Located on a hill above the Domplatz, Erfurt’s Zitadelle Petersberg overlooks the town with a calm befitting its thousand years of history. The hill was originally the site of a Benedictine monastery, which was handed over to the military in the 17th century. The structure remains one of few preserved Baroque town fortresses in Europe and is a beautiful entry into the military history of Thuringia.
From atop the ramparts, picture yourself as a member of the Prussian army, watching French forces swarm into the city. The Capitulation of Erfurt was one of the most dramatic defeats of the Napoleonic Wars. The ensuing French occupation fundamentally changed the makeup of the city and of Zitadelle Petersberg.
Head to the Peterskirche, a 12th-century monastic church that was often used for secular purposes by the many armies that occupied the citadel. Today the church houses a modern museum of concrete art. Practice your German at the small but interesting military museum housed in one of the barracks. The building is still used by the Erfurt government, so you may expect to see wedding parties on the grounds. Relax in the café and restaurant, whose glass walls offer excellent views of Erfurt and the surrounding area.
Wander out of the fortress itself into the parks and grounds, which were lovingly refurbished by the government of Erfurt in the 1990s. Find a flowerbed filled with plants that form the Erfurt coat of arms. Stroll through the small vineyard on the hillside, recently planted as a symbol of Thuringia’s revived wine-growing tradition. Sit in the grass and enjoy a picnic or a glass of wine far from the bustle of the city below.
Zitadelle Petersberg is free and open to visitors all day year-round. The Erfurt tourist office, located in Benediktsplatz, organizes daily German-language tours of the citadel’s underground tunnel system for a fee, which may also include entrance to the German Military Museum. Walk uphill to the citadel in 10 minutes from Domplatz, which has tram stops and a parking garage. Taxis are also available.
