Facilities in Jena
Eating out: What students, business people and day-trippers love the most here is the convivial mood in the many cafés, restaurants and rustic, cozy pubs in the lovingly preserved streets of the Old City. Wagnergasse and the old market place are the most popular streets with varieties of food from Mediterranean to Eastern food. Favorite hangouts are the old established Rosenkeller, the redesigned campus at Ernst Abbe Platz, The Thuringian University and Café Grunowski, which make up this student paradise. At night, these places are crammed mostly by students as the German bear is to be consumed and enjoyed at all free times!
Cinemas: Germans have a tradition of dubbing all the movies. However it is always possible to find movies in original language, such as at Schillerhof, which is a combination of a movie theatre and a café and at Capitol cinemas on certain days of the week.
Sports: Jena is a city surrounded by cliffs and hills. It is a natural park for jogging with pathways to climb up and with its warmer climate with respect to the rest of Germany; it is possible to enjoy the nature throughout the year. The university offers its students and city residents a wide variety of clubs from team sports to individual workout programs at its wide complexes all around the city. There are also private clubs in the city center to do regular workouts and socialize at the same time.
Shopping: There are modern shopping facilities in the city center such as Goethe Galerie and Neue Mitte, with fashionable shops as well as cafes, grocery shops and stationeries. Also shops for textile, cosmetics, furniture, electrical and technological goods are spread out in the city and old market place.
Festivals: Some regular events have been acknowledged all over Germany, above all the Jena Kulturarena, the most successful world music festival in eastern Germany; the jazz festival, the reading marathon, open-air shows on town history, "theatre in movement" days, museum nights and much more. Beside this, countless artists and cultural clubs enrich the town's cultural life. The city is jollified with the Christmas market from the beginning of December till Silvestre with its cute wooden shops located in the old market place, selling Thuringian specialties, ceramic and wooden goods, Glühwein to warm up the feasters. The Carnival is also celebrated in Germany, but quite different than the Brazilian celebrations, as it is actually a Catholic festival. People use this opportunity to eat and drink as much as they like before the fasting days start. Both adults and children dress up for this occasion and start the hot phase of the festival at 11:11 on the Thursday before the Ash Wednesday.
German course: University of Jena offers German courses at different levels, but the main language in the Schubert group is English as it mainly consists of international students. Some German knowledge definitely makes life easier, but it is not obligatory to take any courses.
More information: Click Here.
Monuments and sights: The tourism office Jena is offering guided tours to introduce you the city where history meets a modern innovative approach to knowledge and science. Below sights are the ones particularly standing out:
Intershop Tower: In the 70s, the tallest tower which can be seen from almost all over the city (cookie role), was constructed in Eichplatz, Jena’s most beautiful old square. After renovations and being given a modern look in late 90s, the tower became a shopping center and an office building for companies, with a panoramic restaurant and café on top floor. Not to be missed!
More information on: Neue Mitte, Jentower, Scala Jena.
Jenaer Paradies: Situated in the middle of forests and the river Saale, Jena is a very green spot to enjoy in all seasons. Jena Paradies is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the picturesque of this beautiful town. It is right in the city center and provides different oasis for many sports fans.
Landgrave Tower: 30 meter- high viewing tower on the hills, reachable after a short walk in the woods. Especially nice during sunset before having a nice- traditional German dinner at the restaurant.
Lobdeburg Ruins: This is a formerly four-storey late Romanesque tower, built in the middle of the 12th century, which was more a manorial seat than a fortified complex because, at that time, the comfortable living of the lords became more and more important and overlaid the merely military purposes of castle buildings. Access for free.
Fox Tower: One of the seven wonders of Jena and a vantage point with restaurant.
Botanical Gardens: Approximately 12 000 plants from all climates grow outside and inside the green houses over an area of 4.5 hectares. The Palm House and Victoria House are particularly worth visiting.
Planetarium: The oldest independent Planetarium in the world was opened to the public in 1926 in Jena and attracting about 100 000 visitors per year. In additional to normal educational presentations there are also events and laser multivision shows for children.
Schott Glass Museum: The fascinating history of glass, the product and technology, is documented in this museum, established in 1884. Authentic exhibits, images and films transport you into the innovative world of Schott.
Phyletic Museum: Founded by the well known zoologist Ernst Haeckel in 1907, conveys the multitude of difficulties in the phylogenetic development of life, including that of men. Proof and causes of evolution and also the relationship conditions of the organisms are explained using fossils, models and graphic portrayels.
1806 Memorial: Located in Cospeda, the memorial projects the background history and the course of the battle near Jena in which Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussian army.
Rosenkeller: A student club in the cellar rooms, perfect for academic concerts and reading facilities.
Schwarzer Baer Hotel: It is one of the oldest inns in Jena, with famous guests like Martin Luther, Bismarck and Johann Friedrich I.
Theatre House: Opened in 1873, there is now only the stage house of the theatre that remains, which is now hosting plays regularly.
St.Michael’s Church: This late Gothic church is one of the largest hall churches in Thuringia. The two splendid portals, the decorative bridal portal and the court portal are particularly remarkable. In 1524 and 1529 Martin Luther preached from the pulpit with the late Gothic arabesque ornaments. The bronze original grave plate with a bible and Luther rose for the Reformer which has been here since 1571 is a treasure.
Old Town Wall: The old town wall, Platanenhaus, was discovered during an underground work in 1992. Part of the old town wall can be seen through a glass plate in the floor of the hall in the bank building. The oldest house of Jena, which is half-timbered, is also located right next to the newly built bank building.
Anatomy Tower: The south-west corner tower of the former medieval town wall had an octagon structure till 1860 where there was an anatomical lecture theatre. Johann Wolfgang Goethe rediscovered the human intermaxillary bone here on 27th March 1784.
Power Tower: The north-west tower on the old town wall originates from 13th century and approximately 20m high.
Johannis Gate: The only town gate remaining since the year 1304.
Cinemas: Germans have a tradition of dubbing all the movies. However it is always possible to find movies in original language, such as at Schillerhof, which is a combination of a movie theatre and a café and at Capitol cinemas on certain days of the week.
Sports: Jena is a city surrounded by cliffs and hills. It is a natural park for jogging with pathways to climb up and with its warmer climate with respect to the rest of Germany; it is possible to enjoy the nature throughout the year. The university offers its students and city residents a wide variety of clubs from team sports to individual workout programs at its wide complexes all around the city. There are also private clubs in the city center to do regular workouts and socialize at the same time.
Shopping: There are modern shopping facilities in the city center such as Goethe Galerie and Neue Mitte, with fashionable shops as well as cafes, grocery shops and stationeries. Also shops for textile, cosmetics, furniture, electrical and technological goods are spread out in the city and old market place.
Festivals: Some regular events have been acknowledged all over Germany, above all the Jena Kulturarena, the most successful world music festival in eastern Germany; the jazz festival, the reading marathon, open-air shows on town history, "theatre in movement" days, museum nights and much more. Beside this, countless artists and cultural clubs enrich the town's cultural life. The city is jollified with the Christmas market from the beginning of December till Silvestre with its cute wooden shops located in the old market place, selling Thuringian specialties, ceramic and wooden goods, Glühwein to warm up the feasters. The Carnival is also celebrated in Germany, but quite different than the Brazilian celebrations, as it is actually a Catholic festival. People use this opportunity to eat and drink as much as they like before the fasting days start. Both adults and children dress up for this occasion and start the hot phase of the festival at 11:11 on the Thursday before the Ash Wednesday.
German course: University of Jena offers German courses at different levels, but the main language in the Schubert group is English as it mainly consists of international students. Some German knowledge definitely makes life easier, but it is not obligatory to take any courses.
More information: Click Here.
Monuments and sights: The tourism office Jena is offering guided tours to introduce you the city where history meets a modern innovative approach to knowledge and science. Below sights are the ones particularly standing out:
Intershop Tower: In the 70s, the tallest tower which can be seen from almost all over the city (cookie role), was constructed in Eichplatz, Jena’s most beautiful old square. After renovations and being given a modern look in late 90s, the tower became a shopping center and an office building for companies, with a panoramic restaurant and café on top floor. Not to be missed!
More information on: Neue Mitte, Jentower, Scala Jena.
Jenaer Paradies: Situated in the middle of forests and the river Saale, Jena is a very green spot to enjoy in all seasons. Jena Paradies is the perfect place to relax and enjoy the picturesque of this beautiful town. It is right in the city center and provides different oasis for many sports fans.
Landgrave Tower: 30 meter- high viewing tower on the hills, reachable after a short walk in the woods. Especially nice during sunset before having a nice- traditional German dinner at the restaurant.
Lobdeburg Ruins: This is a formerly four-storey late Romanesque tower, built in the middle of the 12th century, which was more a manorial seat than a fortified complex because, at that time, the comfortable living of the lords became more and more important and overlaid the merely military purposes of castle buildings. Access for free.
Fox Tower: One of the seven wonders of Jena and a vantage point with restaurant.
Botanical Gardens: Approximately 12 000 plants from all climates grow outside and inside the green houses over an area of 4.5 hectares. The Palm House and Victoria House are particularly worth visiting.
Planetarium: The oldest independent Planetarium in the world was opened to the public in 1926 in Jena and attracting about 100 000 visitors per year. In additional to normal educational presentations there are also events and laser multivision shows for children.
Schott Glass Museum: The fascinating history of glass, the product and technology, is documented in this museum, established in 1884. Authentic exhibits, images and films transport you into the innovative world of Schott.
Phyletic Museum: Founded by the well known zoologist Ernst Haeckel in 1907, conveys the multitude of difficulties in the phylogenetic development of life, including that of men. Proof and causes of evolution and also the relationship conditions of the organisms are explained using fossils, models and graphic portrayels.
1806 Memorial: Located in Cospeda, the memorial projects the background history and the course of the battle near Jena in which Napoleon’s troops defeated the Prussian army.
Rosenkeller: A student club in the cellar rooms, perfect for academic concerts and reading facilities.
Schwarzer Baer Hotel: It is one of the oldest inns in Jena, with famous guests like Martin Luther, Bismarck and Johann Friedrich I.
Theatre House: Opened in 1873, there is now only the stage house of the theatre that remains, which is now hosting plays regularly.
St.Michael’s Church: This late Gothic church is one of the largest hall churches in Thuringia. The two splendid portals, the decorative bridal portal and the court portal are particularly remarkable. In 1524 and 1529 Martin Luther preached from the pulpit with the late Gothic arabesque ornaments. The bronze original grave plate with a bible and Luther rose for the Reformer which has been here since 1571 is a treasure.
Old Town Wall: The old town wall, Platanenhaus, was discovered during an underground work in 1992. Part of the old town wall can be seen through a glass plate in the floor of the hall in the bank building. The oldest house of Jena, which is half-timbered, is also located right next to the newly built bank building.
Anatomy Tower: The south-west corner tower of the former medieval town wall had an octagon structure till 1860 where there was an anatomical lecture theatre. Johann Wolfgang Goethe rediscovered the human intermaxillary bone here on 27th March 1784.
Power Tower: The north-west tower on the old town wall originates from 13th century and approximately 20m high.
Johannis Gate: The only town gate remaining since the year 1304.