Germany's oldest culture and congress center has been welcoming guests since the 18th century, including Goethe, Schiller, Napoleon and Czar Alexander I of Russia.

The Kaisersaal documents the history of Erfurt in a special and unique manner. Although updated with state-of-the-art equipment during recent reconstruction, the building hasn't lost its charm.

It was built out of three patricians houses at the beginning of the 18th century to serve as the university's ballroom. The building also served as a playhouse for traveling theater groups and was even able to welcome Goethe with the Weimar theater company he directed. 

In 1791 the curtain was opened for the world premiere of Schiller's "Don Carlos" in the Kaisersaal which the poet himself attended. At Napoleon's invitation, Czar Alexander I of Russia came to Erfurt to participate at the "Europäischer Fürstenkongreß" (Congress of European Princes and Heads of State) that took place in the Kaisersaal.

Concert evenings with Paganini, F. Liszt, C. Schumann are only a few of the cultural highlights in the history of the Kaisersaal during the 19th century. August Bebel took part in an SPD (Social Democratic Party of Germany) congress meeting here in 1891 at which the famous "Erfurter Program" was agreed upon.

Contact:
Erfurt Tourist Office
Benediktsplatz 1, D-99084 Erfurt
Phone: +49 (0)361 / 66 40 230
Fax: +49 (0)361 / 66 40 190
Email: tagungen[at]erfurt-tourismus.de
www.erfurt-tourismus.de