For culture vultures

As we all know, there are many reasons to travel. But Thuringia’s cultural landscape can provide some of the finest. Here, world heritage sites line up close to each other. You can experience ‘Classical Weimar’ and the Bauhaus and see for yourself how alive history and tradition can be. There is a special atmosphere around authentic places linked with Luther, Bach, Goethe and Schiller as well as Wartburg Castle near Eisenach. And if you are not yet a ‘culture connoisseur’, you can become one in the process of travelling and start planning your next Thuringia trip – to attend a top-class concert, a magical opera performance or a one-of-a-kind festival.

Which cultural treasures do you want to discover?

Heritage, tradition, biosphere reservats and what else?
What is this actually all about?
A tour of palaces in Greiz
Germany’s smallest principality
Many people make lists of the places they’d like to visit. Often they don’t list countries but rather specific curiosities, extraordinary locations or obscure insider tips – the highest town in Europe, the oldest trees in the world and so on. One day I was indulging in two of my passions, a nice cup of tea and a gripping novel.
Tiefurt House and Park
Inspirational setting for the Weimar court
Our plan had been to spend a day in the park of Tiefurt House – picnicking, chatting and enjoying the fresh country air. According to the weather forecast, we were due to have cloudless blue skies and a pleasant temperature. But that’s not quite how things turned out, and within half an hour of our arrival at the park the rain came bucketing down.
Hidden treasures of all sizes
Happy moments
Every year, we go on a short trip together. We’ve never been to Erfurt before - I'm curious to find out what we'll discover on a weekend. Our way leads us to the city's landmarks, such as the Krämerbrücke and the Erfurt Cathedral. But also to the Old Synagogue. And so we immerse ourselves in the 900-year-old Jewish culture in this city.
Thuringia Bach Festival
3 Questions to Christoph Drescher
With over 50 concerts at Eastertime, a whole region raises a sound. For the guests of the Thuringia Bach Festival it is exhilarating to listen to Bach's music in authentic places. We have met the festival director for an interview.
Exploring the Bauhaus-Museum Weimar
Modernism cubed
As the saying goes, there’s no accounting for taste. The new Bauhaus Museum, which opened in Weimar in 2019, has certainly been controversial. The Klassik Stiftung Weimar foundation, together with the architect, Heike Hanada, opened the innovative building to coincide with the Bauhaus centenary in Weimar. Since then it has been home to the oldest Bauhaus collection in the world, compiled by Walter Gropius himself.
An interview with Rolf C. Hemke, artistic director of the Kunstfest Weimar arts festival
Weimar is a pocket-sized cultural hub
The Kunstfest Weimar arts festival is one of the town’s cultural highlights during the summer months. Internationally acclaimed artists join Weimar’s young, creative scene to transform its streets into a vibrant and inspiring stage. In this interview, the festival’s artistic director, Rolf C. Hemke, provides a fascinating look behind the scenes and also reveals which famous person from the past he would like to have coffee with.
On the trail of Cranach in Thuringia
Art and passion
Lucas Cranach the Elder was one of the most exciting artists of his time. He was friends with Martin Luther and printed flyers for the Reformation, yet he still had Catholic patrons …
Getting to know the real Weimar
Hidden gems of Weimar
Weimar is the home of German Classicism. But it is also so much more than that. Anyone who takes a leisurely stroll through its enchanting old lanes will discover a town full of charm, with secluded spots, friendly people and lovely little shops.
Richard Wagner in Thuringia
Experience music and more in original settings
Wagner was no stranger to Thuringia. He visited the Venus Grotto and Wartburg Castle, where he found inspiration for his opera Tannhäuser, stayed in Meiningen with the duke and his family and obtained a fake passport in Jena. His legacy reflects the way he lived his life – bold, unconventional and full of drama …
Johann Sebastian Bach in Thuringia
A life of music
Throughout his life, the most famous scion of the Bach dynasty, Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750), proved that musicians are a restless sort … Bach was born in Eisenach, while Weimar, Ohrdruf, Arnstadt and Mühlhausen had the good fortune to provide a home to his talent, even if his paymasters of the time did not always appreciate it.

Weimar – A German Classic?

Whether Goethe, Schiller and the Weimar Classicism, Modernism and Bauhaus, castles and gardens or the Quartier der Moderne - Weimar is a city for culture lovers. But it is much more: a place of enchanting old alleys, secluded corners and nice little shops.

 

Our Highlights 2022