Ettersburg Palace built in the outskirts of Weimar in the XVIII century, originally served as a hunting residence for the local dukes. At the end of the XVIII century the castle with a small church passed into the possession of the widow of the Duke Ernst August II, Anna Amalia. Being a well-known intellectual, she organized literary and musical evenings here, as well as jaunts in the park. After her death Ettersburg fell into a state of neglect. Today, the castle hosts seminars and conferences, as well as guided tours for tourists. Visitors can walk through the local park and enjoy the so-called Pückler vista - a large man-made forest lawn, true masterpiece of Thuringian landscape art.