Wetzlar
Welcome to Wetzlar!Whether you have just some hours or a whole week - your stay during the IDO World Championships in Wetzlar will be exciting.
Here are a few tips to get in touch with the rich history of this beautiful town:
The beginnings of the town of Wetzlar go back to the 8th century, although the town name is first documented in 1141. The old trade route from Frankfurt to Cologne and Antwerp, the Hohe Strasse, passed through what is now modern Wetzlar, fording the Lahn River where later, in the 13th century, a stone bridge was built.
The Cathedral
Even from a distance, the cathedral presents an unusual picture. A tower and exterior of red sandstone, plastered walls and occasional patches of the underlying greenstone (schalstein) defy uniformity. A closer look at the Wetzlar cathedral will confirm its uniqueness.
The Reformation brought the Lutheran faith to Wetzlar and from then on the church was shared. To this day, two parishes Catholic and Protestant use the same altar and the same organ.
The museums of Wetzlar
There are six different cultural, urban and literary historical museums. Their collections reflect the varied and rich history of the city of Wetzlar.
These include the City Museum, the Lotte House, the Jerusalem House and since 1967 the collection "European home decor from the Renaissance and Baroque", which was compiled by Dr. Irmgard Baroness von Lemmers-Danforth. In 1987 the Imperial Court Museum was added and 2007 saw the opening of the Viseum, a exhibition of Optics and Precision Engineering that made Wetzlar as well world-known.
Goethe in Wetzlar
When Goethe, one of Germany's most known authors, arrived in Wetzlar on 10. Mai 1772 at the nicest time of the year, the town seemed to him not to be so inviting, regardless of its attractive position on the slopes of the river valley. Here in Wetzlar he wrote his first Novel "The suffering of of young Werther" in 1774.
Visit the town on your own - we do recommend the historical walk in the old town.
Further information are available:
Tourist-Information Wetzlar
Domplatz 8, 35578 Wetzlar, Germany
tourist-info@wetzlar.de wetzlar-tourismus.de
