Jena Lokal - Local News, Events & Culture
Your update on city life, tips, and upcoming events in Jena.
Jena, 02.05.2026 – Following Carl Zeiß, the Jena scientist and entrepreneur Ernst Abbe is now also receiving his own Playmobil figure. The detailed miniature edition, showing Abbe together with a cat, honors the life’s work of the significant reformer.
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.
The “Technik-Geschichte in Jena” association is sounding the alarm: despite its vital role in the city’s identity, the institution is threatened with closure due to a massive lack of new members to secure its historical heritage.
Jena’s photography history takes center stage as the Foto-Klub Jena ’78 celebrates its 50th anniversary with a major exhibition at the Thüringer Landtag in Erfurt. From its origins at Carl Zeiss to modern digital art, explore five decades of creative evolution. The exhibition opens on March 10, 2026, offering a unique perspective on the region’s artistic and social heritage through the lens of local photographers.