Bauhaus - Design for Living

Fly from London to Berlin. Drive to Weimar and after checking in to your hotel, take an introductory walking tour of the historical centre.  Welcome drinks and dinner follow in the hotel restaurant. First of two nights at the historic Hotel Elephant.

Gropius founded Bauhaus in Weimar with a revolutionary programme combining fine arts, crafts, typography and architecture. After a walking tour of the town, drive to see the origins of the Bauhaus concept in the Haus Hohe Pappeln, home of the Belgian architect Henry van de Velde, Gropius’ predecessor. This afternoon, return to Weimar to visit the  ‘Van de Velde, Nietzsche and Modernism of 1900’ exhibition at the Neues Museum, with a collection of works from the early 20th century, followed by the new Bauhaus museum opened in 2019.  

This morning we visit Walter Gropius' Workers Memorial and see the village church at Gelmeroda that inspired artist and Bauhaus lecturer Lyonel Feininger to paint it many times; one of these studies illustrated the Bauhaus manifesto. Drive to Jena for an exclusive visit to the Haus Auerbach, which the owner of this private house will lead by special arrangement.  Continuing to Gera we visit the Villa Schlenburg. This impressive mansion was built between 1913 and 1915 by Henry van de Velde for the family of a local factory owner. Conceived as a Gesamtkunstwerk – a total work of art – van de Velde was responsible for the entire design of the project, interiors and gardens included. Elements of his vision here would become integral to the Bauhaus philosophy. In the afternoon we discover the beautiful art nouveau Kassberg (or Kaßberg) district in Chemnitz. Stay one night at the Hotel Chemnitzer Hof.

Gropius also designed homes for the school’s Masters, creating a unique artist’s colony expressing all the ideas of the Bauhaus. One of these buildings now houses the Kurt Weill Centre.  After an independent lunch at the Arbeitsamt canteen visit the new Bauhaus Museum in Dessau – opened for the centenary – for a guided tour.  Dinner will be at a Bauhaus restaurant beside the Elbe, the Kornhaus.

Early departure for Berlin via Potsdam to see the Einstein Tower observatory, built in German expressionist style. Visit Mies van der Rohe’s Haus Perl and Haus Werner for an exclusive tour. In Berlin, walk Onkel Toms Hütte, a splendid example of the Weimar Republic Housing Estate designed in part by Walter Gropius.  Dinner will be at the Café im Literaturhaus.  Stay one night at the Henri Hotel.

After breakfast we set out for the Berlinische Galerie, one of Berlin’s most important collections of modern art, photography and architecture. Located in a former industrial hall, highlights of the collection include works by the Berlin Secession, Dada and East European avant-garde groups. The museum also holds a huge collection of graphic prints and drawings.  A tour of the Olympic Stadium, originally built by Werner for the 1936 Summer Olympics rounds off our tour, before we continue on to the airport for our return flight home.