Villa Dürckheim

Villa Durckheim is a three-story residence at Cranachstrasse 47 designed by architect Henry van de Velde using classical design elements throughout. The building features a grand salon and surrounding grounds that now function as exhibition spaces for contemporary artworks.

Friedrich von Durckheim-Montmartin commissioned this residence between 1912 and 1913, financed through his wife Charlotte von Kusserow's estate. The building transitioned from its aristocratic origins through various functions including Soviet command operations and later state security administration.

From 1919 to 1928, the villa served as a gathering place where Bauhaus teachers and students met for shared meals and musical performances. The building became an important social hub within Weimar's artistic circles during this creative period.

The grand salon and park now function as exhibition spaces showing contemporary artworks throughout the year. Visitors should expect the interiors and outdoor areas to be arranged flexibly depending on current exhibitions and events.

The villa served as a Soviet command post and later housed state security administration offices in the post-war years. This surprising transformation reveals how a private aristocratic residence became entangled in political upheaval and Cold War operations.