Freiberg, in Saxony, is famed for centuries of silver mining, a well-preserved old town, and its renowned TU Bergakademie Freiberg. Nicknamed the “Silver City,” Freiberg prospered in the Middle Ages as a mining center—heritage still visible in historic buildings and museums. The old town’s medieval charm centers on the Cathedral of St. Mary, famed for the “Golden Portal” and tulip pulpit, and the Obermarkt framed by historic façades and the town hall. Schloss Freudenstein houses “terra mineralia,” one of the world’s largest and most beautiful mineral collections. The City and Mining Museum dives deep into silver mining and urban development. One of the world’s oldest mining universities, the Bergakademie shapes the city’s scientific and cultural life. At the edge of the Ore Mountains, Freiberg is also a great base for hiking in beautiful mountain landscapes—a unique blend of tradition, science, and nature.