UNESCO World Heritage Day Weimar

World Heritage Day — Weimar at the Centre

The UNESCO World Heritage Day has been celebrated nationwide every year since 2005 on the first Sunday in June — on the initiative of UNESCO World Heritage Sites Germany e.V., the association of all 54 German World Heritage sites. In 2026, World Heritage Day falls on June 7 and is themed “Together for Peace and Understanding”. Weimar, located in the state of Thuringia, is one of the central venues of the day with a total of twelve inscribed World Heritage sites.

Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in One City

Weimar holds two UNESCO World Heritage inscriptions: the ensemble “Classical Weimar” with eleven sites (Goethe House, Schiller House, Wittum Palais, City Church of St. Peter and Paul with Cranach Altar, Anna Amalia Library, Park an der Ilm, Belvedere Palace and Park, Tiefurt Palace and Park, Ettersburg Palace and Park, and Historic Cemetery with Princely Crypt) — inscribed in 1998 — as well as the Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau with the Haus Am Horn (inscribed in 1996). This concentration is unique in Germany.

Highlight: Belvedere Plant Exchange

The most popular event of World Heritage Day is the plant exchange in Belvedere Park on the outskirts of the city. From 10 am to 5 pm, nurseries and private collectors sell historic plants, seeds, and roses. The plant exchange attracts thousands of hobby gardeners from all over Thuringia and the neighboring states every year.

Book Tower and Goethe House Exclusive

A special highlight in 2026 is the guided tour through the book tower of the Anna Amalia Library from 11 am to 11:45 am — the tower is otherwise not publicly accessible. From 1 pm to 5:30 pm, short guided tours will take place in Goethe's and Schiller's houses, Belvedere Palace and Park, and the library itself — all thematically focused on the motto “Peace and Understanding”. At Haus Am Horn — Weimar's only surviving Bauhaus building from 1923 — interactive exhibitions and a Bauhaus symposium with the Bauhaus University Weimar are taking place.

Classics Rally in the Weimar+ App

For younger audiences, the Klassik Stiftung has developed a digital scavenger hunt in the Weimar+ app — the “Classics Rally”. It leads through all eleven sites of Classical Weimar and combines GPS tasks with historical quiz material. Participation is free, and the app is free in the App Store and Google Play. The photo competition #WelterbeVerbindet runs until June 9, 2026.