Bauhaus Festival Dessau
An annual festival at the Bauhaus Dessau in summer with costumes, music and dance in the tradition of the legendary Bauhaus parties.
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Dessau-Roßlau
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ℹ️Practical info — Dessau-Roßlau
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🌤 Weather — 5 days
📍 Nearby
Sights nearby
💡 Tips
- Rent a bike to easily explore the scattered Bauhaus buildings and the Wörlitz Garden Realm.
- Buy a combined ticket for the Bauhaus sites to save money on entrance fees.
- Visit the Masters' Houses (Meisterhäuser) early in the morning to avoid the biggest tourist crowds.
- It is best to park slightly outside the immediate Bauhaus district where spots are more plentiful.
- Plan at least half a day for the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm, as the area is enormous.
🍽 Food
🍽
Bauhaus-Café
Enjoy a coffee and a snack right inside the historic Bauhaus building.
🍽
Anhaltiner Pfannenfleisch
Try this traditional regional meat dish at a traditional restaurant in the old town.
🍽
Zwiebelkuchen (Onion Pie)
A savory onion pie from a local bakery, especially delicious in autumn.
🛍 Shopping · 🧘 Quiet spots
🛍
Bauhaus Shop
The great place inside the Bauhaus building for design souvenirs, books, and posters.
🛍
Farmers' market at Marktplatz
Buy fresh regional products directly from local producers.
🛍
Rathaus-Center
A modern shopping center in the heart of the city for everyday needs.
🧘
Georgium Park
Stroll through this English landscape garden, which is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
🧘
Luisium Park
An idyllic, quiet retreat featuring a small neoclassical palace.
🧘
Banks of the Mulde river
The natural riverbanks offer excellent paths for a relaxing walk.
Water temperature…
Dessau-Roßlau is a city in Saxony-Anhalt that gained worldwide fame as the epicenter of Classical Modernism during the early 20th century. Between 1925 and 1932, it was the home of the Bauhaus, the most influential school of art, design, and architecture of the era. The Bauhaus Building, designed by Walter Gropius, and the Masters' Houses are now UNESCO World Heritage sites and key examples of international functionalism. Beyond modernism, the city is part of the Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz, one of the first and largest English-style landscape parks in continental Europe, also recognized by UNESCO. Dessau is situated at the confluence of the Mulde and Elbe rivers, surrounded by the lush floodplains of the Middle Elbe Biosphere Reserve. Historically the residence of the Dukes of Anhalt-Dessau, it transformed into a major industrial center in the 1900s, notably housing the Junkers aircraft works, which produced pioneering aviation technology before the city's heavy destruction in WWII.
- Location: Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
- Top sights: Bauhaus Building · Masters' Houses · Georgium Palace
- Nearby: Oranienbaum-Wörlitz (12 km)
- Population: ~79.686
Best time to visit & climate
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun–Aug.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg °C | 0 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 1 |
| Rain mm | 51 | 34 | 39 | 30 | 57 | 52 | 77 | 58 | 51 | 46 | 48 | 48 |
Live webcam – Dessau-Roßlau
See what it looks like near Dessau-Roßlau right now.
Dessau-Rosslau: Wetterstation-Cam Dessau Süd · 4.3 km · Open webcam on Windy · Webcams provided by Windy.com
Geography
Facts
- The Bauhaus moved from Weimar to Dessau in 1925 due to better financial and political support.
- The Garden Kingdom of Dessau-Wörlitz covers an area of 142 square kilometers along the Elbe.
- Hugo Junkers established his aircraft factory here and developed the world's first all-metal plane.
- The current municipality was formed in 2007 by merging the cities of Dessau and Roßlau.
- Dessau served as the capital of the Duchy of Anhalt until the end of World War I.
- Famous 'Threepenny Opera' composer Kurt Weill was born in Dessau in 1900.
Explore nearby
Notable places around
Route planner — Car & Motorhome
Where do you start? We build the route here, with stops and country notes along the way.
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A day in the city
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09:00→16:436.3 km walk6 places0/6
Day budget: ≈ 19–25 €Entries 22€ · Transport 0€
The morning is dedicated to the city center, where St. Mary's Church and the new Bauhaus Museum illustrate the contrast between tradition and modernity. At noon, walk to the cradle of functionalism, Walter Gropius's iconic Bauhaus building. The afternoon takes you through pine woods to the Masters' Houses and the spacious Georgium park. End the day on the banks of the Elbe at Kornhaus, another masterpiece of classical modernism.
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09:00→16:5815.2 km ride7 places0/7
Day budget: ≈ 34–46 €Entries 28€ · Transport 12€
Explore Dessau more extensively by bike: from the center to the Junkers Museum and Bauhaus icons, then cycle through the UNESCO Garden Kingdom to Luisium.
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🚲 15'1.94 km
🚲 16'2.14 km
🚲 14'1.88 km
🚲 10'1.23 km
🚲 15'2.06 km
🚲 39'5.99 km
09:00→15:048.6 km drive6 places0/6
Day budget: ≈ 20–28 €Entries 22€ · Transport 2€
The car allows an efficient connection of Dessau's three clusters: city center, Bauhaus district, and Elbe banks. Start in the center and then drive to the architectural icons in the west before ending the day at the river.
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Sights in the town Dessau-Roßlau (21)
Frequently asked questions
Where are the famous Bauhaus sites located?
The Bauhaus building and the Masters' Houses by Walter Gropius are located north of the city center and are reachable on foot.
What is the Dessau-Wörlitz Garden Realm?
It is a UNESCO-protected 18th-century park landscape featuring castles, lakes, and extensive English gardens.
Can you learn about aviation in Dessau?
Yes, the Hugo Junkers Technical Museum displays original aircraft like the Ju 52 and documents Junkers' pioneering work.
Are there combined tickets for the museums?
Yes, there are Bauhaus tickets that combine entry to the Bauhaus building, the museum, and the Masters' Houses.
How far is Dessau from Leipzig?
By train or car, the journey takes about 45 to 50 minutes for the approximately 70-kilometer route.
Dessau-Roßlau: where is it located?
Dessau-Roßlau is located in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany.
Dessau-Roßlau: what is there to see?
Highlights include Bauhaus Building, Masters' Houses, Georgium Palace.
Dessau-Roßlau: when is the best time to visit?
The most pleasant time to visit is Jun, Aug.
Dessau-Roßlau: why is it worth visiting?
Dessau-Roßlau is a city in Saxony-Anhalt that gained worldwide fame as the epicenter of Classical Modernism during the early 20th century.
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