City (pop., 2002 est.: 493,052), east-central Germany.
Situated in western Saxony state, it was in the 11th century a fortified town known as Urbs Libzi. It was granted municipal status by 1170, and its location on the principal trade routes of central Europe made it an important commercial centre. Several battles of the Thirty Years' War were fought near the city, which was also the site of the Battle of Leipzig (1813). Massive demonstrations in Leipzig in 1989 helped topple East Germany's communist regime. Historic features include the University of Leipzig (1409), the 13th-century church of St. Thomas, and the annual Leipzig Fair.