Open Monument Day: Discover Gotha's hidden treasures!

Open Monument Day: Discover Gotha's hidden treasures!

On September 14, 2025, the nationwide “Open Monument Day” took place in Gotha, under the meaningful motto “Valuable: priceless or irreplaceable?” stood. What an experience! The event, which attracted a large number of people, opened in the hall of the Research Center at the University of Erfurt. Mayor Knut Zillmann and Dr. Meumann warmly welcomes visitors. In total, guests were able to embark on a journey through history at 15 different stations.

The variety of monuments was impressive. From art treasures to technical monuments to historical buildings – everyone found something that piqued their interest here. The Technology and History Museum and the German Insurance Museum were particularly popular. The Margarethenkirche, the Augustinian monastery and the St. Helena church in Siebleben also attracted many interested people. An absolute highlight was Friedenstein Castle with the Ducal Museum, where 423 guests alone were counted. The orangery also had an orange, laurel and camellia house to marvel at, and the friends of the orangery provided coffee and cake for their physical well-being.

Insights and highlights

The Waidhaus in Gretengasse was particularly exciting, where 193 guests found out about the woad trade and dye production. Another attraction was the Thuringian Forest and Tramway depot, where 130 interested people were able to examine historic vehicles. Tours of the cultural center also attracted around 60 visitors behind the scenes.

Not only in Gotha, but throughout Thuringia, the Open Monument Day offered the opportunity to experience and discover historical sites up close. An important goal of this event is to bring people closer to history and to present the diversity of monuments. The program included free events, tours and activities led by local experts and storytellers. This gave visitors the opportunity to explore the city from a new perspective and discover hidden treasures such as half-timbered houses and castle gardens.

Visitor magnet and future outlook

The “Day of the Open Monument” is the largest cultural event in Germany and attracts several million visitors every year. Access to thousands of monuments that are otherwise often inaccessible makes it possible to show the importance of monuments in people's lives. Not only culture and local lovers flocked to the event, but also neighbors and families who explored places that connected generations together.

A big thank you goes to everyone involved who contributed to the success of this event through their commitment and openness. The next Monument Day in 2026 promises a variety of insights into our history and culture. Anyone who is curious can visit gotha-aktuell.info, tag-des-offenen-denkmals.de and denkmalschutz.de obtain further information and relive this unique day.