The city of Leipzig in eastern Germany has been a center for trade, music and publishing for more than 800 years. In 1485, printing began with the first book written in the German language. In 1631 Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Leipzig. Located on the River Pleisse, Leipzig is home to attractive monuments and churches. Its two most iconic buildings are St. Thomas Church and St. Nicholas' Church which are both world-renowned works of architecture. Including Old Town Hall, St. Nicholas Church, St. Thomas Church, New Town Hall, Monument to the Battle of the Nations, Brühl Street, Museum of the GDR Secret Police, Moritzbastei, Augustus Square, Gewandhaus, Leipzig Zoological Garden, Russian Orthodox Church, Museum of Fine Arts, Leipzig Opera, Old Stock Exchange, The Romanus House, Bach Museum, Leipzig Riverside Forest, Natural History Museum, Leipzig Panometer, Leipzig Botanical Garden, Wildpark, Leipzig Hauptbahnhof, St. Peter's Church, Mendelssohn House and many more sightseeing highlights of Leipzig.