On my walk through Ilm Park (Park an der Ilm), I come across this monument to William Shakespeare. What a surprise. I did know that Weimar is known for Goethe, Schiller, and Herder. What is the link to Shakespeare? In fact, Goethe played an important role in this question.
The manhole covers of Erfurt show the city arms. The local coat of arms reminds of the Mainzer Rad (Wheel of Mainz). Is there a reason for this similarity? The chronicle of Erfurt tells the answer to this question.
This pigeon is member of a breed living within the walls of Wartburg Castle in Eisenach. According to legend this breed was part of the dowry, Elisabeth of Hungary brought to the castle after her wedding with Louis IV, Landgrave of Thuringia.
View of Friedenstein Castle (Schloss Friedenstein) taken from the staircase of the Ducal Museum of Gotha. The early Baroque palace was built in the mid-17th century by Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Gotha. It is notable for hosting the Ekhof-Theater, which is still featuring the original Baroque machinery for changing the scenery.
This manhole cover near Friedenstein Castle (Schloss Friedenstein) shows the coat of arms of Thuringia. The inscription promotes the foundation Thüringer Schlösser und Gärten, which is responsible for about 30 castles, monasteries and parks.
Memories! For many children in Germany and Austria, these wise guys were stars of the TV series Die Sendung mit der Maus (The Show with the Mouse). If you look carefully on your urban walk through Erfurt you will find several protagonists of German children TV series.
On our bike tour from Weimar to Wielandgut in Oßmannstedt, we pass the Renaissance palace Kromsdorf. Curious, we turn into the garden of the palace. Around 60 stone busts look at us. What might be the meaning of these busts?
In 2013 the German states of Saxony and Thuringia are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the architect and designer Henry van de Velde. For this reason, exhibitions take place in cities like Weimar, Jena, Erfurt, Gera, Apolda, Bürgel, and Chemnitz.
During a stay at an IBIS hotel in Erfurt I had a very special view from my room: The ruins of the Barfüsserkirche, a church named after an order of the Franciscan (‘Barfüsser’) which had been destroyed in 1944. More…