Between Goethe, Bauhaus, and Blind Spots: New Study Shows How Weimar is Perceived as a World Heritage Site
Weimar is a double UNESCO World Heritage Site: as a place of »Classicism« and as part of the serial World Heritage Site »Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau, and Bernau.« But how does this cultural landscape actually affect residents and visitors? This question will be explored in a public lecture in English as part of the “Debating Heritage” series organized by the International Heritage Center at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar on 18 December 2025 at 5:30 pm.
The event focuses on the research project »World Cultural Heritage Mental Mapping: The Experience of Weimar« by Dr. Iuliia Eremenko (University of Kassel) and Gesine Schuster (IMT School for Advanced Studies Lucca). It is based on an extensive empirical study with around 300 respondents, which examined how people spatially classify world cultural heritage in Weimar, evaluate it emotionally, and link it to their everyday lives.
With the help of so-called »mental maps« – individually drawn maps – it was possible to visualize which places in Weimar are considered particularly representative, which areas have positive connotations, and where the boundaries of world cultural heritage lie from the perspective of the population. While Theaterplatz, Park an der Ilm, and Goethe's residence are among the best-known and most visited places, there is also considerable uncertainty about which sites actually belong to the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Bauhaus Museum in particular is often mistakenly attributed this status, while other authentic Bauhaus sites, such as the Haus am Horn, are less well known.
Dr. Iuliia Eremenko's lecture also highlights the differences between tourist and local perceptions. Tourists associate Weimar primarily with Goethe and classical music, whereas many locals identify more strongly with the German National Theater and Theater Square as the city's central location. The study also shows that people who visit World Heritage sites directly have a more in-depth knowledge of their status.
The English-language event is aimed at anyone interested in culture, science, monument preservation, and urban society. Following the lecture, there will be an opportunity to discuss future strategies for dealing with World Heritage in Weimar.
Debating Heritage – International Heritage Center
December 18, 2025, 5:30 p.m.
Belvederer Allee 5, Room 005, Weimar
The lecture will be held in English. Admission is free.
About the Debating Heritage series
The Debating Heritage lecture series brings international perspectives on cultural heritage to Weimar. It provides a forum for current research, public discussion, and exchange between academia, cultural practitioners, and urban society.
If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Bianka Trötschel-Daniels, International Heritage Center at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, by phone at +49 (0) 3643 / 58 13 41 or by email at heritage[at]uni-weimar.de.