The baroque style superseded the art of the Renaissance which had aimed for unity, serenity and clarity of form. It adopted some of its formal elements but sought to heighten and exceed them in richness and expression. Splendour and exuberance are characteristics of the baroque - the art of absolutism and the Counter Reformation. The taste for pomp and ceremony gave rise to many magnificent buildings that drew attention to their owners' claims to power. Moreover, incorporating painting, sculpture and light effects in buildings that themselves became works of art proved to be the perfect way to disseminate Enlightenment ideals.

Friedenstein Palace, one of Germany's first baroque palaces, was built between 1643 and 1656 on the foundations of Grimmenstein Castle, a ruin on a strategic hill in Gotha, the largest town in the duchy of Saxe-Gotha. The scale of the palace is monumental and it still dominates Gotha today. The west wing houses one of the oldest theatres (installed in 1683) still in use today. The original stage machinery has been retained and the auditorium is almost fully preserved. In the 18th century the Friedenstein court flourished as a centre of art, culture and science. The grandeur of Friedenstein Palace is matched by its beautiful park – one of Germany's earliest landscaped gardens in the English style.
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The seat of the princes of Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt, this palace was built in 1737. It is one of the most magnificent baroque palaces in Thuringia. In the main wing there is a series of magnificent baroque rooms. Heidecksburg Palace is the headquarters of the Thuringian Palaces and Gardens Foundation. It is also home to the Thuringian State Museum (Heidecksburg Palace) and the Thuringian State Archives (Rudolstadt).
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Visit this wine discovery centre near Radebeul, the first of its kind in Europe. Augustus the Strong and his courtiers once celebrated the pleasures of the grape here; today it is a modern wine and sekt estate. This baroque house and garden has its own inn and a winegrowing tradition dating back 800 years.
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