Leisure tips and places of interest - Victor's Residenz-Hotel Erfurt

The "Alte Synagoge" ("Old Synagogue") on the Waagegasse in Erfurt is one of only a very few medieval synagogues still in existence, and is the oldest synagogue in Europe. It bears witness to one of the most important Jewish communities of the Middle Ages, and is an essential destination for anyone with an interest in culture.

The oldest recorded building of the Old Synagogue dates back to around 1100. The synagogue includes the mikveh, the ritual bath, which was uncovered during structural works in 2007. Immerse yourself in Jewish history!

Every year, the historic backdrop between the Mariendom and the Church of St. Severus at the heart of Erfurt's old town is transformed into what is probably the loveliest and most unusual open-air stage in Thuringia.

The DomStufen Festival is the summer event highlight in the state capital, and since 1994 has been a permanent feature of Erfurt's cultural scene. The programme includes classics of opera literature and premières of modern pieces that are performed in front of a constantly-growing audience.

The Egapark is one of the largest garden and amusement parks in Germany, and follows the tradition of "Erfurt, the city of flowers".

The park is located in the south-west of the city. On the 36-hectare site there are various show and themed gardens, plant houses on different vegetation zones, a viewing tower and an observatory. And then there's Thuringia's largest playground including a water playground for kids. One very special floral highlight is the cherry blossom season in the Japanese Garden. 

The monumental Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary is the most important and the oldest church building in Erfurt. After serving only briefly as the bishop's see in the 8th century, the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been the cathedral of the newly-created diocese of Erfurt and the seat of the cathedral chapter since 1994.

The Cathedral was built in several stages. We know the church was first consecrated in 1182. Extensive conversions were carried out in the Gothic style, in line with the motto of "everything must be bigger and brighter". The chancel was expanded and the extension of the central tower began. It serves as the bell tower for the famous Maria Gloriosa church bell. The impressive glass windows in the high chancel depict a late-Gothic cycle of glass paintings. Individual parts of the window were taken to Paris during the Napoleonic occupation. The cathedral has a total of 13 bells.

Erfurt's heart beats on the medieval "Fischmarkt", the Fish Market. It is located in the heart of the old town, between the cathedral square and the Anger.

Fabulous old Patrician houses surround this beautiful square, which was already being used for the most diverse markets in the Middle Ages. Erfurt’s Town Hall, built in the neo-Gothic style, is also located here, as is the "Römer", a statue that was built in 1591 and was affectionately named Roland by the locals. There are three tramlines to the Fischmarkt, which is also the ideal starting point for sightseeing tours of Erfurt.

A monumental backdrop for a fairytale spectacle: every year in the run-up to Christmas, the cathedral square in front of the cathedral and the Severikirche (Church of St. Severus) is transformed into a sea of Christmas lights.

Erfurt’s Christmas Market is one of the loveliest Christmas markets in Germany. In more than 200 little wooden huts, vendors offer a wide range of culinary specialities such as Thuringian Bratwurst (sausages) and Erfurter Schnittchen (slices of "Stollen") and charming handicrafts – from Christmas tree decorations to blue print textiles to traditional Ore Mountain folk art. And the attractions don't just make children's eyes shine: while the traditional Ore Mountain Christmas pyramid at the entrance to the Christmas Market welcomes visitors, the fairytale forest has been transporting young and old into a colourful world of fantasy since 1958.

Discover Erfurt on an open-air Escape Tour! In this city game, you search for clues, solve tricky puzzles, and get to know the crazy world of Till Eulenspiegel. The game lasts about two hours and is ideal for teams of two to four people.

Your Victor's advantage: Guests of Victor's Residenz-Hotel Erfurt pay only 10 euros (instead of 29.95 euros) per team! Tickets are available at our reception.

It is the oldest and most famous landmark in Erfurt: the Krämerbrücke, or Merchants' Bridge. Its pretty development with timber-framed buildings is unique in Germany.

The Krämerbrücke spans the river Gera to connect the Benediktsplatz with the Wenigemarkt. It owes its name to the traders, or "Krämer" ("merchants" in German) who used to sell their "stuff" ("Kram") along what was once the trade route. It was originally designed as a wooden bridge, and was first mentioned in documents in 1117. Today you will find shops selling crafts and antiques there, where you will be able to discover many a "treasure".

Just 300 meters from Victor's Residenz-Hotel Erfurt, the Roland Matthes Swimming Pool offers plenty of fun for the whole family. In addition to the swimming pool, where you can swim laps and take part in various aqua courses, the modern sauna area with indoor and outdoor facilities invites you to relax and unwind. Other highlights include a 62-meter water slide and an attraction pool with whirlpools, massage jets, and a ceiling waterfall.

Late-baroque Molsdorf Palace and its park on the southern edge of Erfurt in the suburb of Molsdorf is also known as the "Versailles of Thuringia". Its heyday was between 1734 and 1748, when the Prussian diplomat and bon vivant Imperial Count Gustav Adolf von Gotter resided here and lived in strict accordance with his motto of "vive la joie" ("Long live joy!").

In 2015 it was named "Palace of the Year" by the Palace, Castle and Gardens Trust of Thuringia. With an extensive programme of guided tours of the castle and park, plus talks, concerts and special exhibitions, Molsdorf Palace attracts large numbers of visitors every year. Be one of them!

Together with the cathedral, the catholic Church of St. Severus is one of the landmarks of the city of Erfurt. From the 12th century, the five-aisled early Gothic hall church was a collegiate church for a community of canons.

Its attractions include the sarcophagus of St. Severus (1365), the sides of which tell the story of the saint's life; a stone Madonna (1345) and a 15-metre-high baptismal font, as well as other works of art.

Since September 2023, three parts of Erfurt's medieval old town have officially been listed as world heritage sites. Discover the unique historical evidence of the Jewish community from the period between the 11th century and the mid-14th century. The world heritage includes the impressive medieval synagogue, the mikveh and a Jewish secular building, the so-called “Stone House”.

The Old Synagogue is one of the most beautiful synagogues in Europe and was built in the High Middle Ages. Today you can visit the monument and get an idea of ​​life within the Jewish community. The “Mikveh”, located directly on the banks of the Gera, was a ritual place for liberation from the “unclean”. So it was basically a kind of medieval “ritual bath”. The “Stone House” is located in Erfurt’s old town at Benediktsplatz 1 and was also built in the Middle Ages. With its portals, the two main floors and its furnishings, it is one of the outstanding examples of late medieval architecture.

The new UNESCO World Heritage Site consists of a total of three elements that impressively outline life within Erfurt's Jewish community at that time.
 
We would be happy to inform you about guided tours and individual offers on site.

Petersberg Citadel is the only largely intact baroque town fortresses in Central Europe. Built on the site of a medieval Benedictine monastery, it dates back to the Mayence rule in Erfurt, and reflects European fortress architecture. For centuries, it has shaped the cityscape of the Thuringian state capital.

Star-shaped, it was considered state-of-the-art at the time, and believed to be unassailable. Explore the mysterious "Horchgänge", listening passages that were constructed in the fortress so soldiers could walk through them to listen for anyone trying to tunnel into the fortress, and visit the tiny museum of military history at the entrance that describes the living conditions in the fortress.