Gotha State Theatre

The Landestheater Gotha was a neoclassical theatre in the centre of Gotha, Thuringia. Built in the 1830s as the Hoftheater Gotha, it became the Landestheater Gotha in 1919. The theatre was designed by Karl Friedrich Schinkel in neoclassical style and erected by Gustav Eberhard. It opened on 2 January 1840, the Duke’s 56th birthday. The building featured a foyer, a mirror hall, a hall with three tiers and a stage. In 1861/62 it was expanded with a southern extension for the foyer. The theatre played an important role in the cultural life of the region. Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, promoted drama and supported alternating performances in Gotha and Coburg. Performances in Gotha usually ran from January to April while the Duke was in residence. The theatre was destroyed by fire on 3 April 1945 when nearby munitions exploded. The ruined building was demolished in 1958 despite public protests. Today the site is occupied by a modern department store. The theatre’s history is documented in publications by Günther Grossmann and Selma Kracht. Schinkel’s design and Eberhard’s construction remain recognised achievements of 19th-century theatre architecture. The Duke’s initiative shaped the cultural programme for decades. The loss of the building marked the end of an era in Gotha’s artistic life.