Glashütte verstaatlicht und firmierte als „VEB Glashütter Uhrenbetriebe“. Unter dieser Bezeichnung wurden bis 1990 Uhren für den Ostblock produziert. Nach der Wiedervereinigung wurde die Uhrenmanufaktur Glashütte Original gegründet und erhielt den Auftrag, die lange Tradition der Glashütter Uhrenherstellung fortzuführen.Today, the watch manufacturer Glashütte Original stands for the highest precision and quality and is known worldwide for its exclusive and handcrafted watches.

Multimedia projection table clearly explains how different clock mechanisms work

Those interested in the workings of the sophisticated clocks may be particularly fascinated by the multimedia projection table towards the end of the permanent exhibition. There, the structure of a complex mechanical watch is illustrated by illuminating and displaying various functions individually, for example the striking mechanism; what happens when a watch is "wound"; how the date change works; and much more. The mechanical processes are illustrated in a clear, fascinating and instructive way.

Anyone interested in the history of watchmaking should definitely visit the manufactory and be enchanted by the over 175-year-old craftsmanship of the watchmakers. You can visit the museum from Wednesday to Sunday between 10 am and 5 pm. Adults pay just €7, children under 6 are free and there are family and concession tickets available. More You can find more details here.

Other offers in and around the customs house are Yoga(guided) Hikes, Wim Hof Workshops, Massages and Saunas.