Germany’s Bauhaus movement

Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar and Dessau, Germany

I often find it a bit hard to understand how revolutionary something was in its time – especially when today it just seems normal.

There have been a few times now when I’ve noticed this in the world of architecture. Germany’s Bauhaus movement is the latest.

The sleek minimalistic look of the Bauhaus style, with a modernist feel and a harmony between aesthetics and practicality, developed between 1919 and 1933.

At the time, it was viewed with suspicion but Bauhaus set the scene for a new wave of architecture and design that was to sweep across the world.

The movement itself was all about teaching, learning and collaboration. It started in the city of Weimar where a new guild of artists, designers and architects came together under the Bauhaus name to work without class on the new principles.

They had a dream for a new wave of style and together they developed it in their own ways and as a group.

Two buildings here represent the beginning of the movement – the former Art College and the School of Arts and Crafts – both of which are still used as a university today.

Also, a little further out from the city centre is the Haus am Horn. This small cubic residence is an example of the early Bauhaus architecture and, although it has had some renovation work, is the only original Bauhaus building in the city.

The Bauhaus movement was the subject of political pressures in Weimar. Conservatives in power in the region were wary of the progressive nature of the design movement and made funding for the school difficult in the mid-1920s.

In 1925, the Weimar Bauhaus was forced to close and the design collective relocated to the city of Dessau where there was more support for the movement.

It was in Dessau that things really took off. World-class artists joined the teaching staff and the influence of the architecture spread further afield.

Larger buildings were constructed with the assistance of local authorities and some of the truly groundbreaking elements of the style were developed and put into practice.

The most famous of the movement’s buildings – known just as the Bauhaus building – is the modern architectural highlight of Dessau and is still used to promote the ideals of the design revolution.

Just a short walk away from here is a series of homes known as the Masters’ Houses. The five houses are set is lush gardens and were the residences of the senior teachers of the school and, as you would expect, exemplify the architectural vision of Bauhaus.

Visiting the Bauhaus Sites in Weimar and Dessau

To see all of the Bauhaus buildings included in the World Heritage Site, you’ll need to visit two German cities – Weimar and Dessau, which are about 150 kilometres apart.

In Weimar, the former Art College and the School of Arts and Crafts are now part of a university and you are able just to walk in and have a look at the buildings for yourself. There are also city tours available which include these sites.

The Haus am Horn is about 20 minutes walk from the university buildings and is a small residence in the Bauhaus style. It is only open on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday between April and September.

If you can only visit one of the cities, then Dessau is probably the better option.

The main Bauhaus building is a true representation of what the movement stands for and also has a shop and museum with some of the design examples that were developed at the same time.

The nearby Masters’ Houses show more of a progression in the Bauhaus principles than the residence in Weimar and are also easier to access because they are all open to the public most of the year.

Time Travel Turtle was supported by DB Bahn, the German National Tourist Board and Youth Hostels in Germany but the opinions, over-written descriptions and bad jokes are his own.