Once an important mining town, Ilmenau is nestled amidst magnificent surroundings in the Thuringian Forest. During the 19th century, it became a favourite getaway of the German poet and playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and went on to establish itself as a centre for porcelain and glass manufacturing.
Things to do in Ilmenau
Learn about Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s links to Ilmenau at the Goethe Stadt Museum, which occupies a Baroque residence designed by Gottfrie Heinrich Krohne in the mid-18th century. Not only was Goethe an influential writer but he worked to revive copper and silver mining in the region. Also within the museum is an exhibit about the political, industrial and social history of Ilmenau over the last 200 years.
A short drive south-west of Ilmenau is the Jagdhaus Gabelbach, a 1783-built hunting lodge that has been transformed into a museum dedicated to nature and the environment. It can be accessed along the 20-kilometre-long Goethe Hiking Trail that passes through the Thuringian Forest as it connects Ilmenau to Stutzerbach.
The Goethe Hiking Trail also connects to the Großer Hermannstein Observation Platform, which offers panoramic views across the Thuringian Forest. Goethe visited the spot many times to work and draw, describing it as “my beloved residence, where I would like to live and stay”. Carved into the rock face is a cave that is believed to have served as a castle guard room during the Middle Ages.
Getting around Ilmenau
Ilmenau is around 40 minutes’ drive from Erfurt and 30 minutes from Erfurt Weimar Airport, which has seasonal flights to destinations across Europe. The much larger Frankfurt Airport is three hours away. Regular trains connect to the Ilmenau railway station and buses travel throughout the town. The centre of Ilmenau can easily be explored on foot.