The southern region of Leipzig bears the scars of lignite mining begun about 200 years ago. A considerable number of villages were destroyed to meet the energy requirements of the new industrialized era. The enormous dimensions of former open-cast mines are still clearly visible in the countryside. But more and more terrain is being reclaimed by nature. Reforested areas, newly created lakes and the filling of remaining open-cast mining pits give a foretaste of the new Saxon lake land area.
The redevelopment of the mining landscape south of Leipzig was also a project for the World Exposition EXPO 2000.
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