Goethe purchased the 17th century vineyard house at an auction in April 1776, thereby automatically becoming entitled to the civil rights of Weimar. The sum of 600 Gulden was refunded to him by Duke Carl August, who wanted Goethe to forge real ties to Weimar. The poet lived here for six years in summer and winter writing numerous poems and prose studies for important works as well as working as a naturalist and scientist. After he had moved to his town house in the Frauenplan, the Garden House still served as a life-long refuge, where he could mentally cleanse himself spiritually and recuperate.    back