Hauptmarkt is dominated by the picturesque Rathaus, with its colourful Renaissance facade and 35m-tall tower. It started out as a storage house in 1567, later served as ducal pad of Ernst I while Schloss Friedenstein was under construction, and only became a town hall in 1665. The 14th-century Wasserkunst (cascading fountain) originally supplied the city with water, but is now purely decorative.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
24.39 MILES
Between 1937 and 1945, hidden from Weimarers and surrounding villagers, 250,000 men, women and children were incarcerated here, some 56,500 of whom were…
17.3 MILES
When it comes to medieval castles and their importance in German history, Eisenach's Unesco-listed Wartburg dominates the landscape. This huge medieval…
0.23 MILES
This horseshoe-shaped palace, surviving in exemplary condition as the largest early baroque palace in Germany, is a lavish, creaky-floored delight. Much…
18.98 MILES
Overlooking Schmalkalden, the late-Renaissance Schloss Wilhelmsburg was built between 1585 and 1590 by Landgrave Wilhelm IV of Hessen as a hunting lodge…
Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek
27.6 MILES
Assembled by Duchess Anna Amalia (1739–1807), the power (and purse) behind Weimar's classical florescence, this Unesco-listed library has been beautifully…
13.98 MILES
Situated on the Petersberg hill northwest of Domplatz, this 36-hectare citadel ranks among Europe’s largest and best-preserved baroque fortresses. While…
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14.14 MILES
Erfurt's cathedral, where Martin Luther was ordained a priest, grew over the centuries from a simple 8th-century chapel into the stately Gothic pile of…
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27.44 MILES
This is the world's leading museum on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Germany's literary colossus. It incorporates his home of 50 years, gifted by Duke Carl…
Nearby attractions
0.23 MILES
This horseshoe-shaped palace, surviving in exemplary condition as the largest early baroque palace in Germany, is a lavish, creaky-floored delight. Much…
0.43 MILES
The handsome neo-Renaissance building to the south of the Schloss Friedenstein now houses many of the artistic and historical treasures amassed by the…
7.67 MILES
The northernmost of the 'Three Like' castles that gave their name to the Drei Gleichen municipality southeast of Gotha, this 11th-century ruin used to be…
7.94 MILES
The oldest of the three Drei Gleichen ('Three Like') castles, Mühlburg was first mentioned in 704 and possibly existed in some form as early as 319 …
9.88 MILES
Now housing a hotel and restaurant, this well-preserved hilltop castle was originally built as a bastion against Magyar incursions in the 10th century,…
13.25 MILES
It’s easy to spend hours amid the riotous flower beds, Japanese rock garden, Schmetterlinghaus (butterfly house) and greenhouses of the rambling GDR-era…
13.98 MILES
Situated on the Petersberg hill northwest of Domplatz, this 36-hectare citadel ranks among Europe’s largest and best-preserved baroque fortresses. While…
14.12 MILES
The late-13th-century Severikirche – which together with the adjacent cathedral forms Efrurt's iconic architectural ensemble on Domberg (Cathedral Hill) –…