What to See in Weimar

A modern museum dedicated to the Bauhaus, showcasing the world's oldest collection related to the pioneering design school founded in Weimar. The current Bauhaus Museum opened in April 2019 in a striking minimalist building to mark the Bauhaus centenary. Inside, over 13,000 objects illustrate the early Weimar period of the Bauhaus (1919–1925) and its legacy. Exhibits include original furniture, textiles, ceramics, and teaching materials by masters like Walter Gropius, Paul Klee, Lyonel Feininger, and Marcel Breuer. The museum's centerpiece is the Bauhaus founding manifesto and the famous Lyonel Feininger "Cathedral" woodcut (1919). Interactive displays and multimedia provide context about the avant-garde ideas that revolutionized architecture and design. The museum is part of the "Classical Weimar & Bauhaus" UNESCO World Heritage. Located near Weimarhallenpark, the Bauhaus Museum has quickly become a cultural highlight, inviting visitors to explore how bold experiments in a small Weimar school reshaped modern aesthetics worldwide.

The main building of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar is an Art Nouveau masterpiece and the very place where the Bauhaus began. Designed by Belgian architect Henry van de Velde and built 1905–1911 as the Grand-Ducal School of Arts and Crafts, the structure became home to Walter Gropius's Staatliches Bauhaus from 1919 to 1925. Today it serves as the central academic building of Bauhaus University. Its exterior is notable for sweeping arched windows and decorative sgraffito details by van de Velde. Inside, highlights include the restored Van de Velde Aula (assembly hall) with its flowing lines and the dramatic main staircase – famously photographed with Bauhaus students on it. The building's innovative open studios and workshop spaces embodied modern pedagogical ideals. Key Bauhaus figures like Gropius, Paul Klee, and Wassily Kandinsky walked its halls. After the Bauhaus moved, it housed architectural schools and eventually the post-reunification Bauhaus University (est. 1996). As part of the "Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar" UNESCO World Heritage listing, the main building is open to visitors on guided tours. It remains a living educational space, bridging a proud past of design revolution with the creative training of students today.

Schloss Belvedere is an elegant Baroque summer palace located on a hill just south of Weimar. Built between 1724 and 1732 as a pleasure palace for Duke Ernst August I, it boasts a symmetrical design with a central mansion (corps de logis) flanked by curved orangery wings. The palace was used for court festivities and as a retreat from city life. Its interiors feature Rococo decoration and house an extensive collection of 18th-century art, porcelain, and period furniture. The surrounding Belvedere Park is a highlight: initially laid out in formal French style with hedges and parterres, it was later partly transformed into an English landscape garden in the 19th century. The park includes an Orangery (now displaying historic carriages), a labyrinth, and exotic trees collected by Duke Carl Friedrich, who died at Belvedere in 1853. As part of the Classical Weimar UNESCO site, Schloss Belvedere today is a museum. Visitors can tour its richly decorated halls (including a ballroom and chapel) and enjoy panoramic views over Weimar from the gardens. Belvedere's combination of architecture, art, and horticulture provides a vivid glimpse into ducal leisure and the refined court culture of 18th-century Weimar.

Buchenwald Memorial preserves the site of the former Nazi concentration camp on Ettersberg hill near Weimar. Opened as a memorial in 1958 on the camp's ruins, it commemorates the 240,000 prisoners incarcerated here between 1937 and 1945 and the 56,000 who were killed. The expansive site includes the original camp gate ("Jedem das Seine"), foundations of barracks, the crematorium, and memorial sculptures. Exhibitions detail the camp's history – from its establishment for political prisoners (later also holding Jews, POWs, and others) to its liberation by US forces on 11 April 1945. A Soviet Special Camp operated here 1945–1950. Today the memorial complex serves as a place of remembrance and learning, with a museum, documentation center, and monuments (such as the Bell Tower and the "Path of Thistles"). Surrounded by quiet forest, Buchenwald Memorial invites visitors to reflect on the atrocities of the Nazi regime and to honor the victims.

The German National Theater (Deutsches Nationaltheater) is a landmark neoclassical theater, famed as the site where Germany's Weimar Constitution was drafted in 1919. The current theater building opened in 1908, featuring a restrained Classical facade with a columned portico – in front of which stands the Goethe-Schiller Monument. The theater has a storied history: Goethe himself managed its precursor, the ducal court theater, in the early 1800s, premiering Schiller's plays on its stage. That 19th-century theater was later replaced by this larger structure designed by architect Max Littmann. Inside, the auditorium holds ~800 seats and a spacious stage, serving as Weimar's principal venue for drama, opera, and concerts. In February 1919, the National Assembly met here, and on August 11, 1919, President Ebert signed Germany's new constitution in the theater – events commemorated by plaques in the lobby. In WWII the theater was damaged and reopened in 1948 after repairs. Today, the DNT is home to the Staatskapelle Weimar orchestra and stages a repertoire of classical and modern works. As a cultural flagship of Weimar, the National Theater embodies the city's legacy of art and political change, its steps eternally linked to the dawn of German democracy.

A historic research library and cultural treasure, founded in 1691 as the Ducal Library and renamed for Duchess Anna Amalia in 1991. Housed in the Green Palace, the library is famed for its exquisite Rococo Hall – a luminous oval chamber with gilt balconies and ceiling frescoes. Its collection (about 1 million volumes) emphasizes German literature and Enlightenment works, reflecting Weimar's Classical era. The library was patronized by Goethe, who served as its director, and holds many of his personal books and manuscripts. In 2004 a devastating fire tore through the building's upper floors, destroying or damaging 50,000 volumes. After extensive restoration, the library reopened in 2007, with climate-controlled facilities and renewed splendor. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Anna Amalia Library is both a public scholarly library and a museum. Visitors can view the Rococo Hall's elegant architecture and select exhibits of rare books and musical scores from the Duchess's collection, illustrating Weimar's literary golden age.

Schloss Ettersburg is a Baroque hunting lodge and summer palace set on the wooded Ettersberg, about 8 km north of Weimar. Built between 1706 and 1712 for Duke Wilhelm Ernst, it was later enlarged by Duke Ernst August between 1728 and 1740 with a new wing and grand staircase. The palace complex consists of two connected wings forming a courtyard, in a simple yet stately Baroque style. Ettersburg gained fame when Duchess Anna Amalia used it as her summer residence from 1776 to 1780. She hosted a lively intellectual circle here – including Goethe, Wieland, and Musäus – turning Ettersburg into an Arcadian refuge for the Weimar court. In these rooms, lit by candlelight, Goethe read drafts of his plays and Schiller later finished his tragedy "Maria Stuart" in the peaceful atmosphere (1800). The surrounding Ettersburg Park offers a mix of formal gardens and wild forest, with monuments like the Temple of the Muses. After periods of neglect, Schloss Ettersburg was restored in the early 21st century and now functions as a conference center and hotel, while also open for tours and cultural events. Walking through its elegant halls and English-style park (UNESCO-listed with Classical Weimar), one can sense the creative spirits that once found inspiration at Ettersburg.

This bronze double statue on Theaterplatz is Weimar's most iconic monument, depicting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller – the two literary giants of Weimar Classicism – standing side by side. Unveiled in 1857 and sculpted by Ernst Rietschel, the Goethe–Schiller Monument symbolizes the friendship and shared humanist ideals of the poets. The larger-than-life figures, cast in bronze, show Goethe holding a laurel wreath and Schiller a scroll, gazing forward as if contemplating the future of German art and thought. Set on a granite pedestal in front of the German National Theater, the monument quickly became a national shrine. During the Weimar Republic, the assembly delegates paid tribute here in 1919, and the statue later survived WWII with minimal damage. Today the Goethe–Schiller Monument remains a popular gathering point and photo spot, embodying Weimar's identity as the "city of poets and thinkers." It is especially striking when floodlit at night or framed by seasonal flowers, serving as a proud emblem of Weimar's cultural legacy.

A charming cottage set in the Park an der Ilm, this Gartenhaus (garden house) was Goethe's first residence in Weimar. Given to him by the Duke in 1776, the simple two-story house and its surrounding garden became Goethe's retreat for writing and scientific studies. Here he penned early works like the poem "To the Moon" and the ballad "Erlkönig". The house is modest – white plaster with green shutters – but its interior, restored to late 18th-century appearance, is imbued with Goethe's presence. Visitors can see his small study with the desk and chair he used, a sleeping alcove, and a kitchen, all furnished sparsely. Goethe actively gardened here, growing vegetables, fruits, and the famous Ginkgo tree that inspired his poetry. Overlooking the Ilm, the site emanates tranquility. After Goethe moved to the main house in town in 1782, he still frequented the Gartenhaus for inspiration. It opened as a memorial museum in the late 19th century. Today, the Garden House – part of the Classical Weimar UNESCO site – appears much as it did in Goethe's day. The guided visit conveys an intimate portrait of Goethe's early years in Weimar and his harmonious ideal of living close to nature.

The Goethe House was the primary residence of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe during his 50+ years in Weimar (1782–1832). Located on the Frauenplan, this Baroque-style house (built 1709) became a shrine to Germany's most famous writer. In 1885, Goethe's heirs opened it as the Goethe National Museum, preserving the home much as it was in his lifetime. Visitors walk through Goethe's study, library, art collection, and gardens, gaining intimate insight into his daily life and work. Notable rooms include his study with the desk where he penned parts of "Faust," the Juno Room displaying antique sculptures, and the library of nearly 6,000 volumes. The décor reflects Goethe's interests in art, science, and literature – for example, his mineral collection is housed in an extension he added in 1817. The adjacent modern museum wing exhibits manuscripts, drawings and personal items illuminating Goethe's enormous legacy. As part of the UNESCO Classical Weimar ensemble, Goethe's House offers an authentic atmosphere: creaking floorboards, tiled stoves, and original furnishings that evoke the era of Weimar Classicism. Standing in Goethe's garden or study, one can almost feel the presence of the poet, statesman, and scientist whose genius left an indelible mark on world culture.

The Haus am Horn is a prototype modern house built in 1923 by the Bauhaus in Weimar – the first architectural project realized by the famed design school. A simple one-story cubic house with a flat roof, it was designed by Georg Muche for the 1923 Bauhaus exhibition as a model of affordable, efficient living. The exterior is unadorned white stucco, reflecting Bauhaus functionalism. Inside, the layout centers on a bright living room illuminated by a skylight, surrounded by compact bedrooms, a kitchen, and bath – an innovative open plan for its time. Bauhaus masters and students contributed built-in furnishings, textiles, and lighting, making the house a total work of modern design. Despite its modest 12 × 12 m footprint, Haus am Horn embodied radical ideas: standardized construction, new materials, and integration of form and function. After the Bauhaus left Weimar, the house became a private residence; it is now restored and part of the Bauhaus World Heritage site. Visitors can tour the interior (furnished with replicas) to experience firsthand the Bauhaus vision of "minimal dwelling." The Haus am Horn thus stands as an enduring milestone in modern architecture, nestled quietly in a residential area near the Ilm park.

Weimar's City Church of St. Peter and Paul – commonly called the Herder Church – is the town's main Protestant church and a significant Reformation site. Originally built in the 15th century (consecrated 1500) in Gothic style, it was heavily damaged by fire in 1774 and later restored by 1803 with a simpler interior. The church's nickname honors Johann Gottfried Herder, the famed poet and theologian who served as Weimar's chief pastor from 1776 to 1803 and is buried here in the church crypt. The Herder Church's greatest treasure is the altarpiece: a triptych painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and his son in 1555, depicting the Crucifixion in the center with portraits of Luther and the Saxon princes – an artwork bridging Reformation and art. The bright interior features white walls, wooden galleries, and a grand Silbermann organ (installed in 1812) that was played by J.S. Bach's students. Today, the church remains an active parish and a tourist highlight. Visitors can admire the Cranach altar up close and see Herder's tombstone. The Herder Church, part of the Classical Weimar UNESCO ensemble, embodies Weimar's religious heritage, linking the spiritual reforms of Martin Luther's time to the enlightened faith of Herder's era.

Weimar's Historic Cemetery (Historischer Friedhof) is a park-like burial ground established in 1818 by the ducal family. It is best known for the Princes' Crypt (Fürstengruft), a classical mausoleum on a hill that holds the tombs of Weimar's most illustrious figures. Here lie the remains of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friedrich Schiller – whose coffins rest side by side in the crypt's central chamber, making this a pilgrimage site for literature lovers. (Schiller's burial is symbolic; his exact remains are disputed.) The crypt also contains members of the ducal house, including Duke Carl August and Duchess Maria Pavlovna. Outside the mausoleum, the serene cemetery features winding paths and graves of other notable citizens (e.g. composer Johann Nepomuk Hummel). Tall oaks and lindens shade ornate 19th-century tombstones, creating a romantic atmosphere. During the GDR era, the cemetery was somewhat neglected, but it was later carefully restored. Today it's part of the Classical Weimar World Heritage. Visitors can enter the crypt (for a fee) to see Goethe's and Schiller's lead sarcophagi and pay respects. The Historic Cemetery is both a resting place and a monument to Weimar's cultural golden age, connecting mortality with immortality through its famous dead.

The Nietzsche Archive, housed in the stately Villa "Silberblick," is a museum and archive devoted to the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche's sister Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche moved him, incapacitated by illness, to this grand late-19th-century villa in Weimar in 1897. He spent his final years here until his death in 1900, and the villa became the headquarters of the Nietzsche Archive – the first institution dedicated to a single modern philosopher. In the early 20th century, the Archive (run by Elisabeth) manipulated and published Nietzsche's works, attracting visits from cultural figures and even Adolf Hitler in 1934 (who came to pay homage and received Nietzsche's walking stick). Today the beautifully restored villa is managed by the Klassik Stiftung. Visitors can tour Nietzsche's study and room, preserved as they were, and see exhibitions about his life, including original manuscripts, letters, and photographs. Notably, the Overbeck painting of Nietzsche dominates one salon. The atmosphere evokes fin-de-siècle Weimar: stained-glass windows, carved wooden ceilings, and Nietzsche's personal library. While the Archive's politicized past is addressed critically, the site offers a poignant insight into Nietzsche's legacy and his appropriation in the 20th century. After years of closure, the museum reopened in 2010s, letting guests once again tread the floors where Nietzsche's twilight years unfolded.

A sweeping landscaped park along the Ilm River that was created in the late 18th century under the influence of Goethe and Duke Carl August. Covering 48 hectares, the Park an der Ilm blends natural English-style landscape design with picturesque architecture. Winding paths lead through meadows and groves to notable features: Goethe's Garden House (the poet's rustic cottage from 1776, set by the river), the Roman House (an Italianate classical pavilion built 1797–1803 for the Duke), and numerous statues and bridges. The park was laid out from 1778 onwards as Goethe oversaw planting of rare trees and the integration of existing Baroque gardens into a romantic landscape. Locals and visitors have strolled here for centuries – from the Weimar Classicists who found inspiration in its scenery, to today's residents seeking relaxation. A UNESCO World Heritage site (part of "Classical Weimar"), the Park an der Ilm offers a serene cultural landscape where nature and art intertwine, essentially an open-air museum of Weimar's Golden Age.

Friedrich Schiller's home in Weimar is preserved as a museum honoring the great dramatist and poet. Schiller lived in this elegant late-Baroque townhouse from 1802 until his death in 1805, a period in which he completed works like "William Tell" and "The Bride of Messina." The house opened to the public as a museum in the 19th century, with a major restoration in the 1980s (reopened 1988). Visitors can see the study where Schiller wrote by candlelight – his desk, quill pen, and books arranged as if he just stepped out. Throughout the furnished rooms, original artifacts abound: Schiller's walking stick, his wife Charlotte's piano, family portraits, and manuscripts. These interiors reflect Schiller's bourgeois lifestyle and the intellectual milieu of Weimar Classicism. An adjoining exhibition provides context on Schiller's life, showcasing early editions of his plays and personal letters. The modest garden features medicinal plants cultivated in Schiller's time. As part of the "Classical Weimar" World Heritage sites, Schiller's House offers an intimate glimpse into the daily world of a literary giant. Standing in his study, one senses the creative energy that produced some of German literature's most celebrated dramas.

Tiefurt Mansion (Schloss Tiefurt) is a small country palace on the Ilm's outskirts, famed as the summer retreat of Duchess Anna Amalia. Originally a modest manor (built mid-16th century and expanded in 1765), it became Anna Amalia's beloved residence from 1781 until her death in 1807. The two-story house has intimate scale – a main building of just seven rooms per floor – yet it hosted a lively court of poets and musicians in the Classical era. Wieland, Goethe, and Corona Schröter gathered here for literary and musical evenings, making Tiefurt a pastoral Museion. In 1907 the mansion opened as a museum. Visitors today tour its charming chambers, including Anna Amalia's music room and bedroom, restored to late-18th-century style with original furniture and decor. The surrounding Tiefurt Park is equally enchanting: an English landscape garden with flowing meadows, ancient trees, and ornamental structures (like the Temple of the Muses) tied to the duchess's cultural circle. As part of the Classical Weimar UNESCO site, Tiefurt embodies the idyllic, intimate side of Weimar's Golden Age – a place where art, nature, and sociability were delightfully combined.

A grand ducal palace complex overlooking the Ilm, serving as the former residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and now home to art museums. The Stadtschloss evolved over centuries – a Renaissance castle on this site burned down in 1774, and the current Neoclassical palace was constructed in phases from 1789 to 1803 (north and east wings under Goethe's supervision) and completed in the 19th century. The pale yellow three-winged palace features a prominent tower and elegantly simple facade. Inside, notable spaces include the luminous Castle Chapel (with an altar painted by Lucas Cranach) and ornate halls that hosted Weimar's court society. Goethe worked here as a privy councilor and helped redesign rooms in classical style. Today the castle houses the Schlossmuseum, exhibiting fine art collections such as Lucas Cranach paintings and treasures of Weimar Classicism. Visitors can tour period rooms with original furnishings and view artworks spanning the Middle Ages to 19th century. The surrounding Castle Park links directly to Park an der Ilm, creating a harmonious ensemble. The City Castle, part of the UNESCO Classical Weimar, stands as a testament to the patronage of Weimar's ducal family and the cultural zenith they nurtured.

The Weimarhaus is an interactive multimedia museum that brings Weimar's history to life in an immersive way. Located in a historic building near the city center, this private museum opened in 1999 as a "history experience" exhibit. Visitors walk through a series of darkened rooms where realistic wax figures, elaborate sets, and audio-visual effects dramatize key episodes of Weimar's past across five centuries. Scenes include Johann Sebastian Bach playing the organ (reflecting his early 18th-century period in Weimar), Duchess Anna Amalia discussing arts with Goethe and Schiller, and a chilling recreation of 20th-century events like the National Assembly of 1919 and the Buchenwald atrocity. Narration (available in multiple languages) and sound effects accompany each stage of the journey. The experience culminates in a panorama of modern Weimar today. While somewhat theatrical, the Weimarhaus offers an engaging overview for tourists, condensing complex history into an easily digestible show. It's especially popular for families and school groups as an introduction to the city. With a gift shop at the end, the Weimarhaus complements the traditional museums by providing a swift and entertaining orientation to Weimar's rich cultural heritage in a way that appeals to contemporary audiences.

The Wittumspalais (Widow's Palace) is an 18th-century city palace that was the dowager residence of Duchess Anna Amalia after 1774. This two-story Rococo-style mansion, built around 1767–1769, became Anna Amalia's home when she retired as regent. She hosted a renowned intellectual salon here, where Goethe, Schiller, Herder, and other luminaries convened for evening gatherings of conversation, games, and music – the famous "Tafelrunde" (Round Table). The palace's richly furnished period rooms have been preserved as a museum. Visitors can walk through the elegant ballroom with crystal chandeliers, the music room where chamber pieces were played, and Anna Amalia's own writing room. Original furniture, portraits (including of the ducal family and Goethe), and personal items evoke the convivial atmosphere of Weimar around 1800. Notably, the Wittumspalais was where Schiller first met Goethe in 1785 at one of the duchess's parties. After falling into disrepair in the 19th century, the building was restored and served as a museum by early 20th century (and again after WWII). Currently undergoing renovations (as of 2025), the Wittumspalais stands as a testament to Anna Amalia's pivotal role in fostering Weimar's Classical culture.