Gotha: This small town in Thuringia is a great insider tip

When planning a city trip to Thuringia , the first things that often come to mind are Weimar with Goethe and Schiller, Erfurt and its Jewish World Heritage Site, or Eisenach with its Wartburg Castle. And Gotha? It's far too often overlooked. Unjustly so, because the city, with around 45,000 inhabitants, is not only the fifth-largest in Thuringia, but also one of the most historically significant.

The former royal seat of Gotha is considered a cultural gem nestled between the Middle Ages and the modern age, between Baroque splendor and world history. Travelers can explore not only a magnificent Baroque palace but also a picturesque old town – or take a train ride into the forest. Here are our eight highlights for your city trip to Gotha.

Friedenstein Castle is the landmark of Gotha.

Source: imago images/Val Thoermer

It is Gotha's unmistakable landmark: the imposing Friedenstein Castle, high above the city. Considered the largest early Baroque palace complex in Germany , it was built starting in 1643, in the midst of the Thirty Years' War, by Duke Ernst I of Saxe-Gotha-Altenburg, known as "the Pious." He had it built as a symbol of stability, with more internal than external splendor.

Visitors to the palace are immersed in over 350 years of collection and residential history, whether on their own or as part of a guided tour through the Baroque and Neoclassical state rooms of the north and west wings. There, you'll experience authentically preserved living and audience rooms, decorated with Meissen porcelain, paintings, gilded furniture, and silk wallpaper.

A highlight is the Kunstkammer (Art Chamber), one of the oldest princely collections of its kind. It includes a gilded silver elephant by court jeweler Johann Melchior Dinglinger, exotic treasures made of ivory and amber, and even a genuine bicorn hat worn by Napoleon Bonaparte, which the emperor himself presented as a gift during a visit to Gotha.

The castle park and the orangery are just as worth a visit as the castle itself.

Source: imago images/ari

If you'd like to experience a Baroque-style stroll, a stroll through the historic palace gardens is worthwhile after exploring the palace interior. What at first glance appears to be a pretty city park is, in fact, one of Europe's most important garden ensembles – with a blend of Baroque geometry, English naturalness, and botanical diversity.

The English landscape garden surrounding the palace is particularly picturesque, characterized by winding paths, ponds, pavilions, and ancient giant trees. In fact, this garden is considered the oldest English-style garden on the European mainland. On the east side is the Baroque Orangery, a rare surviving example of courtly garden architecture. Two long orangery buildings from the 18th century frame a fan-shaped garden with flowerbeds, with a central building converted into a ballroom at its center.

The orangery once served not only as a wintering ground for Mediterranean plants, but also as a venue for garden parties and courtly ceremonies. A few steps further, between the palace and the Ducal Museum, another aspect of Gotha's Garden Kingdom is revealed: the Fir Garden, created in 1869 as a botanical extension of the natural history collection. Court gardener Carl Theobald Eulefeld gathered around 170 rare conifers on just 1.2 hectares, including rarities such as the North American Nootka cypress.

The Ekhof Theater is one of the oldest surviving Baroque theaters with functioning stage machinery.

Source: imago/photo2000

Hidden in the west tower of Friedenstein Castle is a unique jewel in the world: the Ekhof Theater , one of the oldest surviving Baroque theaters with functioning stage machinery. Since 1681, sets have been transformed at the touch of a button – with an ingenious system of ropes, pulleys, and wooden carriages, which is still operated manually today.

During guided tours, visitors experience how entire scenes change within seconds, with wind, thunder, and sinking sounds accompanying the stage action. In addition, a new multimedia exhibition with film sequences and virtual tours brings the theater world of the 17th and 18th centuries to life, including a glimpse into the legendary understage area.

The theater is particularly impressive during the Ekhof Festival in July and August, when a classical piece is performed with original technology and baroque splendor – Molière's "Tartuffe" is on the program in 2025. The theater is named after Conrad Ekhof, who directed Germany's first permanent court theater there from 1775 and is considered the founder of modern dramatic art.

Friedenstein Castle conceals a labyrinth of wonderfully preserved baroque defensive structures.

Source: imago/Karina Hessland

What many don't realize: Friedenstein Castle is not only a place of art, but also a mighty fortress. Deep beneath the castle grounds lies an impressive labyrinth of casemates , part of one of the best-preserved Baroque defense systems in Central Germany. On a 300-meter underground tour, you'll explore gun galleries, embrasure chambers, and defensive passages that have been preserved in their original form for over 350 years.

The casemate tours depart daily (April–October at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., November–March at 1 p.m.) from Elsa-Brändström-Weg. Due to the consistently cool eight degrees Celsius, warm clothing is recommended – and advance registration is recommended, as space is limited.

The Ducal Museum in Gotha is a magnificent building with exhibitions of high-quality art from Europe, Asia and Africa.

Source: IMAGO/Pond5 Images

Right at the foot of Friedenstein Castle rises a magnificent building in the historicist style: the Ducal Museum of Gotha . Impressive from the outside, it's richly filled inside with top-class art from Europe, Asia, and Africa. The objects were collected over centuries by the Dukes of Saxe-Gotha. The building itself was built between 1864 and 1879 and was extensively renovated in 2013.

Museum visitors journey through the centuries, from Egyptian mummies and ancient vases to Chinese porcelain and paintings by Rubens, Cranach, Caspar David Friedrich, and Jan van Goyen. Particularly noteworthy are the mysterious "Gotha Lovers," an art-historical enigma from the pre-Dürer era, and the largest collection of Jean-Antoine Houdon paintings outside France. Some of these masterpieces were stolen in 1979 during the GDR's largest art theft and did not return to Gotha until 2021.

Fans of fine ceramics will also get their money's worth: Italian majolica, Meissen porcelain, and Böttger stoneware reflect the refined taste of earlier centuries.

Gotha also enchants with a cozy old town full of sights.

Source: IMAGO/Depositphotos

A stroll through Gotha's old town takes you past both Baroque facades and Renaissance gables, through alleys, and to squares that invite you to linger. The most famous square is the Buttermarkt. It got its name from its former trading center for butter, cheese, and meat. Today, you'll find it a cozy meeting place for travelers and locals alike, thanks to the cafés and pubs hidden behind its colorful facades.

In the center of the Buttermarkt stands the ornate Kiss of Peace Throne, created in 2011 for Thuringia Day. Its backrest is a free interpretation of the famous Kiss of Peace medallion at Friedenstein Castle. In the fall, the square becomes a blacksmith's paradise for the international "Gotha Glows" competition.

Just a few steps away is the main market square, dominated by the red Renaissance town hall dating from 1567. Once a merchant's store and the residence of Duke Ernst the Pious during the construction of the castle, it now houses the mayor's office. Tip: For the most beautiful panoramic view of Gotha, it's worth climbing the town hall tower!

A little further south awaits the Augustinian Monastery, which, at over 700 years old, is considered the oldest settlement of Augustinian monks in Thuringia. The Gothic cloister, dating from 1366, and the Baroque-style remodeled Augustinian Church are worth seeing. Even Martin Luther passed through there as a district vicar, and inside, the gravestone of Gotha's reformer, Friedrich Myconius, commemorates the history of the Reformation.

Insurance is boring? If you think so, hopefully you'll change your mind in Gotha. The city is considered the "cradle of German insurance," because it was there that Ernst Wilhelm Arnoldi, the son of a merchant, founded the first fire insurance company in 1820 and the first German life insurance company in 1827. In doing so, he laid the foundation for an industry that continues to shape our lives today.

You can learn all about insurance history at the German Insurance Museum , housed in the magnificent headquarters of the former Gotha Life Insurance Bank from 1894. The eclectic building boasts a richly decorated facade and spacious staircase, which are worth a visit in themselves.

In the historic boardrooms, you'll learn how Arnoldi professionalized life insurance using mathematics, statistics, and medical reports. Exhibits and documents tell the story from the beginnings to the present day – and of the changes during the GDR era, when the State Insurance Company was based on the site.

A real eye-catcher is the monumental relief "Stages of Life" by Adolf Lehnert from 1904, which depicts life's journey from childhood to old age in the stairwell. Those who wish can combine their museum visit with a concert from the "SERENADE" series, which takes place regularly in the elegant foyer.

A ride on the Thuringian Forest Railway is a slow journey into the “green heart of Germany”.

Source: Imago

If you've already soaked up plenty of culture and history on your city trip to Gotha, we have a relaxing tip: a ride on the Thuringian Forest Railway . This historic interurban tram is the last of its kind in Thuringia and chugs along a good 21 kilometers through the "green heart of Germany," the Thuringian Forest. It connects Gotha with Waltershausen, Friedrichroda, and the spa town of Bad Tabarz.

From the main train station, this line, number 4, runs straight through the city center before heading out into the countryside on a single track. Along the way, the train stops at destinations such as the idyllic Reinhardsbrunn Ponds or the Marienglashöhle, a former mining and crystal cave that can now be visited. Among locals, the Waldbahn is known as the "jungle rumble" (jungle rumble) due to its extremely leisurely and somewhat bumpy ride.

For special occasions, even historic trams are used—a highlight for technology fans and romantics alike. Timetables, prices, and special tours are available from the "Gotha adelt" Tourist Information Center or directly from the Thuringian Forest Railway.

Looking for more inspiration? You can find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter .