Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau Historical Site
Modernist design school and associated architectural sites.
Across Weimar, Dessau and Bernau, Bauhaus sites present early 20th-century modernist architecture and pedagogy. Architects, designers and museum-goers tour Gropius buildings, workshops, student housing and exhibitions on functional design.
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau at a Glance#
Address: Multiple sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau, Germany
Website: https://www.bauhaus-dessau.de/en/
Hours: Hours vary by site; many museums Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mondays
Admission: Variable by site; museums and facilities open to the public (tickets for Bauhaus buildings like the Dessau Bauhaus Museum may apply)
About Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau#
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau is a serial property of buildings and housing estates linked to the Bauhaus school of design, founded in 1919 in Germany. The ensemble includes purpose-built workshops, housing and exhibition buildings that defined modern architecture and design.
Walter Gropius established the Bauhaus in 1919 to unify art, craft and technology; the school moved to Dessau in 1925 where new purpose-built facilities were erected, and it closed under political pressure in 1933. The sites document the school’s evolution from experimental pedagogy to influential modernist practice.
The sites are located in central Germany: Weimar in Thuringia, Dessau in Saxony-Anhalt and Bernau near Berlin, each representing different phases of the Bauhaus movement.
- Founding and dates: The Bauhaus school was founded by Walter Gropius in Weimar in 1919 and later relocated to Dessau in 1925 before political pressure led to its closure in 1933.
What to See#
- Weimar sites: The Weimar group includes the Haus am Horn and other early Bauhaus buildings dating from the movement’s founding period in 1919, which demonstrate experimental design and pedagogy under the school’s first phase.
- Dessau sites: The Dessau group centres on the Bauhaus Building and the adjacent Masters’ Houses, designed by Walter Gropius in the mid-1920s and exemplifying functionalist modernist architecture.
- Bernau sites: Bernau comprises housing built for workers and students that reflects early Bauhaus approaches to social housing and prefabrication in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
How to Get to Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau#
Weimar and Dessau are reachable by Deutsche Bahn trains from Berlin (about 1.5-2 hours to Weimar, 1-1.5 hours to Dessau). Local buses and walking connect various sites; consider a regional rail pass for hopping between towns.
Tips for Visiting Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau#
- If visiting multiple Bauhaus sites, prioritize Dessau for the school buildings and Weimar for the movement's intellectual history.
- Book guided tours of the Masters' Houses in Dessau in advance - entry is limited and popular.
- Allow time to see exhibitions that place Bauhaus in political context; the movement's story is not purely stylistic.
Best Time to Visit Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau#
Spring and autumn offer pleasant conditions and manageable crowds; weekends see more domestic visitors.
Weather & Climate near Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau#
Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau's climate is classified as Oceanic - Oceanic climate with mild summers (peaking in July) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from -3°C to 24°C. Moderate rainfall (586 mm/year).
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Poor | -3° - 3° | -4° | 34 mm | overcast | 93% | 3.6 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.4h |
| February | Poor | -3° - 4° | -3° | 33 mm | overcast | 90% | 3.2 m/s | 0.2 low | 9.9h |
| March | Acceptable | 0° - 8° | 1° | 44 mm | overcast | 85% | 3.6 m/s | 0.4 low | 11.7h |
| April | Good | 3° - 13° | 6° | 46 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 0.8 moderate | 13.6h |
| May | Good | 7° - 18° | 13° | 62 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.0 m/s | 1.1 high | 15.3h |
| June | Good | 11° - 21° | 16° | 61 mm | overcast | 72% | 2.9 m/s | 1.4 high | 16.2h |
| July | Very Good | 12° - 23° | 18° | 70 mm | partly cloudy | 67% | 2.8 m/s | 1.3 high | 15.7h |
| August | Very Good | 12° - 24° | 18° | 61 mm | partly cloudy | 68% | 2.6 m/s | 1.1 high | 14.3h |
| September | Good | 9° - 19° | 14° | 46 mm | partly cloudy | 73% | 2.8 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 12.5h |
| October | Acceptable | 5° - 14° | 8° | 39 mm | overcast | 84% | 2.9 m/s | 0.3 low | 10.6h |
| November | Poor | 1° - 7° | 1° | 47 mm | overcast | 91% | 3.2 m/s | 0.1 low | 8.8h |
| December | Poor | -1° - 4° | -2° | 43 mm | overcast | 93% | 3.3 m/s | 0.0 low | 7.9h |
