Gotha - Schloss Friedenstein 
Gotha is dominated by the imposing Schloss Friedenstein (1643-54), a huge Early Baroque palace (100m/110yds by 140m/155yds) of three wings laid out round a central courtyard, with a handsome interior (Baroque, Roccoco, neo-classical). Built on the site of the earlier castle of Grimmenstein, it provided a model for other palaces in Thuringia and beyond.
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Must-see attractions nearby:
Schloss Friedenstein
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It has been extensively restored in recent years.
Within the palace complex are a church, with a burial vault containing the magnificent sarcophagi of the rulers of Gotha, and a theater (Ekhoftheater), one of the oldest surviving Baroque theaters in Germany.
The Schlossmuseum possesses rich art treasures (including "The Lovers of Gotha", the earliest German double portrait, and works by Dutch masters), a collection of 100,000 coins and collections of antiquities and Chinese art.
Within the palace complex are a church, with a burial vault containing the magnificent sarcophagi of the rulers of Gotha, and a theater (Ekhoftheater), one of the oldest surviving Baroque theaters in Germany.
The Schlossmuseum possesses rich art treasures (including "The Lovers of Gotha", the earliest German double portrait, and works by Dutch masters), a collection of 100,000 coins and collections of antiquities and Chinese art.
Things to See
Library and Folk Museum
In Gotha's Schloss Friedenstein are a research library, with over half a million volumes as well as 5,500 and 3,300 Oriental manuscripts, and the Museum of Regional History and Folk Art (Museum für Regionalgeschichte und Volkskunst), with collections of textiles, musical instruments and weapons.
Schlosspark
Round the Schloss in Gotha lies a landscaped park laid out in 1770. From in front of the palace there is a fine view of the town. To the right is a massive monument in honor of Landgrave Ernest I, and to the left of this the Wasserkunst, a neo-Baroque decorative channel (1892) for the Leina Canal (constructed in the 14th C.).
Hours
May 1 to October 31
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 | 17:00 |
November 1 to April 30
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 |
Guides
Guided tour available as optional extra.
