Goethe House

The Goethe House in Frankfurt am Main is the birthplace and childhood home of the writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, born in 1749. It is preserved and presented as a museum of his life and the period interiors of an 18th-century merchant house.

The townhouse was built in the 18th century and was Goethe’s family home during his childhood and youth. He later moved away but the house remained notable as his birthplace; it suffered heavy damage during Allied bombing in 1944 and was carefully reconstructed and reopened as a museum in the mid-20th century.

The Goethe House stands in Frankfurt’s old town, close to the Römer and the cathedral, in Hesse, Germany, within the central pedestrian area of the city.

• Birthplace and interiors: The house is Goethe's birthplace and contains restored 18th-century domestic interiors and personal artefacts associated with his early life.
• Location and visitor access: Located in Frankfurt's historic centre near the Römer, it is part of the city's principal literary museum complex and is open to visitors year-round with guided tours available.

What to See #

• Birthroom: The room where Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born and spent his early childhood; much of the room's period furniture and layout have been restored.
• Goethe Museum: A museum adjacent to the house that holds manuscripts, first editions, portraits and objects related to Goethe and his circle.