Her Majestys Visit to Germany, the Ducal Palace at Gotha - from a sketch by our special artist, 1862. Gotha, the capital of the duchy, is, alternately with Coburg, the residence of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, to whom our Queen is now on a visit...Gotha is pleasantly situated on the Leina, here crossed by several bridges, and consists of the town proper and four suburbs, the former occupying the side of a hill in the form of an irregular polygon, surrounded by ramparts, which have been converted into promenades; and by a wall with four gates. The Ducal Castle or Palace, called Friedenstein, occupies the crown of the height on which the town is situated. It is a large and, from its elevated site, a conspicuous edifice, not possessed of much architectural merit, but surrounded by fine terraces, and containing an interesting museum, a good picture-gallery, and a large library. There are also other two palaces occupied by members of the Ducal family; seven churches; a gymnasium and numerous other, schools; the new mint, arsenal, theatre, house of correction, lunatic asylum, infirmary, and several hospitals...There are many pleasant excursions in the neighbourhood of Gotha, though its beauties are perhaps somewhat exaggerated by the natives. From "Illustrated London News", 1862.