Erfurt is an old university city with a rich history dating back more than 1200 years. Once the meeting place of synods and imperial diets, it was the site of the Congress of Erfurt in 1808, when Napoleon met with the Tsar of Russia and the German princes in an attempt to reaffirm old alliances. Besides being a center for agriculture and gardening, Erfurt is also known as the “city of many towers” because of its many churches, and is famous as the place where Martin Luther his vision was said to be to foment the Reformation.
1 Erfurt Cathedral
Erfurt Cathedral, also known as St. Mary’s Cathedral, was founded in 742 AD. The original church, replaced by a Romanesque basilica in 1154, had a number of other later additions, including the High Gothic choir of 1370, and was rebuilt as a hall church in 1465. The cathedral has three 19th-century towers, the central one a house with the largest bell in the world, the Maria Gloriosa, famous for the beauty of its tone. The 15 high windows in the choir are masterpieces of medieval stained glass and are unique in Germany for their size and unity of theme. Among the cathedral’s other treasures are the opulent Baroque high altar, the elaborately carved 14th-century choir stalls, a stucco work of the Virgin from 1160, and the 13th-century tomb of Count von Gleichen and his two wives.
Address: Domstufen 1, 99084 Erfurt
Accommodation: where to stay in Erfurt
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2 Editor’s Pick The Erfurt Synagogue and Treasures
Built around 1100, the Erfurt Synagogue is the oldest such building in Europe. Today, this well-preserved medieval building houses the exquisite Erfurt Treasure, an extremely rare hoard of coins and jewels believed to have been hidden during the Black Death of 1349 and the subsequent persecution of the city’s Jewish population. Discovered in 1998 in the city’s old Jewish quarter, the collection includes more than 3,000 silver coins, more than 700 gold pieces and 14 blocks from the 13th and 14th centuries. Other sites related to the city’s Jewish community include the Small synagoguea 19th-century house of worship that now houses exhibitions of Jewish life in Erfurt, and the mikveha 13th century bath for religious ceremonies, now a museum.
Address: Waagegasse 8, 99084 Erfurt
Official site: https://juedisches-leben.erfurt.de/jl/en/
3 St. Severus Church and Domplatz
The St. Severus Church, or Severikirche, was first mentioned in 1121. This beautiful early Gothic hall church, high on Erfurt’s Domberg, has double aisles and a richly furnished interior, with the tomb of St. Severus from 1365, and a spectacular 15-meter-high font. A 70-step staircase, connected to Erfurt Cathedral, dominates Domplatz, the historic cathedral square with its handsome old buildings, including the 18th-century Grüne Apotheke (Green Pharmacy) and Zur Hohen Lilie, one of the most beautiful buildings from the Renaissance. in Erfurt.
Address: Domstufen 1, 99084 Erfurt
4 The Fischmarkt and Krämerbrucke
Erfurt’s Marktstrasse leads to the Fischmarkt, where the city’s ancient trade routes intersect. Highlights of the old square include a Roland figure from 1591 and Zum Roten Ochsen and Zum Breiten Herd, two richly decorated Renaissance buildings. Northeast of the Fischmarkt is the famous Krämerbrücke, the trade bridge. First recorded in 1117, this beautiful 120-meter-long bridge spans the Gera River and is unique for the many old houses lining its sides (it is the longest such bridge in Europe). It’s a beautiful place to explore – especially during the Merchants’ Bridge Festival in June – and is full of lovely galleries, boutiques, cafes and restaurants. It is also important Church of St. Aegidiuson the east side of the bridge, with a beautiful view of the old town from the tower.
5 Martin Luther and the Augustinian Monastery
Augustinerstrasse is known for its 13th-century Augustinian monastery. Founded in 1277, this is where the young Martin Luther became a monk in 1505. The property can be visited by guided tours (available on the hour), including a look at Luther’s small room, the Lutherzelle. Other highlights include the beautiful Comthureihof from 1593, the St. Elisabeth Chapel with its murals and an exhibition called Luther Bible Monastery, which here describes the time of the famous Reformer. Also interesting are the Georgenburse, the former student quarters where Luther lived as a 17-year-old in 1701; the Luther Stone, a monument marking the spot where the Reformer vowed to become a monk after being saved from death during a storm; and the Luther Trailwhich connects Erfurt with 30 other sites in Thuringia.
Address: Augustinerstraße 10, 99084 Erfurt
6 anger
Anger, one of Erfurt’s oldest streets, has traditionally been the city’s main shopping and trading area. Where textiles, wool and wheat used to be traded, there are now numerous shops, from small craft and antique shops to hip boutiques and department stores. Other tourist attractions include the Anger Museumhoused in the richly decorated baroque Packhof, with exhibitions of arts and crafts from the Middle Ages to modern times, and the Municipal Museum, housed in the richly decorated Zum Stockfisch, a late Renaissance building dating from 1607 that traces the city’s history through informative displays and artifacts. Anger is also where you will find it St. Bartholomew’s Tower (Bartholomäusturm), a 12th century structure with a carillon of 60 bells.
7 Zitadelle Petersberg
Another old district of Erfurt that should be visited is Petersberg, or St. Peter’s Hill. Here you will find St. Peter’s Church (Peterskirche), a beautiful Romanesque basilica built on the site of an 11th-century monastery and one of the earliest buildings of the Hirsau school in Thuringia. Also important Zitadelle Petersberg, Central Europe’s largest and best preserved Baroque fortress built in the 17th century. Highlights include an extensive maze of underground tunnels, accessible as part of the two-hour fortress tours (English-language tours available for groups only).
Address: Petersberg, 99084 Erfurt
8 Erfurt Zoo Park
North of Erfurt, on the Roter Berg, is the family-friendly Erfurt Zoo with approximately 1,060 animals representing 193 species. The zoo is best known for its rare monkey species, including black and white colobuses, John’s langurs, Entellus langurs and Douc langurs. Other highlights of this 153-hectare site overlooking the ancient city include the African elephants, lions, giraffes and white rhinos.
Address: Am Zoopark 1 99087 Erfurt
Day trips from Erfurt
Naumburg Cathedral
About 100 kilometers northwest of Erfurt lies the late Romanesque and early Gothic Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Naumburg. Widely considered one of the most beautiful cathedrals in Europe, this crossbow-shaped basilica with its vaulted roof, two choirs, four towers and Romanesque crypt dates from 1170. It is perhaps best known for the 12 figures of its founders in the West Choir, life-size masterpieces carved from limestone by an unknown local artist in 1250. Also of excellent quality are the reliefs of the Passion on the west chancel screen, the medieval stained glass in some windows, several altars and sculptures and a number of fine monuments. On the south side of the cathedral, incorporated into the monastery, is the parish church of St. Mary (Marienkirche).
Schloss Molsdorf
Just ten kilometers southwest of Erfurt lies Schloss Molsdorf, one of the most beautiful Rococo palaces in Thuringia. Built by Count von Gotter between 1736 and 1745 and extensively restored, it is now a museum open to the public. Highlights include a hidden spiral staircase, luxurious interior design, and numerous works of art, including statues and vases. There is a café on site and overlooks the beautiful park which was created in 1826.
Address: Schloßplatz 6, 99094 Erfurt
Coburg
About 90 kilometers south of Erfurt, the former ducal capital Coburg lies on the southern slopes of the Thuringian Forest, on the River Itz, a tributary of the Main. Right through the city, Coburg Fortress (Veste Coburg) is one of the largest castles in Germany, dating from the 16th century and restored in the 19th and 20th centuries. The art collections in the Luther Rooms here feature displays of ancient glass, porcelain and decorated pottery. The beautiful castle extends over the hill to Coburg Castle Hofgarten (Court Garden) with many important monuments and the Mausoleum of the Dukes. Other Coburg palaces worth visiting include the splendid one Ehrenburg, formerly the Ducal Palace; Schloss Rosenau; and Callenberg Palace, a medieval castle with centuries of royal history to reveal. In the city center, the attractive Market is a wonderful place for a walk with its town hall (Rathaus) from 1579 and the former government buildings in a richly decorated late Renaissance building from 1599.
Schloss Elisabethenburg
Schloss Elisabethenburg, about an hour’s drive southwest of Erfurt, was built from 1682-1692 by the bishops of Würzburg. Named after Duke Bernhard I’s second wife, Duchess Elisabeth Eleonore, the palace is home to a wealth of treasures and a range of architectural styles that go beyond its relatively simple Baroque facade. Highlights include the refined wall and ceiling plasterwork; the opulent neoclassical marble hall from 1907; Holy Trinity Castle Church; and the “Hessensaal” in the roof area of the stair tower, now home to the elegant museum café. Honoring the famous musicians who were former palace guests are the Max Reger Music School and Archives with signed scores and a collection of historical instruments and the Johannes Brahms Concert Hall. The palace is also home to the Meiningen Museums and the Thuringian State Archives.
Address: Meiningen Museum, Schlossplatz 1, 98617 Meiningen
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