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Weimar packs more literary, musical and architectural history into its compact old town than almost any city its size in Europe. Goethe and Schiller lived and wrote here, the Bauhaus was founded here in 1919, and two of the city’s ensembles are UNESCO World Heritage sites. Most of the main things to do in Weimar sit within a 15-minute walk of the Marktplatz. This guide lists the key attractions with opening hours and ticket prices. Check the Weimar weather by month page to pick a dry day for the outdoor sights, or read our full Weimar city guide.
Things to Do in Weimar: Goethe and Classical Heritage
Goethe House and National Museum
Goethe lived at Frauenplan 1 from 1782 until his death in 1832, and the house survives with its original furniture and study. A combined ticket for the house and the adjoining National Museum costs 13 EUR, and it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9:30 to 18:00 (to 16:00 in winter); it closes on Mondays. Book a timed slot in summer, since entry is capped. This house is the natural first stop because everything else in the old town radiates from it.
Schiller House
Friedrich Schiller lived at Schillerstrasse 12 for the last three years of his life, from 1802 to 1805. The modest house where he wrote Wilhelm Tell has period rooms and original manuscripts. Admission is 7 EUR and hours match the Goethe House, Tuesday to Sunday. The two houses are a five-minute walk apart, and a combined ticket for both plus the other Classical Weimar museums saves money. The Weimar events and festivals calendar includes readings held in these houses each year.
Duchess Anna Amalia Library
The Rococo reading room of the Anna Amalia Library, on Platz der Demokratie 1, is one of the most photographed interiors in Germany. The room holds about 40,000 volumes and was restored after a 2004 fire. Entry is 8 EUR with a timed ticket every 15 minutes, and you should book online in advance because slots sell out. It is closed Mondays. The library sits in the old town described in our Weimar neighborhoods guide.
Stadtschloss (City Palace)
The Weimar City Palace on Burgplatz was the residence of the dukes of Saxe-Weimar and now houses an art collection spanning Cranach to the present. Admission is 8 EUR, open Tuesday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00. The tower offers a view over the old town. It is a two-minute walk from the Anna Amalia Library. If you are looking for a hotel near these sights, see our where to stay in Weimar guide.
Things to Do in Weimar: Bauhaus and Modernism
Bauhaus Museum Weimar
Opened in 2019 on Stephane-Hessel-Platz, the Bauhaus Museum holds the world’s oldest collection linked to the school Walter Gropius founded in Weimar in 1919. Highlights include furniture, textiles and models from the early Bauhaus workshops. Admission is 11 EUR, open Tuesday to Sunday 9:30 to 18:00. Give it 90 minutes to two hours. For how to reach the city, check the Weimar travel tips page before you set off.
Haus am Horn
Haus am Horn, at Am Horn 61, was the first house built by the Bauhaus, for its 1923 exhibition, and is the only surviving structure from that era in Weimar. It is part of the Bauhaus UNESCO site. Entry is 6 EUR and it opens seasonally, usually April to October, on limited days, so check the schedule before going. It sits at the edge of Park an der Ilm.
Bauhaus University Main Building
The main building of the Bauhaus University, on Geschwister-Scholl-Strasse 8, was designed by Henry van de Velde as an art school in 1904. The stairwell murals by Oskar Schlemmer are the highlight. You can walk through the public parts free during weekday opening hours. It anchors the modern side of the city’s story.
Things to Do in Weimar: Parks and Castles
Park an der Ilm and Goethe’s Garden House
Park an der Ilm is a 48-hectare landscape park that follows the Ilm river through the middle of the city, and it is free to enter. Goethe helped design it and kept a garden house on its edge, which now opens Tuesday to Sunday for 7 EUR. The Roman House, a small summer residence inside the park, is another stop. Budget an hour or two to walk the full length.
Belvedere Castle and Gardens
Belvedere Castle sits about 4 km south of the centre, reachable by bus line 1 or a 45-minute walk along the Ilm. The castle holds a porcelain and furniture collection, entry 6 EUR, and the surrounding orangery gardens are free. It is open Tuesday to Sunday. The gardens bloom best in May and June.
Things to Do in Weimar: Memorials and History
Buchenwald Memorial
The Buchenwald concentration camp memorial stands on the Ettersberg hill about 10 km north of the city, reachable by bus line 6 in about 25 minutes. Entry and the permanent exhibition are free, and the site is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 18:00 (16:00 in winter). Allow at least three hours; it is a sobering counterweight to the city’s classical image.
German National Theatre and Goethe-Schiller Monument
The Deutsches Nationaltheater on Theaterplatz is where the Weimar Republic’s constitution was drafted in 1919. The bronze Goethe and Schiller monument in front is the city’s most famous photo spot. Theatre tickets start around 15 EUR; the square itself is free. For help deciding which of these sights to prioritise, see the best time to visit Weimar guide, which notes when each is busiest.
