City Portrait Erfurt
June 8, 2007
Firm belief in the progress of socialism and in concrete as the most progressive of building materials nearly led to the destruction of Erfurt's medieval town center. Plans were made to demolish the centuries-old buildings to make room for a freeway, but the plans were thwarted by the collapse of socialism in Germany in 1989/1990.
Instead of bulldozers, architects, painters, masons, carpenters and restaurateurs came to Erfurt to restore the beauty of the old, half-timbered and Renaissance-style buildings around the cathedral, allowing the residents and visitors to fall in love with their city center again.
VIPs in Erfurt
One of the best ways to enjoy Erfurt is to sit in a restaurant on the banks of the river Gera -- an old water mill makes for a good vantage spot -- and enjoy a drink, listening to the sound of running water in the background. Tourists and foreigners are quickly and wholeheartedly accepted here and soon mingle with the Erfurt residences.
As the political and cultural center of Thuringia, Erfurt has always attracted outstanding people: Goethe, Schiller and Bach studied here, and Martin Luther spent time at the university, which was founded in the 14th century.
On foot or by trolley
Though the city is ideal for walks, the local trolley car presents a leisurely alternative and offers a round trip tour of the city.
Travelers who opt for the trolley, however, will have to disembark at one stop if they don't want to miss one of Erfurt's highlights: Krämerbrücke, the Peddlers' Martin Luther attended Erfurt's 14th century university. This medieval bridge actually consists of two rows of houses and a street in the middle built over a river.
Those who live on the bridge can go fishing from their living room window. They just have to do without a cellar to store the catch.
70 steps to bliss
Erfurt's cityscape is rather flat, except for a hill at the center of town. The so-called Domberg, which is accentuated by the cathedral at its peak. Next to it stands Saint Severin's Church. Both places of worship can be reached by a broad flight of steps -- Erfurt’s "70 steps to bliss."
Worldly bliss becomes tangible every summer when thousands visit open air performances of medieval and modern music such as "Jedermann" or "Carmina Burana," where the two ancient churches providing an intriguing backdrop.