Having visited Weimar several times, we would like to share our impressions of this European City of Culture with its many classical and modern aspects.
It offers a rich blend of history, featuring museums and historic buildings, as well as a vibrant contemporary cultural scene. Nowhere else in Germany brings together such an intellectual flowering, the political upheavals of the 20th century and the avant-garde spirit of the Bauhaus within such a compact area.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Weimar became the intellectual centre of Germany. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived in the city for over fifty years and left a lasting mark on it. His house on Frauenplan provides insight into his work, complemented by his garden house in the nearby Ilmpark. Friedrich Schiller was Goethe’s closest companion in Weimar. Along with Christoph Martin Wieland and the art-loving Duchess Anna Amalia, they formed the core of Weimar Classicism. Anna Amalia also founded the renowned Anna Amalia Library, whose Rococo Hall is considered one of the most beautiful library rooms in Europe.
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Weimar became the intellectual centre of Germany. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe lived in the city for over fifty years and left a lasting mark on it. His house on Frauenplan provides an insight into his work, complemented by his garden house in the nearby Ilmpark. Friedrich Schiller was Goethe’s closest companion in Weimar. Along with Christoph Martin Wieland and the art-loving Duchess Anna Amalia, they formed the core of Weimar Classicism. Anna Amalia also founded the renowned Anna Amalia Library, whose Rococo Hall is considered one of the most beautiful library rooms in Europe. Their extension library is located next door in an impressive new building.
The historic centre of Weimar is characterized by classical façades, narrow lanes and stately squares. The large market square is dominated by the neo-Gothic town hall, which plays a central role in urban life today. Adjacent to the town hall are the Cranach House, the Hotel Elephant and the Red Castle, the former residence of the Dukes of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. The adjacent City Palace, with its striking palace tower, houses significant art collections and documents relating to courtly culture. Johann Sebastian Bach served as organist in the palace chapel from 1708 to 1717. Notable features include the equestrian statue of Carl August, the enlightened duke who brought Goethe to Weimar and made the cultural heyday possible.
The history of German democracy is closely linked to Weimar. In 1919, the National Assembly convened at the German National Theatre and adopted the Weimar Constitution, which was Germany’s first democratic constitution. Prior to this, Goethe had served as the theatre's artistic director, and Schiller’s plays had been performed there. Even today, the National Theatre remains an important cultural venue.
Founded in 1919, the Bauhaus Weimar once again became the centre of a cultural revolution. Today’s Bauhaus University continues this legacy. Its students lend the city a youthful, creative flair.
Just a few steps from the university lies the Historic Cemetery, a place of quiet dignity. The coffins of Goethe and Schiller are housed in the Princely Crypt. Also on the site is the Russian Orthodox Church, with its golden dome. This serves as a reminder of the Weimar court’s connections to the Russian dynasties.
We have always felt well looked after at the Dorint Hotel in Weimar, which is close to the city centre in the Goethe Park and invites guests to stroll through the Ilmpark.
