Jena, 14.04.2026 – A new, trilingual photo book highlights the facets of the Saalestadt. Under the title “Jena – Die Lichtstadt,” photographer Frank Liebold and author Marion Gebauer present a visual journey through the history and present of the municipality.
- Title: Jena – Die Lichtstadt
- Authors: Frank Liebold (Photography), Marion Gebauer (Texts)
- Publisher: Wartberg-Verlag GmbH
- Format: Trilingual photo book
- Content: Historical buildings, modern urban developments, city history
Time Travel Through the Saalestadt
The newly published photo book is dedicated to the great architectural and cultural diversity of Jena. The authors capture the strong contrasts of the city, which stretches along the Saale. From venerable historical buildings in the city center to modern urban developments, the work shows the various faces of the city.
In addition to the impressive photographs by Frank Liebold, Marion Gebauer provides the accompanying texts. These offer the reader detailed insights into the depicted locations and draw a coherent picture of historical and contemporary urban development. Since the photo book is designed to be trilingual, it is also deliberately aimed at an international audience, tourists, and foreign students who wish to rediscover Jena.
Background: Why actually “Lichtstadt”?
The title of the photo book takes up Jena’s official nickname “Lichtstadt” (City of Light). This refers to the municipality’s deep historical roots in the optics and photonics industry. In the mid-19th century, Carl Zeiss, Ernst Abbe, and Otto Schott laid the foundation for modern optics here. Today, this industry shapes not only the region’s economy but also significantly the cityscape – most prominently through the Jentower, which towers over the historical Altstadt as an architectural symbol of modernity.
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Photo book: Jena – Die Lichtstadt
Transparency Note: This article was automatically generated, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.