The Dornburg Palaces are enthroned on a rugged cliff high above the Saale valley, connected by gardens of different styles that extend into the steep slope. In the 19th century, the ensemble was the favoured summer residence of the Grand Dukes of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach and a favourite haunt of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. All important epochs since the High Middle Ages have left their mark here, creating a unique combination of diversity and harmony.
The palaces were created as individual complexes and were brought together from 1824 under Grand Duke Carl August through the garden design. From around 1870, his grandson Carl Alexander ensured careful remodelling in the spirit of historicism, which still characterises the image of the complex today. After 1918, the Renaissance and Rococo palaces became museums.
The Renaissance palace is temporarily closed due to renovation work. The rococo palace and the neighbouring Bauhaus Workshop Museum are open from April to October.
Dornburg Castles Museum
Season from April to October
02 April to 01 November 2026
daily except Wednesdays 10 am to 5 pm
Also open on Wednesdays on public holidays
