16/04/2023
To the north of Weimar rises the 478-meter-high Ettersberg, notorious as the place where the N***s established the Buchenwald concentration camp in 1937 and where an estimated 56,000 people died. Now a memorial site, Buchenwald Memorial (Gedenkstätte Buchenwald) is a sobering reminder of the horrors of fascism. The memorial, which includes the Grove of Honor and a bell-tower, was laid out on the southern slope of the hill at the site of mass graves.
16/04/2023
Weimar's main cemetery, Fürstengruft Historischer Friedhof, is famous as the final resting place of both Goethe and Schiller, who were laid to rest here side-by-side. This fact, along with the cemetery's many splendid monuments and park-like setting, makes a visit one of the top things to do in Weimar.
16/04/2023
Weimar's castle (Stadtschloss, or Schloss Weimar) is an attractive three-story building with a Neoclassical colonnade facing the River Ilm. It's notable for its fine interior, including the staircase hall, the Great Hall, and the Falcon Gallery from 1803, as well as the Goethe Gallery.
16/04/2023
The central feature of the Old Town of Weimar is the Town Church (Stadtkirche), or Herder Church. This late Gothic hall-church was built in 1500 and is dedicated to Saints Peter and Paul, hence its third name, St. Peter und Paul. This beautiful old building is now protected as a national monument and is a delight to explore.
16/04/2023
You'll find the Duchess Anna Amalia Library (Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek) housed in Weimar's Green Palace (Grünes Schloss), a huge Renaissance building constructed in 1563. Now part of the Weimar Classical UNESCO World Heritage Site, this fascinating library - also referred to as the Historical Library - houses one of Germany's most important collections of classic literature with more than a million books all told.
16/04/2023
Built in 1767, Dower Palace (Wittumspalais) - also known as the Widow's Palace - was the home of the Dowager Duchess Anna Amalia, a leading German aristocrat and an avid patron of the arts. During Goethe's time, the palace was the epicenter of social and literary activity in the city.
16/04/2023
Friedrich Schiller's home from 1802 until his death in 1805, the Schiller Residence (Schillerhaus Weimar) was built in 1777 and offers a fascinating look at the life of one of Germany's most prolific and important poet-playwrights. Along with its richly furnished rooms decorated in period style, the home contains many authentic artifacts that once belonged to the writer.
16/04/2023
Established in 1869 and one of the country's oldest museums, Neues Museum Weimar - literally translated as the "New Museum" - is an important part of the Quarter of Weimar Modernism, home to the new Bauhaus Museum. Highlights of this top-rated art gallery include an exhibit focusing on the Buchenwald Memorial, which deals with the issue of forced labor. The newest permanent exhibit focuses on works from the Weimar Painting School.
16/04/2023
With a focus on the Bauhaus movement's early days in Weimar - it was founded here in 1919 - the Bauhaus Museum is an excellent resource for one of the world's most important design styles. It is located in a stunning modern building that does the movement proud, and which also serves as the hub of the city's cultural district.
16/04/2023
Adjoining the historic old White Swan Inn stands Goethe House (Goethes Wohnhaus), a simple Baroque building constructed in 1709. Also known as "The Goethe Residence," it was here that Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, one of Germany's most famous writers, lived from 1782 until his death in 1832.