Goethe's Italian Journey

Goethe (1749-1832) is one of the most influential German writers of all time. While many know him as an author and a playwright, he had a number of other interests, including geology, art, history, and botany. On the night of his 37th birthday, Goethe slipped away to fulfill his dream of a lengthy trip to Italy. From 1786 to 1788 he traveled from Regensburg all the way down to Sicily, remaining in Rome the longest. 

A closer look at his travels and some of the art drawn by Goethe in these destinations

Comparing some of Goethe's sketches with modern day photographs

In 1786 Regensburg was a bustling city and a major trade center. While Goethe was there, he would have seen the Stone Bridge (c.12th century) and the Regensburg Cathedral (c.18th century). This sketch is likely the view from the Stone Bridge facing out into the river.

Rovereto at this time would have been an independent state with its own fortress. When Goethe traveled through Rovereto, it was experiencing major cultural and educational developments. Today the city has a mix of old and new, as it features buildings from the medieval period and a famous modern art museum.

The Scaliger Castle of Malcesine was built in the medieval period and originally served as a boundary between the Venetian realm and the Austrian empire. It is one of the best preserved medieval castles and transformed into a museum. Although it is now a popular tourist attraction, in 1786 it was mostly limited to locals who were wary of foreigners like Goethe.

The Falls of Velino, also known as Cascata delle Marmore, is a man-made waterfall created during the Republic of Rome (circa 270 BCE). When Goethe passed by, he called it a "Second Nature" however, much less water flowed and there were several issues with the ancient construction. In 1787, only a year after Goethe saw the falls, Pope Pius VI modernized it to its current state. Recently it has been used for hydroelectric power and is a common sightseeing spot.

The Tiber River has a rich history in connection to Rome. It is one of the defining geographical landmarks in Italy and held great importance for the Great Roman Empire. While Goethe was there, they had begun an effort to clean the river and improve the ecology, as it had become shallow. Much of the current architecture came after Goethe's time, but there were several prominent ancient buildings and bridges that he would have seen.

Tiber Island is a boat-shaped island in the middle of Tiber. Goethe appears to have drawn this from the island, looking out towards the pedestrian bridge, Ponte Sant'Angelo. When Goethe was here, the obelisk from the Roman Empire would have still been in place (destroyed in 1867). He also would have seen the Fatebenefratelli hospital, which is still in place today.

The Villa Borghese is a mansion with a garden right in the heart of Rome. It was commissioned in 1606 by a Cardinal. The house remains the same as when Goethe passed through, however the gardens were completely redone in the 19th century. Goethe used his time here to sketch the several beautiful villas in this part of Rome.

Velletri is a comune right outside the heart of Rome, located in the Alban Hills. Now a bustling city, when Goethe passed through it was a small town, featuring the collection of Cavaliere Borgia. Velletri has a rich history as the family home of the Emperor Augustus and the ancient Volsci tribe. Here, Goethe looks at a number of the Volsci sculptures in Borgia's collection.

A few notable works of art and architecture that Goethe saw on his journey

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, and Robert Heitner. Goethe Collected Works: Italian Journey. Suhrkamp/Insel Publishers Boston, 1989.

Goethe, and Max Bartholl. Johann Wolfgang Goethe Italienische Reise. Insel Frankfurt Am Main, 1976.