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.
Book Tower
The former city wall turret was converted into an impressive collection room in 1825. Since then, Weimar’s military library has been kept there among other literary treasures beneath a dome adorned with a twelve-ray sun.
At the behest of the Duke Carl August, the medieval defensive tower of the former city wall was converted into a book tower between 1821 and 1825. On the top gallery, he installed Weimar’s military library comprising some 5,000 volumes, maps and globes. It is considered Germany’s most fully preserved military library from 1800 in original condition today. Works of natural history, physics, ethnography, geography and regional studies can be found on the lower galleries. The Book Tower provides space for 20,000 volumes in total.
The three galleries of the Book Tower are connected by a wooden spiral staircase. The shaft of the staircase was crafted from a single 12-metre oaken trunk which was originally installed in the Osterburg Castle in Weida.
The Book Tower is connected to the Rococo Hall via the so-called “Goethe Annex”. The “military cabinet” inside the annex highlights Weimar’s military history with a special focus on the Napoleonic Wars and the battles at Jena and Auerstedt. From there, visitors proceed to the Book Tower under the open sky via the so-called “Ducal Bridge”. Historically, the route from the Rococo Hall via the Goethe Annex over the Ducal Bridge and into the Book Tower was exclusively reserved for the Duke.
Visit the Book Tower
The Book Tower can only be viewed on a guided tour. For conservatorial reasons, the tour is offered once a week and is limited to a maximum of 10 participants.
- every Sunday
- 11 am – 11:45 am
Please note that the tour of the Book Tower is not accessible to wheelchair users and the mobility impaired.