Around about the time that Art Nouveau began to spread throughout Germany, the number of Zwickau's inhabitants increased significantly - from 44,198 in 1890 to 73,542 in 1910.
The economic upswing, which brought with it an enormous demand for labourers, unleashed a veritable boom in construction. As a result, the city expanded - mostly towards the North, largely thanks to its more favourable geographical conditions. Zwickau's methodically planned northern developments, brimming with mansions and rented living quarters, therefore represented one of the most densely populated areas in the city in the 1900s. The district is still one of the city's most popular residential areas today.
The special care and attention given to the conservation of the district's monuments rests on the consistent quantity and quality of the city's urban structures, as well as on that of individual buildings. Largely restored to its former glory, Zwickau's Nordvorstadt district is home to the city's best examples of Art Nouveau architecture today.
