Dessau-Roßlau

Art and clarity. Water and space. Dessau-Roßlau lies between the poles of modernity and landscape - a place that has written architectural history and at the same time leaves room for new ideas.

Bauhaus shapes the cityscape with its lines and ideas. To the south, the river landscape of the Middle Elbe unfolds. In between: parks, castles, museums - connected by paths that invite you to take your time. Four times UNESCO - in architecture, in the garden, in the river and in words: in addition to the Bauhaus, the Garden Kingdom and the biosphere reserve, a transcript of Martin Luther's lecture on the Epistle to the Romans from 1515 is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

HIGHLIGHTS CULTURE EVENTS ALONG THE ELBE RAIN TIPS

6 Highlights in Dessau

Bauhaus Dessau

Architecture as an Attitude

The Bauhaus is particularly evident in Dessau - with buildings constructed between 1925 and 1932. These include the Bauhaus building itself, the Masters' Houses and the arcade houses in the Dessau-Törten estate. They stand for a new idea of design and everyday life. Today, these places can be experienced in various ways: on guided tours of the original rooms or in the Bauhaus Museum, which displays the world's second largest collection of Bauhaus exhibits and tells the story of the Bauhaus as a school. The ensemble is a UNESCO World Heritage Site - as a place of new beginnings and debate.

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Garden Kingdom Dessau-Wörlitz

Shaped landscape

The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz combines parks, palaces and visual axes to form a cultural landscape that is still maintained today. Created from the 18th century onwards, it shows how landscape was conceived as a public space and place of education. Wörlitz Park is the most famous part - with islands, bridges and visual axes. The Georgium, Luisium and Mosigkau are also part of it. The Garden Kingdom can be discovered on foot, by bike or by gondola - as a place for rest, exercise and historical foresight.

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Two cyclists in the Georgengarten in Dessau

Kornhaus

Bauhaus by the River

On the edge of the city, directly on the riverbank, lies a clear building with curves and rhythm. The Kornhaus was designed by Carl Fieger in 1929 as a modern restaurant with a large window front facing the Elbe. It was part of the urban planning concept of the Bauhaus era, which aimed to bring design and everyday life together. Today it is accessible again - as a place for regional cuisine, views and architecture that remains open to its surroundings.

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Hugo Junkers Museum of Technology

Pioneering Spirit in Detail

An important chapter in German technological history can be experienced at the former Junkers factory. Hugo Junkers was an inventor, entrepreneur and aircraft manufacturer - many of his developments were created here on site. The museum displays original parts, aircraft models and interactive stations that make technology understandable. In addition to aviation, the museum also covers heating technology, metal construction and systems thinking - vivid, accessible and versatile.

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Anhaltisches Theater

Stage of the City

A theater with a long tradition and a lively repertoire. The Anhaltisches Theater unites opera, drama, ballet and concerts under one roof - with its own ensembles, workshops and a house that is open to new styles. The architecture is functional and clear, the program ranges from the classics to the present day. In summer, the theater also performs outdoors - on stages in parks, courtyards or in front of Georgium Palace.

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Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve

Dynamic River Landscape

The landscape along the Elbe is constantly changing. Alluvial forests, oxbow lakes, meadows - the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve protects one of the most species-rich river areas in Central Europe. It has been part of the UNESCO biosphere reserve program since 1997 - as a model region for the interaction between man and nature. The Elbe Cycle Path leads through these transitional areas, with views that change depending on the water level, light and season. A good starting point is the Auenhaus near Oranienbaum-Wörlitz - the biosphere reserve's information center offers insights into the region's flora, fauna and conservation measures.

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Two visitors at the Auenhaus information center in Oranienbaum-Wörlitz

Experience Culture in Dessau-Roßlau

Dessau-Roßlau stands for the Bauhaus - and yet offers much more. In addition to the world-famous buildings and the museum, a cultural landscape is developing that goes its own way. Sometimes classical, sometimes experimental - often on a small scale, often in exchange with history.

Georgium Palace is located in the park of the same name - part of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and combines art, landscape and history. In its rooms, the Anhalt Picture Gallery displays works from the late Middle Ages to the present day. The collection is calmly hung, the architecture simple - a place for concentrated viewing and historical depth.

Right next door is the Kurt Weill Center. It commemorates the Dessau-born composer with an archive, events and a festival that combines music with a social perspective.

In the city, the Alte Theater, a smaller venue of the Anhaltisches Theater, complements the offer - with puppet theater, modern productions and improvisation. The Marienkirche was transformed into the Mitteldeutsches Theater with the help of Dieter Hallervorden and offers a varied program. The program is complemented by a series of events in venues such as the Schwabehaus and the Logenhaus.

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"and Sundays in the Luisium" concert series in Luisium Park

Exterior view of the Bauhaus Museum in Dessau

Anhalt Picture Gallery Dessau in Georgium Palace

Paintings in the Anhalt Picture Gallery in Dessau

Visitors to the Anhalt Picture Gallery in Georgium Palace

Entrance area of the old theater in Dessau-Roßlau

Events in Dessau

Whether in the palace garden or on the big stage - Dessau-Roßlau invites you to events throughout the year that combine history, the present and community. The Kurt Weill Festival kicks off in spring: music, readings and talks commemorate the composer and his time.

In September, the Bauhaus Festival becomes a platform for contemporary interpretation - with performances, installations and discussions that approach the Bauhaus idea from today's perspective.

The Dessau SummerOpenAir brings music into the public space, while concerts in Mosigkau Castle make the connection between baroque architecture and contemporary music audible - in one of the most charming rococo castles in the region, which is also part of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Kingdom.

The zoo is also regularly open for family celebrations and theme weeks - lively, accessible and close to nature.

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100 years ago, the Bauhaus moved from Weimar to Dessau. From September 2025 to the end of 2026, the city is celebrating the anniversary with an extraordinary program of exhibitions, festivals and performances. Under the motto "On the substance", the events will focus on modern and contemporary materials - including the grand opening festival with music, a parade and contemporary material dances as well as five major exhibitions from March 2026 at historic Bauhaus locations.

To the Festival Program

Experience Dessau-Roßlau along the Elbe

The Elbe characterizes Dessau-Roßlau. Its course accompanies the city, connecting parks, riverside paths and quiet places. Anyone out and about here quickly realizes that the water sets the rhythm.

You can explore the landscape by bike on the Elbe Cycle Route. The route is flat and open, passing old arms of the river, alluvial forests and meadows. Wide views open up again and again - of the water, of animals in the reeds, of the reflecting sky. The Fürst Franz Garden Realm Tour is also recommended by bike - it connects the most important sights of the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm over a distance of around 70 kilometers. The route leads through historic parks, past palaces, avenues and the River Elbe, and is easy to explore by bike - ideal for anyone who wants to combine cultural enjoyment with an experience of nature.

In some places, small footbridges, bays or rest areas invite you to stop. If you like, you can take to the water: by canoe, rowing boat or SUP board.

Cycle tour through Dessau along the master houses

Cyclists in front of the Trinkhalle at the Masters' Houses in Dessau

Cyclist in Sieglitzer Park Dessau-Roßlau

Radfahrer im Sieglitzer Park in Dessau-Roßlau

When It Rains in Dessau-Roßlau

A day out in Dessau-Roßlau is worthwhile even when it rains - especially for families.

The Museum of Natural History with fossils and observation tower or the Museum of City History in the Johannbau offer exciting discoveries in the dry.
Exercise and warmth in the health pool - with a swimming pool, children's area and sauna.
An arthouse cinema, small bookshops, cafés and restaurants also offer places to linger.
Those who prefer listening to history to getting wet can take part in a guided tour of castles or historic interiors - protected and concentrated.