The Juri Gagarin Ring in Erfurt
A different look
Place that invites you to stroll?
The Yuri Gagarin Ring is one of the places where visitors to the city are unlikely to go. It is often unavoidable that they drive over it or cross it in some way, but: Erfurt has nicer corners.
This is mainly because “beautiful” and “busy” are mutually exclusive in our minds. This brings us to what “The Ring” is for the city: one of the main arteries for car traffic. Unlike, for example, Arnstädter Straße or Magdeburger Allee, where trams, cars and bicycles follow their own lanes, the arch between Johannesstraße and Karl Marx Platz is purely a car lane. Although there are some sections where a path is designated for cyclists and a footpath is present throughout, the Yuri Gagarin Ring is a car ring. This is good for drivers. Here the city can be crossed quickly and easily and residents can reach their homes quite comfortably if they use a car. For everyone else, the Yuri Gagarin Ring is more of an obstacle than a place to stroll.
We did it anyway – from the street Am Hügel
to Karl Marx Platz. Our exploration begins with the St. John's Wall. This is practical because it opens up the route of the highway. It follows Erfurt's former inner city wall.
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Partyed like a star when visiting Erfurt
And speaking of the past: The Yuri Gagarin Ring was only named in 1964 after Yuri Gagarin, the first person in space. He has been “Ring” for a long time. From 1951 it was called the Mao Tse Tung Ring. Before that, there are several names for the ring. Some of these can be traced back to the districts that begin here. Until the name was changed, the Krämpferring was located in the area of the Krämpfervorstadt with the former Krämpfertor.
Mainline that cuts shrill and loud through the city
The Russian space pioneer has been observing the goings-on on “his” ring from this spot since 1986. We move on, but take Juri as an example: just stand on the street and let your eyes wander.
The development shows a versatility that is unparalleled in Erfurt. Things sometimes go really wild through the eras:
That fits with this Erfurt mainline, which beats shrill and loud through the city. If you're looking for peace and quiet, you can visit the old town - or the duck pond . This is located just before Karl Marx Platz, the end of our tour, and is a lovely gem right on Juri-Gagarin-Ring.
Conclusion:
The Yuri Gagarin ring is more practical than beautiful. As one of the city's main traffic arteries, it primarily serves car traffic. With the Museum of Thuringian Folklore, it houses one of Erfurt's museums and is the headquarters of other important institutions. Otherwise, it impresses with its development that spans epochs.
