Guided tour of the Goethe's House Weimar
| Place: | Goethe’s Home Frauenplan 1 99423 Weimar |
| Start date: | Friday 29, July 2011 |
| End date: | Friday 29, July 2011 |
| Times: | 13.00 - 14.00 |
| Price: | Adults 8,50 € | Discount 7 € | School Kid (16-20 years) 2,50 € Youth under 16 years free |
Goethe’s Home with Goethe National Museum
Johann Wolfgang Goethe lived in the house on Frauenplan for 50 years until his death in 1832, apart from his journeys and a lengthy stay in Italy. He first moved into the Baroque house which built in 1709 on June 1, 1782 as a tenant. In 1792, Duke Carl August of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach purchased the property and gave it to his state minister Goethe, who by then had been ennobled, in 1794. Goethe had the building reconstructed according to his own designs as the only owner. The most significant changes made to the house were the construction of a spacious staircase with three passageways and the corresponding niches for sculptures, and the mounting of stucco friezes. This reconstruction work reflects Goethe’s ideology of classical art.
The part of the house facing the town contains the elegant living, social and collection rooms, while the back of the house with the working areas is looking at the spacious gardens. The front and back of the house are linked by two passages on the upper floor; these bridge the coach house and inner courtyard with the fountain. Goethe lived here not only with his family, but also with several servants and house mates such as his friend and advisor, the artist Johann Heinrich Meyer at the times.
Besides serving as a place to live and work, the great house gave Goethe the opportunity to expand his art and nature collection constantly until it reached the dimensions that are still being preserved today. The 18 accessible rooms show not only original furniture and other belongings of the household, but also personal mementoes and numerous objects from all parts of Goethe’s collection: hand drawings, paintings, sculptures, bronzes, majolica, coins and medallions. The arrangement and display of the collection largely corresponds to their presentation during the last years of the poet’s life. The highlight of the tour is Goethe’s study with its authentic furnishings and the view of the adjoining private library.
Garden at Goethe’s Home
The garden was mainly looked after by Goethe’s wife Christine, and served above all to supply the large household with fruit and vegetables. Around 1794, Goethe periodically performed botanical experiments and earmarked some of the beds for systematic planting. In 1817, the garden was expanded to the east through the acquisition of the so-called »Treuter Garden«. With this purchase, Goethe also acquired the garden house on Ackerwand where he kept his mineral collection. The garden is today maintained in the condition of the 1820s, although the former vegetable beds have been replaced with lawns.
Goethe's Home is situated in the same building as the Goethe National Museum.
Goethe National Museum
Shortly after the death of Goethe’s last grandson Walther, Goethe’s historic house and his art and nature collections passed on to the trusteeship of the Goethe National Museum, founded in 1885. More objects from the poet’s personal milieu were acquired because of the extensive donations from the Henckel von Donnersmarck family and Dr. Felix Vulpius in the same year. Two museum buildings were built in 1913 and 1935 to accommodate the steadily growing collection. These buildings today are the central foyer, exhibition rooms, storage rooms and study rooms. The Goethe National Museum organizes different exhibitions based on themes that are relevant to Goethe’s day including objects from his collections. From summer 2012 onwards, the Klassik Stiftung Weimar will be installing a two-story permanent exhibition related to Goethe’s life and work.
Visitor information
Address
Goethe’s Home
Frauenplan 1
99423 Weimar
Opening hours
1.11. - 31.3.
Tu We Th Fr Sa Su | 09:00 - 16:00
1.4. - 30.9.
Tu We Th Fr Su | 09:00 - 18:00
Sa | 09:00 - 19:00
1.10. - 31.10.
Tu We Th Fr Sa Su | 09:00 - 18:00
show holidays
Public guided tour
1.4. - 31.10.
Tu Th Fr Sa | 13:00 - 14:00
Sa | 15:00 - 16:00
1.11. - 31.3.
Tu Th Fr Sa | 13:00 - 14:00
Prices
Adults 8,50 € | Discount 7 € | School Kid (16-20 years) 2,50 €
Youth under 16 years free
Audioguide available
Contact
Klassik Stiftung Weimar
Besucherinformation
Frauentorstraße 4
99423 Weimar
Phone: +49 (0) 3643-545-400
Fax: +49 (0) 3643-41 98 16
info@klassik-stiftung.de
