It is difficult to say exactly what inspired me so much in Weimar. Surely the charming atmosphere of the city, for example at the beautiful theater square (with the Goethe-Schiller monument, the theater, and the Bauhaus museum) or at the Frauenplan with the Goethe House. Or it is the possibility to get a feeling for one of the most interesting periods in German history. Classical Weimar means the period between the end of the 18th and early 19th Century. Duchess Anna Amalia then invited four great humanists to Weimar, Goethe, Schiller, Wieland and Herder, and supported their work. The highlights, which should not be missed are the Goethe House, the Schiller House, the Anna Amalia Library and the park at the Ilm river. The Rococo Hall of the Anna Amalia Library has been restored after a fire in 2007. A visit is worthwhile, but the number of individual visitors is limited. However, it is possible to order tickets in advance. I went to Weimar in the summer of 2009. I also took a walk through the lovely Ilm Park and visited Goethes Gardenhouse (photo) and the Roman House. Other buildings that are part of the WHS are the City Palace, the Wittums Palace, the Herder Church and the Royal Crypt. All these places are within walking distance. Outside Weimar, there are three castles with parks: Belvedere Castle, Tiefurt Castle and Castle Ettersburg. Of these, the Belvedere Castle is the most impressive. In the vicinity of the Ilm Park are also the three sites that belong to the Bauhaus WHS.

I also visited the former concentration camp at Buchenwald, about 10 kilometers from Weimar. It was a strange experience to visit shortly after the other a monument of the most terrible time in Europe and places that represents humanism and enlightenment.