The Elephant Hotel is an integral part of Weimar's heritage. First mentioned in records from the year 1561, it has been operating as a hotel for the past 317 years. Goethe once enjoyed a drink or two in the Elephant, and over the years it has maintained its status as a popular meeting point for artists, statesman, intellectuals and poets from all over Europe. Renovated in 1937, the interior of the hotel now boasts an elegant mix of Bauhaus and Art Deco.
The historical building is also home to "Anna Amalia", regarded as one of the best fine dining establishments in the state of Thuringia.