Welcome to Jena, a town with over 100,000 inhabitants which nowadays presents a contrast between the old industrial past and the nowadays research and science town. Jena is also well known for its three main figures, Carl Zeiss, Otto Schott and Ernst Abbe. Jena city has rapidly developed in research and science, taking into consideration that the factories Zeiss and Glas contributed to the development of this city. In this tour, you will discover the highlights of the area of Jena, including the beautiful Market Square, and get in touch with its rich history.
Learn all about Johan Friedrich, the founder of the University of Jena, at the statue in his honour. At this university, Schiller gave his famous speech, at the time of a scandal in Jena. Also here is where Goethe studied natural sciences, and where the physicist Ernst Abbe, together with Carl Zeiss and Otto Schott developed revolutionary products for optics. See St.Michael Church, a late gothic church hall built in 1506 that includes a gothic stone carcass on which Martin Luther once preached. Discover the Jen Tower, in the heart of the city, created as a research building for VEB Carl Zeiss. This 128-meter-high observation platform offers a breathtaking view of the city. View the medieval city wall ensemble as well, with the two distinctive towers of St. John’s Gate (Johannistor) and the Powder Tower (Pulverturm), both an impressive witness to the historical defences of the city.