Weimar & Erfurt: Jewels in Thuringia's crown

Weimar is all about German classicism. It is the town where Goethe, Schiller, Herder and Wieland lived and worked. Visiting Weimar is like a pilgrimage to the shrines that remind us of these geniuses’ sojourn in this remarkable town. Weimar is foremost a celebration of the life of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. A multi talented, incredibly bright man, he is now best remembered for his extraordinary contribution to German literature. A visit to his house is a must, but so is a stroll through the Park an der Ilm to his Garden Cottage, a place he treasured above all. Erfurt is a mere 15 minutes’ train ride away. This town is three times the size of Weimar, but forever in its shadow when it comes to tourism. The town is lovely to stroll in and simply enjoy the beauty without experiencing the pressures and obligations of visiting museums, or reading classical German literature, which is unavoidable in Weimar.

Quick Tips:

Visiting Weimar without knowing about Goethe is unthinkable. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born in Frankfurt in 1749. He qualified as a lawyer but soon found himself bored with the law - some comments that he made about lawyers are priceless and still apply to modern-day trial lawyers. He always enjoyed traveling and writing and found unexpected success with a short novella, The sorrows of young Werther. It became the first German international bestseller - Napoleon carried a copy on the Egyptian campaign and claimed to have read it six times.

In 1775, Goethe accepted an invitation to visit the Duchy of Saxe-Weimar. He ended up staying in Weimar until his death in 1832. During his stay, he filled several important governmental posts and brought some order to the famously disorganized administration of the state. He also did scientific research and traveled widely, both on official and private business. He was also an avid writer - not only of classical works but also numerous letters and diaries. It is not known whether he ever crossed town without writing about it. His greatest work is Faust, a tragedy with a happy ending and the most likeable devil ever.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking in Weimar is the only option in the historical old town. The old town is a boring 20 minutes’ walk from the main station. It is best to take a bus to Goetheplatz and start exploring from there. All major sights are within walking distance from each other. Parking in the old town is near impossible. If staying in town leave your car at the hotel, otherwise park at the designated parking lots at the edges of the old town.

Erfurt is between 11 and 19 minutes by train from Weimar. There are between three and five trains per hour. The fare on the local trains is € 4,20 one way. If you travel return, buy a HopperTicket - it is good for return journeys up to 50 km and cost €4,50.

In Erfurt the distances are a bit longer but the buildings here are so beautiful and varied that it is worth walking. Trams run from the main station through the old town to the Domplatz and provide a convenient alternative. The pedestrian zones are designed to prevent cars from crossing through the old town.

Weimar is foremost the city of the German classicists. At the end of the eighteenth and the beginning of the nineteenth century, Weimar was the center of intellectual thought in Germany. Art, especially literature of extraordinary quality, was created here in a small insignificant town of around 5,000 inhabitants. Foremost amongst these artists were Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and Friederich von Schiller.

The Goethe-Schiller Statue, on Theaterplatz, is one of the most photographed statues in Germany. It was created in 1857 by Ernst Rietschel and shows the two German literary giants in period costume. Goethe and Schiller were friends, or according to some, competitors with Goethe jealous of the popularity and success of Schiller. In the statue, they do not face each other, enhancing the perception amongst many that they were indeed rivals. While Schiller took in consideration the technical restraints of the theater, as well as the limitation of actors’ abilities, Goethe famously ignored both and wrote masterpieces that were beyond the capacity of any theatre or actor. (Maybe he already envisioned film and television?)

During their lifetime, Schiller was performed more often. Many of his plays debuted in the German National Theater, then under the direction of Goethe. Ironically, in the English-speaking world Schiller, the greatest German dramatist is not best known for great plays, such as Wilhelm Tell or Maria Stuart, but rather for the poem Ode to Joy, famously set to music by Ludwig von Beethoven in his monumental Ninth Symphony.

The neo-Classical Deutsches Nationaltheater (German National Theater), behind the Goethe-Schiller Statue, is the third theater building on this spot. The current building was erected in 1948, following the plans of the 1908 theater, destroyed during the Second World War. It was here that the National Assembly convened after the First World War to write Germany’s first democratic constitution. It was a masterpiece on liberal democracy, which was also its undoing. A multitude of minor parties and independents made government impossible. Parliament could not cope with the realities of the 1920s and especially the crisis of the Great Depression. In 1932, it allowed Hitler and the Nazis to use illegal means to grab power legally. A direct consequence of this constitution is the article in the current German constitution that requires a party to have a minimum of five percent of the popular vote in order to be represented in parliament.

Also on the square is the Bauhaus Museum, ironically in a classical building, commemorating the famous design school’s (then very much unappreciated) roots in post-First World War Weimar.

Goethe National Museum

For many Germans, and scholars of German literature, a visit to Weimar is first and foremost a pilgrimage to the houses of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. As Goethe’s status and stature rose, his small, beloved garden cottage was no longer considered suitable for a man of his position and he moved into town.

In 1792, Goethe moved into a house at Am Frauenplan, with his companion, Christiane Vulpius (1765-1816), and their son, August von Goethe (1789-1830). (The two of them scandalously lived together from 1788, had the son out of wedlock and only married in 1806.) Duke Carl Augustus of Saxe-Weimar gave Goethe the house, but took about a decade to complete the paperwork. Goethe moved in and stayed until his death in 1832. The house remained in the family until it was converted into a museum in 1885.

The house is a lovely spacious, yellow Baroque structure at the top end of the large Frauenplan Square. The entrance into the Goethe National Museum is via a simple wooden door in the adjacent building, which houses a permanent exhibition on the classicists of the period.

Entry into Goethes Wohnhaus (Goethe’s Home) is via the back door, where Goethe’s town coach for shorter journeys is on display. The house is furnished as it was in Goethe’s last years. Many of the furniture and art are original. Goethe kept meticulous records of acquisitions and described parts of the house in detail in letters to friends and family. In keeping with the Weimar Classics Foundation’s aim of preserving this residence as a house rather than a museum, there are no signs in the house. Either know what to expect, as many scholars do, take a guided tour, or have a detailed guidebook at hand. Furthermore, the house has no electrical lights, which may well mean less than optimum light conditions on an overcast day.

The house is simply furnished but elegant with lots of art. Do note the high desks - Goethe preferred standing up when writing. According to Goethe, only people without thoughts or the desire for new ideas needed elaborate furniture and decorations. Goethe left an art collection of 26,511 pieces, 5,400 books, and around 22,000 scientific specimens; only a minute part is on display.

The Permanent Exhibition is on members of the Weimar Classical period, 1759 - 1832. It has some interesting pieces, but is overshadowed by an unnecessary grandiose design. It can be serene though - the twenty minutes or so I spent in the exhibition no one else entered even though Goethes Wohnhaus was fairly busy.

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, April to October from 9am to 6pm, November to March from 9am to 4pm. Admission is €6 and an additional €2,50 for the permanent exhibition.

Übermütig sieht's nicht aus, hohes Dach und niedres Haus. Allen die daselbst verkehrt, ward ein guter Mut beschert. Schlanker Bäume grüner Flor, Selbstgepflanzter, wuchs empor. Geistig ging zugleich alldort Schaffen, Hegen, Wachsen fort. Dieser alte Weidenbaum steht und wächst als wie im Traum. Sah des Fürstendaches Gluten, sieht der Ilme leises Fluten. It is an unpretentious Small house beneath a tall roof. Everyone who came there Felt light-hearted; Trees I had planted grew strong and green, And the spirit as well Thrived on this blessed ground.

 

On a stroll through the countryside near the Weimar Palace, Goethe saw a small cottage with a characteristic, steep roof and fell in love with the place. He had to have it, and acquired it at an auction although Duke Carl August actually paid for it. This would remain his main residence from 1776 until 1782 and he would return to it frequently, especially during summer, to work in peace. He delighted in the place as is clear from the poem quoted above. (The incomplete English translation does not do it justice.)

Strolling from the palace through the lovely English landscape Park an der Ilm, the Gartenhaus is visible surprisingly early and instantly recognizable. When seeing it through the trees, it is clear why Goethe took an instant liking to it. It is the most sketched place in Weimar and even on the freezing cold winter day of my visit an ardent fan was at work.

Entry to the small house is from the rear. The two stories house is sparsely furnished and once again, an interesting feature is the high desks. At one desk is a copy of the special chair that allowed Goethe to almost "sit" in a standing position while writing.

The park itself, often referred to as Goethe Park, is lovely to stroll in, but on this cold winter day I opted to gave further exploration a skip and returned to the comfort of a warm coffee shop in down town Weimar.

The Gartenhaus is open daily, April to October from 9 am to 6 pm, November to March from 9 am to 4 pm. Admission is € 3

Schloßmuseum (Castle Museum)

Weimar sometimes appears to be one big celebration of Goethe, but in the art collection of the Schloßmuseum (Palace Museum), Goethe for once has to take a backseat. True, Goethe played a major role in arranging the construction of the Neoclassical palace to replace the one that had burnt down; he also played a major role in expanding the art collection itself. However, here, Goethe is banished to a single corner room on the upper floors of the gallery.

A highlight of the gallery is the Cranach collection, which includes a famous and often copied painting depicting Martin Luther disguised as the monk Junker Jörg in the Wartburg. (Lucas Cranach the Elder (1472-1553) spent the last year of his life in Weimar, in the lovely Renaissance Cranachhaus on the Market Square.) The collection, which is spread over three floors, also includes works by Dürer, Bruyn, and Grien. Works range from a Carolingian ivory book cover to paintings by German Impressionists and Expressionists of the early 20th century. The museum lost valuable pieces during the Nazi era when some of the art was declared degenerate. A painting by Bauhaus artist Lyonel Feininger recently returned to the collection.

In the corner section of the second floor are four rooms dedicated to the four great German classicist writers: Wieland, Goethe, Schiller, and Herder. In these rooms, famous scenes from their works are illustrated. Also on the second floor are the ceremonial reception rooms of the former dukes. (In typical German museum style, the door leading from this room to the ceremonial staircase is unmarked and closed, but not locked. Special Germany sightseeing tip: turn every doorknob - the worst that can happen is being asked not to enter.)

The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, April to October from 9am to 6pm, November to March from 9am to 4pm. Admission is €4,50. Great audio guides, using nifty MP3 players, are available for €1 and a photo ID.

Near the Schloßmuseum, on Herderplatz, is the triple-nave Stadtkirche (City Church), where Herder and Luther preached. Bach and Liszt played the organ. Parts of the church date back to the 15th century, but most visible parts are Baroque. The high, steep roof is particularly impressive. Inside the church is a splendid Cranach triptych. Lucas Cranach the Elder designed it, but it was completed after his death by his son Lucas Cranach the Younger. It features a crucifixion with scenes from the Bible and the Reformation. Both Luther and Cranach are depicted. The church is also commonly known as the Herderkirche - a large statue of Johann Gottfried Herder is on the square in front of the building. The church is open Monday to Saturday, from April to October from 10am to noon and 2pm to 4pm, and from November to March from 11 to noon and 2pm to 3pm.

Erfurt is a lovely town with one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Germany. Many newer buildings are also richly decorated and even banks and bakeries are housed in works of art. Erfurt’s close proximity to Weimar means that it is forever overshadowed in the tourism stakes by the smaller town. The trade off is fewer visitors and a city that is much easier to enjoy. There is little pressure to visit museums in Erfurt and it is possible to appreciate the beauty of this town by simply wondering around in the narrow, historic streets.

One of Erfurt’s best-known sights is the Krämerbrücke (Shopkeepers’ Bridge). It is the only bridge north of the Alps with inhabited houses. It is 120 m long and lined by two rows of houses that completely covers both sides of the bridge. Walking down the road is like walking down any street, as the River Gera is never visible. The bridge dates back to 1325 and currently spans the river with six arches. It has 33 buildings, including a church at the far end. Most of the buildings have antique shops and small boutiques.

At the church end of the bridge, go down the narrow flight of stairs and continue past the Sorat Hotel to the Horngasse, which spans the river slightly to the north. This vantage point offers the best views of the Krämerbrucke.

Nearby is the Augustinerkloster (Augustine Monastery) where Martin Luther lived from 1505 until 1511. The original thirteenth century buildings were completely destroyed in 1945, but rebuilt in recent years. Most of the site is used as a conference center, but the reconstructed Martin Luther cell, the lovely library and other parts of the monastery can be seen.

In1808, Napoleon Bonaparte met Czar Alexander in Erfurt. In a conference lasting 18 days, Napoleon unsuccessfully tried to convince the Czar to join forces and neutralize Austria. The street across the Krämerbrücke continues into Futterstraße. Most of the of the diplomacy took place at Number 15, in what is now know as the Kaisersaal (Emperor’s Hall). It houses several restaurants and conference facilities and is not open to the general public.

Nearby is the Anger, a large square near the main station and the heart of commercial Erfurt. It is also a major hub of the tram network. The shops on the square are all housed in large, grand buildings and the post office building here must be one of the best looking in Germany.

The Domplatz (Cathedral Square) in Erfurt is an enormous open space, the size of six football fields. It is used for markets and all kinds of festivals but on a recent cold, grey February morning, it was virtually deserted and merely offered the wind space to gather speed and attack the few pedestrians merciless with full force. It was cold, freezing cold, but the sights were worth it.

From the square a wide flight of seventy stairs lead to the top of the hill, where the magnificent Dom St Marien (St Mary’s Cathedral) and the abbey church St Severikirche (St Severus Church) await. The Dom dates back to 1154, but the High Gothic choir was added in the fourteenth century and the Romanesque nave was replaced by a wide late-Gothic one, a century later. In one of the towers swings one of the largest bells in the world, the Gloriosa, cast in 1497. In 1507, Martin Luther was ordained a priest in the cathedral.

The main entrance is through a richly decorated Gothic triangular portal, formed by placing two doors obliquely. The interior is disappointingly dark, as a stainless wall completely cordons off the choir that is being restored. A real pity, as the fourteenth century stained glass windows are originals. The current interior is Baroque, but the real treasures are older. A bronze statue candelabrum, the Wolfram, dating from 1160 is considered the oldest freestanding bronze statue in Germany. Some of the other treasures are hidden behind the stainless steel and will have to wait for a return visit.

The church is open from May to October from Monday to Saturday from 9 to 11:30am and 12:30 to 5pm, closing at 4:30pm on Saturdays; from November to April from Monday to Saturday from 10 to 11:30am and 12:30 to 4pm. On Sunday, it is open from 2 to 4 pm, year round. Admission is free and information boards in English are available.

Across the road is the St Severikirche (St Severus Church, a five-nave early Gothic hall church. Its towers have most interesting, tall, sleek spire roofs - the cathedral once had similar ones. They must be any thunderbolts dream. The interior is mostly Baroque but the real treasures are Gothic: the around 1360 sarcophagus of St Severus and the 15m-high baptismal font created in 1467. The church is only open on weekdays, from May to October from 9am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 5pm, and November to April from 10am to 12:30pm and 1:30 to 4pm.