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Jan 9, 2020 · Jena the Science City: What it's like living here. I wanted to write this post about the small city we live in because, albeit not the usual expat destination in Germany, Jena does get its fair share of international residents. So to those who may be planning to move to Jena and would like to know what the town is like, I hope this is insightful.
Jena is great for researchers. Because of the big uni and other research facilities, it’s a really nice, chill city for foreigners. (This is my impression, I’m german so i can’t say for sure). Jena is a beautiful, old city and there is a lot of nature around. But beware, rent in Jena can be quite expensive compared to the neighboring cities.
- Overview
- Jena Is My City
- In the past, notable people like playwright Johann Wolfgang Goethe, theologian Martin Luther, scientist Ernst Abbe, entrepreneur Carl Zeiss, philosopher Georg Wilhelm Hegel, poet Friedrich Schiller, and many more have called my city home.
- The dish that represents my city best is a Thüringer bratwurst (Thuringian sausage), and beer, is my city’s signature drink. Sample them at local bratwurst stands and at the Papiermühle, respectively.
With restless feet and an insatiable appetite, Annemarie Strehl has made it her goal to travel the world and uncover the best places it has to offer. Despite her roving, she has lived in Jena, a major university city in the German state of Thuringia, for most of her life and returns to it again and again.
“I can’t believe how many people—even Germans—have never heard of my hometown,” Annemarie says. “My typical reaction is to just tell everyone about its benefits and usually people end up asking me if they [can come] visit.”
Here are a few of her favorite things about the central German city she’s proud to call home.
Follow Annemarie’s story on Twitter.
When someone comes to visit me, the first place I take them is to a local bratwurst stand for a taste of the best sausage in the world.
June and August are the best times to visit my city. In June, the wild orchids come into bloom in the mountains surrounding Jena and August brings the best—and warmest—weather.
You can see my city best from the 360-degree viewing platform at the top of Germany’s second highest hotel, Scala.
The market is the place to buy authentic, local souvenirs. Tip: check out the fluffy dumplings.
My city’s best museum is the Optical Museum because it provides interesting historical, cultural, and technical insights into optical inventions over five centuries. Also, it is the only one of its kind in Germany.
If there’s one thing you should know about getting around my city, it’s that you can easily walk around the city center, and even to several residential areas just outside town. For those who can’t or don’t prefer to walk, there is a good tram system in place, and lots of buses.
The best place to spend time outdoors in my city is in one of the many green spots around town, such as next to the State Library or in Paradise Park.
My city really knows how to celebrate Christmas because we have two lovely Christmas markets with attractions, foodie stands, and handicrafts. The Christmas market located next to the city’s original walls even has fire dancers and traditional music and food.
You can tell if someone is from my city if they refer to themselves as Jenenser, meaning they were born in Jena. The ones that call themselves Jenaer moved here later.
For a fancy night out, I leave the high heels at home (because the cobblestones kill) and head to the Wagnergasse, Jena’s foodie street.
The Kulturarena Summer Festival is the best place to see live music, but if you’re in the mood to dance, check out Kassablanca.
Seeing the “Seven Wonders” (okay, only five of them still exist) could only happen in my city. One of them could even mean the world’s end, according to legend.
In the spring you should visit the botanical garden with its many flowers and tropical greenhouses. Tip: Don’t miss the huge water lilies and exotic piranhas.
In the summer you should go picnicking in a park. Tip: Wear bug repellent and long clothes to ward off ticks.
In the fall you should take a long walk to admire the colorful foliage and explore the area’s many castles, such as Lobdeburg and Fuchsturm.
In the winter you should head to the Christmas markets and get up early in the morning to see frost covering all the plants.
114,76 square kilometres. Jena's idyllic setting in the Saale Valley, ringed by steep limestone cliffs, was not lost on Goethe, who spent a total of five years in the city. Fellow writer Friedrich Schiller lived in Jena for twice that time. Near his summer house on Schillergässchen, the oval stone table where he often sat with Goethe remains ...
Jena - The City of Light. It is nestled between the leafy shell limestone slopes directly on the Saale River and, with 110,000 inhabitants, is the second largest city in Thuringia after the state capital Erfurt: Jena. Home to great poets and scientists such as Friedrich Schiller, Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe and Otto Schott.
Jul 27, 2020 · Jentower. Jena's 159-meter-high (521-foot-high) landmark is hard to miss. The Jentower resembles an erected telescope, a reference to the fact that Jena has been a center of the optical industry ...
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Living in Jena. In Jena nothing is very far away and the quality of life is relatively high. It is possible to live in a quiet, green area and to get to the city centre in a few minutes. The Saale river valley and the nearby Thuringian Forest are perfect for hiking, cycling and winter sports. Jena's central location in Germany also makes it ...
