The beauty of Erfurt's town centre lies in its lovingly restored
houses from various architectural eras. The beautiful town houses
on Angerstrasse and around Anger square lend this shopping paradise
its elegant flair.
Shopping bliss in the shadows of town houses
Buildings steeped in history such as the Ursuline convent or the
baroque packing and weighing house are interspersed with trendy
shops and department stores. Don't forget to look out for genuine
blue printed articles from Erfurt's blue printing workshops. Woad,
the plant from which the blue dye is obtained, brought riches and
prestige to Erfurt in the Middle Ages. This blue became the
fashionable colour in Thuringia and can also be seen in the
traditional pottery.
Alboth's restaurant
This restaurant is a French-inspired port of call for those
seeking a serious gourmet plunge in the region.
Don Camillo
Highly recommended for its creative Mediterranean cuisine, Don
Camillo has many surprises up its sleeve - not least its
interesting wine list.
Erfurter Brauhaus
As well as tasty square meals, we found the ubiquitous Three
Wise Men of German boutique brewing here: one pilsner, one wheat
beer and one dark beer. The fourth, the Märzbier (a blended pilsner
and dark beer), must be popular because it had run out on the
day.
Haus zur Pfauen
This jack-of-all-trades wears tradition on its sleeve - it's a
restaurant, has its own microbrewery (a dark beer and a pilsner),
its own pension (upstairs), and its own beer garden; it even does
city tours.
Henner
This stylish sandwich bar has sleek orange colours and delicious
food.
Mariendom
Eight-hundred-year-old steps lead up to the heavenly cathedral
towering over the Dompl. Today, it is a Gothic extravaganza, though
its 1154 foundation is Romanesque. Fifteen 14th-century
stained-glass windows portray Biblical stories and the lives of the
saints. A life-size candelabra in the form of a saint is the oldest
free-standing piece of bronze artwork in Germany, and a Romanesque
sculpture of an enthroned Mary dates back to the 12th century.
Opposite the ornate altar and choir stalls is a gigantic baptismal
font, connected to the ceiling, symbolizing baptism's power to
connect Earth to Heaven. Out of sight hangs the 12-ton
Gloriosa bell, the biggest in medieval Europe,
which only rings on important church holidays. Pause for a moment
by the gigantic mural of St. Christophorus, the
patron of travelers, who is said to protect them against untimely
death.
Severikirche
The muted sandstone interior and Gothic exterior of this church
are similar to, and outshone by, the Mariendom, for which it served
as a model with its unusual three towers. The smaller neighbor
asserts itself with its enormous Baroque organ with flying golden
angels, flames, and fake pastel marble. The sarcophagus near the
entrance supposedly holds the bones of St. Severus, for whom the
church is named.
Krämerbrücke
Funded in the 1400s by sales of awful-smelling Thuringian blue
dye, the bridge-one of Erfurt's most interesting architectural
attractions-still serves a commercial function, lined on both sides
with shops that completely block the Gera from view. At the end of
the bridge, the tower of the Ägidienkirche offers glimpses of
Erfurt's red-roofed houses. Wander beneath the bridge, accessible
from the flanking Rathausbrüke, to take the architectural marvel.
There you can also relax on the grass, or wade in the Gera.
Anger
Erfurt's wide pedestrian promenade, the Anger (meadow),
is one of the most attractive shopping areas in eastern Germany,
and it buzzes with activity. Nineteenth-century Neoclassical and
Jugendstil architecture lines the street, interlaced with modern
constructions. Across from the post office is House
#6, where Russian Tsar Alexander I stayed when he came to
Erfurt to meet with Napoleon in 1808. The Kaufmannskirche, once the
site of business transactions, sits at the end of the Anger behind
the post office. The Angermuseum, Anger 18, housed
in a yellow mansion, displays a small collection of medieval
religious art from around Erfurt as well as rotating exhibitions of
local contemporary art.
