Johannisvorstadt Chemnitz
| Place: | Chemnitz (Chemnitz, Chemnitz City) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Suburban settlement |
| Dating: | Middle Ages | Late Middle Ages | Modern Times | since approx. 1200 AD. |
Description
Outside the gates of Chemnitz, which was fortified with a city wall in the Middle Ages, was by no means an uninhabited area. There were craft workshops that posed a fire hazard, such as potteries. Healthcare facilities that housed patients with potentially infectious diseases or the homes of those who were outcasts from society, such as the executioner and his family, were also located at the gates of the medieval town. However, due to increasing population figures, these settlements grew to such an extent that suburbs were founded. One example of this is the Johannisvorstadt district in the east of Chemnitz.
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckThe origin
The Johannisvorstadt dates back to a settlement from the late 12th or early 13th century. The foundation stone of St. John's Church was laid at this time. It was built in front of the former Johannistor, along the Gablenz stream, from where long-distance roads led to Augustusburg and south-east towards Zschopau. St. George's Hospital was built in the 14th century on the site where the smac (Chemnitz State Museum of Archaeology) and former Schocken department store are located today.
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2021.
Ceramic production at the gates
As expected, evidence of intensive ceramic production dating back to the late Middle Ages and early modern period can be found in many places in the Johannisvorstadt. During the excavations since 2018, it has been possible to repeatedly uncover large discharge pits filled with vessels and shards from misfires. Their contents reveal the production spectrum of the potteries. They mainly produced household tableware, but also kiln tiles and bricks.
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source Foto ©LfA 2018.
The path to today's cityscape
A closed urban development along the streets of Johannisvorstadt, as we know it today, only emerged in the course of the 18th century and was supplemented by buildings such as town houses and schools in the 19th century. The majority of these buildings were destroyed during the air raids of the Second World War and were completely demolished as part of GDR urban planning, which was intended to create space for new buildings. The excavations carried out by the Saxony State Office for Archaeology in the run-up to construction work provided a unique insight into the history of Johannisvorstadt. A unique finding from 2021/2022 is that of a mikvah, a Jewish immersion bath, in the area of the former "Goldner Anker" inn. Neither written sources nor old plans indicated this evidence of Jewish life in medieval and early modern Chemnitz before the excavation.
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2021.
Link archaeo | 3D
Literature
Christiane Hemker/Yves Hoffmann/Stefan Krabath, Stadtarchäologie in Chemnitz. Sächsische Heimatblätter 60, 2014, 406–419.
Christiane Hemker/Susanne Schöne/Petra Schug, In der Chemnitzaue. Archæo 16, 2019, 4–23.
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz, Draußen vor dem Tor. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 214–215.
Peter Hiptmair/Rebecca Wegener, Ein seltenes Zeugnis jüdischer Kultur. Archæo 19, 2022, 4–15.
Note on monument protection
Archaeological monuments are protected by the Saxon Monument Protection Act. A permit under monument law is required for ground interventions or construction measures.
Permalink
https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/johannisvorstadt-chemnitz/
Citation
Ronald Heynowski/Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie Reck, Johannisvorstadt Chemnitz. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (11.03.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/johannisvorstadt-chemnitz/ (Stand: 20.05.2025)
