The Goethe and University City

Ilmenau, conveniently located on the A71 highway, is a convenient starting point for excursions to Thuringian cities (Erfurt, Weimar) as well as hikes in the Thuringian Forest and the Rennsteig area around Oberhof. In 1776 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe came to Ilmenau for the first time on behalf of the ducal government of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach. He visited the little town on the Ilm River a total of 26 times on official and also private missions. In 1780 he wrote "Wandrers Nachtlied - Über allen Gipfeln ist Ruh" at a refuge (Goethehäuschen) on Ilmenau's local mountain. In 1831 Goethe celebrated his last birthday also in Ilmenau. On the 20 km long Goethe hiking trail you can follow Goethe's places of work from Ilmenau to Stützerbach. (Quality trail: Wanderbares Deutschland). For those interested in culture, interesting exhibitions, some of them newly designed, are presented in the museums (GoethestadtMuseum Amtshaus, Museum Gabelbach, Goethemuseum Stützerbach) along the hiking trail. Special children's offers of the museums also welcome families with children.

The 125 km Ilmtal Cycle Path, which was the first cycle path in Thuringia to be awarded four stars by the General German Bicycle Club, invites you to cycle to Ilmenau. The route leads through varied landscapes with numerous churches, castles, parks and the Goethe towns of Weimar, Ilmenau and Bad Berka. The bike path has become one of the most popular bike tours in Thuringia.

The university stands for a long tradition in engineering education. It began in 1894 with the "Thuringian Technical College" and led via the College of Electrical Engineering and the Technical College to today's Ilmenau University of Technology.