Overview
- A symbolic cheque presented Friday confirmed a joint federal–state funding package worth €110 million for a multi‑phase renovation of Schloss Friedenstein in Gotha.
- The current grant in the package allows immediate work to convert the West wing for museum use, improving display space and visitor access for the Friedenstein collections.
- Further construction phases are scheduled to begin in 2027, starting with repairs to the East tower and parts of the East wing to secure structural fabric and historic rooms.
- The federal government’s 2027 budget draft proposes raising annual Wartburg maintenance funding from €248,000 to €498,000 and signals planning for large‑scale Wartburg works in 2027, with final approval still required.
- Officials tied the announcements to a high‑profile cultural push that includes the Rembrandt exhibition in the Herzogliches Museum Gotha and highlights joint Bund–Land responsibility for conserving museums, libraries and UNESCO sites.