Schillerhaus

The Schillerhaus in Leipzig-Gohlis is a historic farmhouse that serves as a memorial to the poet Friedrich Schiller. In the summer of 1785, the then 25-year-old lived on the upper floor of the building for four months. While there, he worked on his drama Don Carlos, revised the text of Fiesco, and wrote the first version of the poem Ode to Joy. His stay came about at the invitation of his circle of friends, while the publisher Georg Joachim Göschen lived in the house's former stable section.

The building itself is the oldest surviving farmhouse within the Leipzig city limits. It was built in 1717 as a combined dwelling and stable for a small farm and later remodeled to make room for summer guests. Today the house is a branch of the Leipzig City History Museum. The exhibition includes around 100 items dealing with Schiller's literary work, his theater productions in Leipzig, and the history of the local Schiller Society. Visitors can see a reconstruction of an 18th-century Saxon interior.

In the house's garden, the Schillergarten, cultural events such as theater performances, concerts, and readings take place during the summer months. The history of the site is closely tied to the Leipzig Schiller Society, which saved the building from demolition in 1856. After extensive restoration work that continued into the 1990s, the house reopened in 1998. In 2023, the museum unveiled its revised permanent exhibition under the new name Götterfunke ("Spark of the Gods").