Gotha celebrates 1250 years with the spectacular Friedenstein Festival!

Gotha celebrates 1250 years with the spectacular Friedenstein Festival!

On October 26, 2025, Gotha was in a celebratory mood as the city said goodbye to a very special year of celebration. This year the first documented mention of Gotha was celebrated a fantastic 1250 years ago. And what better way to do this than with the happy Friedenstein Festival? From October 23rd to 26th, the festival attracted 26,000 visitors to the city who were curious about the diverse program. gotha-aktuell.info reports that the big parade on October 25th had 1,600 participants and was enthusiastically followed by around 15,000 spectators.

Mayor Knut Kreuch took the opportunity to emphasize the strength of the community. Thanks to the commitment of many citizens and the numerous participants, the festival was an impressive experience for everyone. A highlight was the historical fair in the castle courtyard, which featured a colorful combination of steampunk, exciting caterpillar track, breathtaking high-wire artistry and rousing baroque dance.

A celebration for young and old

But the Friedenstein Festival had even more to offer: In the evening, an impressive facade illumination show illuminated the scene and enchanted the city. The guided tours in the museums were also well attended, which shows that people are not only curious about the celebrations, but also about the history of Gotha. Tobias Pfeifer-Helke, director of the Friedenstein Foundation, also announced that the special exhibition "Gotha brilliant?! Flashes of inspiration and long-running favorites for 1250 years" will be extended until April 19, 2026.

But it wasn't just the celebrations that attracted people this weekend; local transport also adjusted its routines to mark the festival. On October 25th, the NVG changed the route of the buses due to the parade. Lines A, B, C, F and various regional bus lines were affected, among others. The streets around the parade were closed during this time, so there were deviations in the timetable. nvg-gotha.info also provided information about replacement stops and diversions for passengers.

A year-long festival is coming to an end

The Friedenstein Festival not only represented the crowning conclusion of the anniversary, but also an opportunity for the city community to reflect on the upcoming projects. Gotha had already been working towards the anniversary with a variety of events in 2024. The coordination was carried out by a working group that involved various organizations and institutions in order to create new and sustainable events. gotha.de informs that citizens have been invited to contribute their own ideas and suggestions.

For the city of Gotha, the memories of this rich anniversary year, which reached such a lively finale with the Friedenstein Festival, remain fond memories. There is great anticipation for the coming years and projects, especially since Thuringia Day 2025 is already planned in Gotha.