Clara Zetkin Park, Leipzig

Clara Zetkin Park, known locally as Clara Park, is a prominent green space in Leipzig. Originally established as Leipzig's largest park in 1955, it spanned 125 hectares (309 acres). However, in 2011, the park was redefined, with Johannapark and Palmengarten becoming independent parks, leaving only the former Scheibenholz Park and König-Albert-Park (named after Albert of Saxony) under the Clara-Zetkin-Park designation.

Named after the politician and women’s rights activist Clara Zetkin (1857-1933), the park is situated on the southwestern edge of the Stadtbezirk Mitte, approximately two kilometers southwest of Leipzig’s city center. It serves as a vital link between the northern and southern sections of the Leipzig Riverside Forest. The Elsterflutbett (the flood channel of the Elster River) divides the park into eastern and western parts, connected by The Saxons' Bridge.

From 1950 to 1958, Clara Zetkin Park hosted city park races for motorcycles and racing cars, attracting up to 200,000 spectators, including GDR motor racing championships. After 2000, cultural activities were revived, with the Park Stage offering concerts and cinema in summer, and serving as a venue for the Wave-Gotik-Treffen festival. The park also features a large playground, the Glashaus Restaurant in the former café, and a beer and café garden at the restored music pavilion for public events.

The park's facilities cater to a variety of recreational activities. Runners frequent the park paths, and Anton-Bruckner-Allee, with its bituminized surface, is popular among inline skaters. The western part of the park is home to the sports club BSV AOK Leipzig, which provides a center for health sports, including rehabilitation, fitness, and prophylactic health activities. A modern miniature golf course is also available on the premises.

Every January, the Leipzig Winter Marathon takes place in Clara-Zetkin-Park and the adjacent Die Nonne forest area, adding to the park's vibrant role in the city's community life.