The eastern section of the garden (planned: kitchen garden) with the stone pavilion (planned: mineralogy presentation) © Klassik Stiftung Weimar

Goethe Residence Ensemble

Sub-project “House Garden”

The measures to refurbish the Goethe Residence ensemble in accordance with monument preservation guidelines as part of a new museological design not only includes renovation of the Goethe Residence itself (front and rear building) and the adjoining Vulpius buildings, but also the house garden including the garden- and stone pavilions. 

Based on the proposed historic garden conservation objectives, the aim is to make the multifaceted uses of the house garden more visible to the visiting public in the future. Providing access to the two pavilions will establish presentation venues for Goethe’s natural scientific studies and collections. Under archaeological supervision, conservators will recreate the historic spatial situations with their distinctive spatial compositions. The restoration of the kitchen garden will create opportunities for educational presentations highlighting Goethe’s horticultural interests and the day-to-day business of running the Goethe household. 

Hands-on educational areas next to the pavilions, as well as seamless access to the garden via a lift, will provide new visitor groups with better means of experiencing the house garden. New natural paving stones will be laid in the inner courtyard of the residence, creating a smoother surface for wheelchairs and other rolling mobility aids. In future, newly installed ramps will allow visitors with limited mobility to visit the ground floor of the Goethe Residence and the pavilions. 

The measures also include the installation of a resource-friendly rainwater cistern and watering system that will safeguard the sustainability of the UNESCO World Heritage Site by adapting to extended dry spells in a warming climate.

read more
  1. Goethe Residence Ensemble l Renovation and museum redesign in accordance with monument preservation guidelines
  2. Goethe National Museum

Schedule

Start of planning phase: mid-2023 

Start of preliminary construction work: November 2026 

Start of house garden restoration: mid-2028 

Reopening of the house garden: 2030 season

Financing / Funding

The project is financed with funds provided by the Hermann Reemtsma Stiftung

Planners involved

Historic garden conservation objectives: Franz LandschaftsArchitektur

Outdoor installations: ARGE Därr Landschaftsarchitekten, Halle | RoosGrün, weimar

Watering system: Ralph Ziehn, Weimar

Lift installation: TÜV Süd advimo GmbH

Planning objective for the inner courtyard: Improved accessibility with smoother paving stones in accordance with monument preservation guidelines
Planning objective for the inner courtyard: Improved accessibility with smoother paving stones in accordance with monument preservation guidelines , © Klassik Stiftung Weimar
Location of the future educational installation on Goethe’s botanical research next to the garden pavilion.
Location of the future educational installation on Goethe’s botanical research next to the garden pavilion. , © Klassik Stiftung Weimar
The eastern section of the garden (planned: kitchen garden) with the stone pavilion (planned: mineralogy presentation)
The eastern section of the garden (planned: kitchen garden) with the stone pavilion (planned: mineralogy presentation) , © Klassik Stiftung Weimar

Projects of the Klassik Stiftung Weimar are funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Free State of Thuringia, represented by the State Chancellery of Thuringia, Department of Culture and the Arts.