Leica Welt

Knowing I would be in Frankfurt, I took a one-day detour to visit Wetzlar, the birthplace of Leica and home to a stunningly modern campus. The architecture cleverly draws from the company’s photographic heritage, with circular office buildings echoing the shape of camera lenses and a balcony designed to resemble a rangefinder window. Behind the complex lies a tranquil Nature Trail, created for testing their binoculars but also serving as an open-air gallery, where photographs are interspersed at regular intervals along the trail. Finally, at the roundabout in front, a large globe sculpture marks Wetzlar with Leica’s iconic red dot, a reminder of both global reach and local roots.

Modern circular building with the Leica logo under a clear blue sky.
Wide view of the Leica headquarters complex with parked cars and blue sky. Curved Leica building with glass facade and steps leading to the entrance.
Glass-walled Café Leitz with modern architecture and landscaped walkway.
Concrete pillars casting long shadows along a minimalist walkway.
Leitz Cine building with a grey Porsche 911 GT3 RS parked in front.
Sculptural globe centerpiece at a roundabout near residential houses.