Since Johann Wolfgang von Goethe moved to Weimar in the late 18th century, this East German city has became the heart of German culture, a Mecca for fans of beautiful architecture and delicious food.
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And this not an overstatement: Weimar was the birthplace of the Bauhaus movement which redefined design, art, and architecture. If you take a look at famous residents, you will see that's the list of people from all walks of culture: from music and art to literature. From Johann Sebastian Bach to Friedrich Schiller, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and a number of others, the "Top Germans" lived in Weimar.
Without any doubt, Altstadt or Old Town is the heart of the city and the place to start your tour. To describe the significance of the Old Town it's enough to say that there you can see 10 historic buildings which are UNESCO World heritage sites. All in one place! The Classical Weimar period brought to the world great buildings, the Baroque Duke Palaces, the royal stables, the neo-Gothic Town Hall... And the best part is that all attractions are a short walking distance away.
The glory day of Weimar, Weimar Classicism spanning some 50 years, began with a simple thing: Duchess Anna Amalia summoned the best philosophers and poets to live and work in a city far from political power seat. The result: You can't find any big name you think off that wasn't here. Today, they are celebrated with the houses of Goethe and Schiller, architects created famous Ettersburg Palace and Tiefurt House, and in the historical cemetery with the royal crypt you can see where Goethe and Schiller rest.
The place of the German Enlightenment is situated almost in a geographical heart of Germany and it is very well connected with Leipzig, Nuremberg, and Dresden. Until 1948, Weimar was the capital of the federal state of Thuringia, with historical data going back to the 3rd century and the oldest records mentioning the variant of the Weimar name from 899. After that, the history more or less followed it's usual paths of those times with the Protestant Reformation, introduced in 1525, as one of the main events.
So, what to visit? First and foremost, start at the Bauhaus Museum, the home of more than exhibits that will give you an insight into the movement that influenced culture around the world. Then, Goethe National Museum in which you will discover that the famous writer was also a politican and - an experienced botanical expert. Where's poetry there's music, so: Franz Liszt's house in the Park on the Ilm, and the Weimar Haus, an interesting multimedia museum for those who are not into classic history museums, are your next destinations.
If you are thinking when to visit Weimar, it's good to know that its summers are warm but not too much with average temperatures of 23C (73F) and in winter you may expect 2C (36F). In other words, summers are pleasant, and winters are just ideal for enjoying snow activities. What's interesting here is that city's population grew over time, naturally, but the growth stagnated since 1940 and Weimar now has just over 65,000 citizens. That helped the city to stay true to its historical root, without numerous skyscrapers and modern malls that fit nowhere.
Germany is known by world-class sausages and if you want to taste best, you are in the right place. In Thuringia butchering season begins in November when animal come from distant fields and after centuries of experience people here turned sausage-making into art. And while Thüringer Rotwurst is the most known, the oldest known recipe for a unique Thüringer Rostbratwurst dating back to 1613 is kept in the State Archive in Weimar. To round it all, if you come in October, there's Onion Fair, a tradition from 1653 that promises good time, even more beer and more good food.
And while you are in Weimar it would be shame not to visit other top places in Thuringia. For example, the Wartburg Castle over Eisenach, some 50 minutes away from Weimar, sitting on a steep hill and accesible by a medieval era bridge, is one of the oldest Romanesque castles in Germany, a very important place fo church reformer Martin Luther. And, of course, Erfurt is a must: 1260 years old capital of Thuringia with its beautiful old town is one of the nicest cities in the whole country. After that... Just point your finger in any direction and the chance is some fairy tale castle is waiting to greet you. ■
