Attraction · Weimar · Updated on 1 November 2026.
Duchess Anna Amalia Library is an attraction in Weimar, Thuringia. This place has a story in the app. 49 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km. Within 370 m you'll find a bench, a public toilet, a water point and a bike pump.
Story · Duchess Anna Amalia Library
You're standing on the Platz der Demokratie in Weimar, in front of the Duchess Anna Amalia Library. The main building is known as the Green Castle. It went up between 1562 and 1565, designed by Nikolaus Gromann. So it started life as a castle, not a library.
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Source: OpenStreetMap and Wikidata.
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons. In the app you add your own photo when you are there.
The Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar is a historic library with a large collection of old books. The poet Goethe ran the library for many years and decided who could consult the books. Here you will find the world's largest Faust-collectie, which is why the library is on the Werelderfgoedlijst. You will find it at Platz der Demokratie 1 in Weimar, in Thüringen. Nearby are the Carl-August-Denkmal (47 metres away), the memorial to Alexander Puschkin (60 metres away) and the memorial to Johann Sebastian Bach (75 metres away).
The library's main building, the Groene Slot, stands on the Platz der Demokratie. It was built as a castle, not as a library, so from the outside you won't see a large hall full of books. Beneath the square is a modern underground book store, which you can't see, but the books are right under your feet. Inside, the oval rococozaal is the highlight. It rises up through the building and was fully restored. There is a portrait of groothertog Karel August. The library also holds a sizeable Shakespeare-verzameling. If you want to see the rococozaal, check the library's website in advance to find out how to arrange a visit.
The Groene Slot was built between 1562 and 1565, to a design by Nikolaus Gromann. At that time it was a palace, not a library. The books are older than the building's current use: Duke Willem Ernst founded the ducal library in 1691. In 1761 Duchess Anna Amalia had the palace converted, and a few years later the court books were moved here. She also brought the poet Christoph Martin Wieland to Weimar as tutor to her son, and his books formed the core of the collection. In 1991, 300 years after the founding, the library was given its name. From 1797 to 1832 Goethe was in charge, and during that time the number of books doubled. In 2004 a fire broke out. A rusted cable connection in the attic smouldered for a long time behind a wall panel. 50,000 books were lost. Local residents and staff formed a human chain and passed books from hand to hand to the outside, including a Lutherbijbel from 1534. A month later the collection was due to move anyway.
You can visit the library from Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 17:00. According to these details, there are no opening hours on Monday, so plan your visit for another day. These times come from OpenStreetMap. It is wise to check shortly before you leave whether they are still correct, as libraries sometimes adjust their times. The library is wheelchair accessible, so you can also plan a visit to this building in the centre of Weimar using a wheelchair. You can choose any day from Tuesday to Sunday for your visit.
The nearest toilet to the Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar is 134 metres away, on the Kollegiengasse. There are 9 public toilets within 500 metres. Benches are plentiful here. The closest one is 55 metres away, on the Puschkinstraße, and there are 163 benches within 500 metres. For drinking water, head to the tap 208 metres away, on the Seifengasse. It is the only tap within 500 metres, so it is worth topping up your bottle there. A bike pump is 369 metres away, at Die Pumpe, and it is also the only bike pump within 500 metres.
From the Duchess Anna Amalia Library, you can continue through the centre of Weimar. The first stretch is short. At 226 metres, you will find the Stadtschloss, a castle. You can walk there in a few minutes without a long detour. If you want to go a bit further, the Haus am Horn is at 738 metres. It is an attraction and lies quite a way beyond the castle. This gives you a choice: a short walk to the Stadtschloss, or a longer tour that takes you past more places in the city.
The nearest pitstop of each kind within 1 km, as the crow flies. No honesty box within 1 km.
50 well-known points of interest nearby, those with an audio tour first. 49 of the 50 well-known points of interest nearby are within 1 km.
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The Duchess Anna Amalia Library in Weimar is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 09:00 to 17:00. The library is closed on Monday.
The nearest public toilet is 134 metres from the library, at Kollegiengasse. There are 9 public toilets within 500 metres in total.
Yes, the nearest bench is 55 metres away, at Puschkinstraße. There are 163 benches within 500 metres.
The nearest water tap is 208 metres away, at Seifengasse. Within 500 metres, this is the only water tap.
Yes, the Duchess Anna Amalia Library is wheelchair accessible. The address is Platz der Demokratie 1, 99423 Weimar.
The library has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, as part of Klassiek Weimar. Goethe directed the library from 1797 to 1832.
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