Fürstenhaus Palace

The Fürstenhaus on Platz der Demokratie in Weimar is a former palace, parliament, and government building, which today houses the Franz Liszt University of Music Weimar.

The architect Anton Georg Hauptmann erected the building from 1770-1774 according to plans by the ducal master builder Johann Gottfried Schlegel. The foundation stone was laid on May 3, 1770. Originally, the Ducal Landscape Treasury (the financial authority) was supposed to occupy the building, but this never happened. In 1774, Weimar Castle, the Wilhelmsburg, burned down. Duke Karl August then moved into the unfinished Landscape Treasury building, which was henceforth called Fürstenhaus. He would come to regret the move, as he had to witness the collapse of the 74-meter-long ceiling as early as 1781 due to structural defects, which are probably attributable to Hauptmann's work. Hauptmann had apparently used cheaper materials to increase his own profit. Schlegel lost his position because he had allegedly taken insufficient precautions for fire protection in this building. This happened under the impression of the castle fire of 1774.

From 1848 to 1918, the Fürstenhaus was the seat of the Parliament of the Grand Duchy of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach. After 1918, it was the seat of the provisional state government of Thuringia.

Today, the Fürstenhaus belongs to the Franz Liszt University of Music. At a right angle, the building is flanked by the Rössler House, the administrative building of the university.