Freiberg, city, east central Germany, in Saxony (Sachsen), on the Freiberger Mulde River, near Dresden and Chemnitz. It lies on the northern slopes of the Erzgebirge about 404 m (about 1325 ft) above sea level. Freiberg has long been the center of the state's important lead- and silver-mining industry. Manufactures include gold and silver articles, woolencloth, leather, china, machinery, chemicals, scientific and optical instruments, and cigars. The Mining Academy (1765) and a radium research facility are located here.
The area was settled about 1180, after the discovery of silver deposits nearby. Freiberg contains a cathedral originally dating from the 12th century, rebuilt in Gothic style after its destruction by fire in the late 15th century, and restored in 1893. A doorway, known as the Golden Gate, remains from the original structure. Henry the Pious, duke of Saxony, and a number of his successors are buried in the cathedral. Population (1997) 47,928.
