Erfurt • Wartburg Castle • Wittenberg
Martin Luther—pious monk, fiery orator, and religious whistle-blower—came from a humble, pastoral corner of Germany’s heartland. In the charming university town of Erfurt, Luther was a student before casting his former life aside to become a monk. At Wartburg Castle, he hid out to translate the New Testament. And he eventually made his home in Wittenberg, where he worked as a university professor, nailed his 95 Theses to the church door, and enjoyed married life with Katharina von Bora.
Located in the present-day states of Saxony and Thuringia, this chapter’s three destinations—Erfurt, Wartburg Castle, and Wittenberg—form the cradle of the Protestant Reformation. Luther’s groundbreaking work here set into motion a chain of events that would split Western Christian faith, plunge Europe into a century of warfare, cause empires to rise and fall, and inspire new schools of art and thought.
OK, I’ll admit it—I’m a Lutheran. So I have a special reason for enjoying this area. But anyone with an appreciation for history will likely be interested as well. Even without their Luther connections, Erfurt is pleasant for a stroll, and Wartburg is a fine castle. And anyone—including atheists—will appreciate Wittenberg’s excellent Luther sights, demonstrating the dramatic impact this courageous monk had on European history—which went far beyond his original intent to reform the church—and the enduring example he set for those who dare to speak truth to power. (For more on Martin Luther’s significance, read the background information about him starting on here; or watch my TV special Rick Steves’ Luther and the Reformation (www.ricksteves.com/luther). For more on the destinations, skip to the section on Erfurt, which starts on here).
If you’re connecting the Luther towns, you’ll almost certainly pass through the city of Leipzig, which also has a few Luther ties and is worth a visit in its own right (see next chapter).
Throughout the region that I call “Lutherland,” keep an eye out for the Luther rose, a symbol of the man who became known as the Great Reformer: a black cross in a red heart (symbolizing the Crucifixion) inside a white rose (the peace and joy of faith), all within a golden ring that symbolizes the infinite nature of heaven.
Lutherland is easy to visit on the way between the Frankfurt/Würzburg area to the west and the Berlin/Dresden area to the east. Luther pilgrims may want several days to linger at the historic sights. You can see Wittenberg on its own as a day trip from Berlin, or follow this two-day plan en route to Berlin:
Day 1: Ride the train to Eisenach, throw your bag in a locker, and visit Wartburg Castle. In the evening, continue by train 30-45 minutes to Erfurt, where you’ll enjoy a charming evening and sleep.
Day 2: Spend the morning sightseeing in Erfurt; at midday, head to Wittenberg, see the sights there, and then take an evening train to Berlin. (If you’d also like to visit Leipzig, do it today and stay the night, then see Wittenberg on the morning of Day 3 on the way to Berlin.)
Luther lived a turbulent life. In early adulthood, the newly ordained Catholic priest suffered a crisis of faith before finally emerging as “born again.” In 1517, he openly protested against Church corruption and was later excommunicated. Defying both the pope and the emperor, he was declared a heretic and hid out in a friendly prince’s castle, watching as his ideas sparked peasant riots. In his castle refuge he translated the New Testament from Greek to German. He later composed hymns such as “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” sparred with fellow reformers, and tried to harness and guide the religious, social, and political firestorm he helped ignite.
Luther was born on November 10, 1483, in Eisleben, south of Berlin. His dad owned a copper smelter, affording Luther a middle-class upbringing—a rarity in the medieval hierarchy of nobles, clergy, and peasants.
Luther enrolled at the University of Erfurt in 1501. There he earned a liberal-arts degree, entered law school, and earned himself two nicknames—“the philosopher” for his wide-ranging mind, and “the king of hops” for his lifelong love affair with beer.
Then came July 2, 1505. While riding through the countryside, Luther was caught up in an intense thunderstorm, and a bolt of lightning knocked him to the ground. Luther cried out, “St. Anne, save me, and I will become a monk!” Surviving the storm, Luther was determined to make good on his promise. He returned to Erfurt, sold his possessions, and told his friends, “After this day, you will see me no more.” The next morning, he knocked on the door of Erfurt’s Augustinian Monastery and dedicated his life to Christianity.
But Luther soon realized that pious monastic life did not suit his inquisitive nature. He returned to academia, was ordained a priest in 1507 in Erfurt’s cathedral, and by 1508 was teaching theology part-time at the university in nearby Wittenberg.
In 1509, Luther set out for Rome on foot, a pilgrimage that would change him forever. Upon arriving in the Eternal City, he was dismayed to find rich, corrupt priests and bishops selling “indulgences,” which supposedly guaranteed entry to heaven to those able to pay the price. This was the Rome of Pope Julius II, who was in the midst of an expensive, over-the-top remodel of Vatican City—and the lucrative sale of indulgences helped refill the papal treasury. At the time of Luther’s visit, Michelangelo was lying aloft on his back in the Sistine Chapel, executing detailed frescoes on the ceiling, while Raphael was slathering nearby hallways with his own Renaissance masterpieces.
This traffic in indulgences and luxury clashed violently with Luther’s deeply held belief that people’s faith, not their pocketbook, would determine the final destination of their souls. Indulgences were an insult to his worldview—and, to Luther, a betrayal of the Christian faith.
After returning to Germany in 1512, Luther received his doctorate and got a job teaching theology at the university in Wittenberg. The prince elector of Saxony, Frederick the Wise, had decided to make this backwater town his royal seat, so he invited the region’s best and brightest to populate his dynamic new burg. Here, Luther mingled with other great thinkers (including fellow professor Philipp Melanchthon) and artists (most notably Lucas Cranach the Elder).
During these early years, Luther was consumed with the notion that he was a sinner. He devoured the Bible, looking for an answer and finding it in Paul’s letter to the Romans. Luther concluded that God makes sinners righteous through their faith in Jesus Christ, not by earning it through good deeds. As this concept of “unearned grace” took hold, Luther said, “I felt myself to have been born again.”
Energized, he began a series of Bible lectures at Wittenberg’s Town Church of St. Mary. The pews were packed as Luther quoted passages directly from the Bible. Speaker and audience alike began to see discrepancies between what the Bible said and what the Church was doing. Coincidentally, a friar happened to arrive in Wittenberg around this time, selling letters of indulgence that promised “forgiveness for all thy sins, transgressions, and excesses, howsoever enormous they may be”...a bargain at twice the price.
Outraged at the idea that God’s grace could be bought, Luther thought the subject should be debated openly. On October 31, 1517, he nailed his now-famous 95 Theses (topics for discussion) to the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church. The Theses questioned indulgences and other Church practices and beliefs. Thesis #82 boldly asked: “If the pope redeems a number of souls for the sake of miserable money with which to buy a church, why doesn’t he empty purgatory for the sake of holy love?” With the newfangled printing presses belonging to Lucas Cranach, Luther’s propositions were turned into pamphlets that became the talk of Germany.
Luther didn’t set out to start a new church; he wanted to reform the existing one. He preached throughout the region, spreading his provocative ideas and publicly debating his positions in such venues as Leipzig’s Town Hall. In 1520, a furious Pope Leo X sent the rebellious monk a papal bull threatening excommunication. Luther burned the edict on the spot, and soon after, Leo X formally excommunicated him.
Luther was branded a heretic and ordered to Rome to face charges, but he refused to go. Finally, the most powerful man in Europe, Emperor Charles V, stepped in to arbitrate, calling an Imperial Diet (congress) at Worms in 1521. Luther made a triumphal entry into Worms, greeted by cheering crowds. The Diet convened, and Luther took his place in the center of the large hall, standing next to a stack of his writings. Inquisitors grilled him while the ultra-conservative Charles looked on. Luther refused to disavow his beliefs.
The infuriated emperor declared Luther an outlaw and a heretic. Being “outside the law” meant that he could be killed at will. After leaving Worms, Luther disappeared. He was kidnapped—by supporters—and given refuge in Frederick the Wise’s Wartburg Castle. There Luther wore a beard to disguise himself as Junker Jörg (“Squire George”). He spent 10 months fighting depression and translating the Bible’s New Testament from the original Greek into German. This “September Testament” was revolutionary, bringing the Bible to the masses and shaping the modern German language.
Meanwhile, Luther’s ideas caught on back home in Wittenberg, where his followers had continued to pursue reform. By the time Luther returned to the city in 1522, popular uprisings led by more radically-minded reformers were undermining law and order.
In 1525, Luther’s friend and follower Thomas Müntzer used Luther’s writings to justify an uprising known as the Peasants’ Revolt. Poor farmers attacked their feudal masters with hoes and pitchforks, fighting for more food, political say-so, and respect. Thousands of peasants died, and Müntzer was executed. Luther decried the uprising, preaching that Church corruption did not justify outright societal rebellion. In fact, he supported the violent suppression of the Peasants’ Revolt.
In 1525, the 41-year-old ex-priest married a 26-year-old ex-nun, Katharina von Bora, “to please my father and annoy the pope.” (Their wedding set the precedent of allowing Protestant clergy to marry.) They moved into the former Wittenberg monastery where Luther had once lived (today’s Luther House, the best museum anywhere on the Reformation and Luther), where they rented rooms to students. Luther turned his checkbook over to “my lord Katie,” who ran the family farm and raised their six children and 11 adopted orphans.
Luther traveled, spreading the Protestant message. In 1529, at Marburg Castle (just north of Frankfurt), he attended a summit of leading Protestants to try and forge an alliance against Catholicism. They agreed on everything except a single theological point: whether Christ was present in the wine and bread of Communion in a physical sense (according to Luther) or symbolic sense (per the Swiss reformer Ulrich Zwingli). The disagreement doomed the Protestant movement to splinter into dozens of sects.
In 1534, Luther finished translating the Bible. Lucas Cranach illustrated it with woodcuts and published it on his printing presses. The Martin Luther Bible was to German-speaking Christians what the King James Bible would be to English-speaking Christians—essentially codifying an entire language. Luther also wrote a German Mass, catechisms, and several hymns, including the still-beloved “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.”
In his fifties, Luther’s health declined and he grew bitter, a fact made clear in such writings as “Against the Papacy at Rome Founded by the Devil” and “Of the Jews and Their Lies.” A general tone of anti-Judaism pollutes his later work. Luther was less concerned with the ethnicity of Jews—as the Nazis later were—than he was by their refusal to accept Christianity. Luther’s words were later invoked to justify anti-Semitic speech and actions during the early days of Nazism.
Martin Luther died on February 18, 1546, and was buried in Wittenberg. To read more about Luther’s legacy, see the sidebar on here.
A half-timbered, many-steepled medieval townscape with a shallow river gurgling through its middle, Erfurt (AIR-foort) is an inviting destination. The capital of the Thuringia region, this is where Martin Luther spent his early years. While its Luther sights aren’t as exciting as those at Wartburg Castle or Wittenberg, the town itself more than makes up for it. You can see the monastery where Luther became a monk and the cathedral where he became a priest, stroll across an atmospheric medieval bridge lined with characteristic shops, ogle an unearthed treasure-trove in one of Europe’s oldest surviving synagogues, hike up to the citadel for views over town, or just bask in Erfurt’s quaintness.
Sitting on an important medieval trade route, Erfurt boomed in the Middle Ages thanks largely to its production of woad, a plant-based blue dye. In the 16th century, trade with India flooded the market with less expensive dyes made from true indigo, and Erfurt’s fortunes tumbled, leaving it a well-preserved backwater for centuries. It enjoyed another boom after the creation of a united Germany in 1871. Unlike the nearby cities of Berlin, Dresden, and Leipzig, Erfurt emerged from World War II relatively unscathed. This imbues Erfurt with a delightful time-capsule quality—rare for an eastern German city of its size.
These days, Erfurt is very popular among German tourists and Martin Luther pilgrims, but largely undiscovered by American visitors (meaning English information can be hard to come by). Erfurt provides a handy launch pad for visiting Wartburg Castle, where Luther hid out while translating the New Testament (in Eisenach, 30-45 minutes west by train).
Erfurt deserves a day’s visit, and possibly an overnight. You can get the gist of the town in a few hours: Take my self-guided walking tour, then drop into your choice of other sights—the twin churches are enjoyable, the citadel offers great views over town, Luther fans appreciate the Augustinian Monastery, and the truly old Old Synagogue interests historians.
Although it has about 200,000 people, Erfurt feels smaller—particularly its downtown core, where you’ll spend most of your time. Erfurt’s Old Town, huddled picturesquely at a bend in the Gera River, is loosely bound by a ring road. The train station sits just beyond the southeastern edge of the ring, and the cathedral and citadel perch at the western edge. The Old Town core is a short walk (or speedy tram ride) from the train station; once there, virtually all points of interest are within a 10-minute walk of each other.
Erfurt’s TI is in the town center, between the Merchants’ Bridge and Town Hall. The basic €0.10 map is good enough for a short visit. They also sell a self-guided tour booklet and rent an audioguide—see “Helpful Hints,” later (Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun until 15:00; Benediktplatz 1, tel. 0361/66400, www.erfurt-tourismus.de). The TI’s website helps put visitors in touch with residents renting private rooms.
The Erfurt Hauptbahnhof (main train station) has a few shops and eateries, and luggage lockers (below track 2). There’s no city TI at the station, but a regional (Thuringia) TI is directly across the square from the main door.
From the station, you can walk into the heart of town in about 10-15 minutes (a few minutes farther to Domplatz or the Augustinian Monastery), or you can hop a tram part of the way.
To walk, exit through the main door and bear left until you reach Bahnhofstrasse, with the tram tracks. Turn right and head five short blocks until you pop out at the shopping square called Anger (marked by a glassy modern building). This is the starting point for my self-guided walk; most of the hotels I list are within a 10-minute walk of Anger.
Or, to take a tram, exit out the side of the station, toward Ausgang Bahnhofstrasse; you’ll run right into the tram stops. You can take trams #3, #4, or #6 to Anger, then to Domplatz; tram #1 goes first to Anger, then continues to the Augustinerkloster (Augustinian Monastery and recommended hotels). Tram #5 also goes to Augustinerkloster.
For most visitors, the only reason to use Erfurt’s trams is to haul luggage to or from the station (particularly to lodgings near the Augustinian Monastery) or to reach the Egapark gardens. One ride costs €2; a day pass is €5. There are coin-op ticket machines (instructions in English) both at the stops and on the trams.
Tours: You’ll see tour groups all over town, but there are no regularly scheduled English tours; instead, follow my self-guided walk, buy the TI’s self-guided tour booklet (€2.50), or rent the audioguide (€7.50/4 hours). Petra Bischoff is a good local guide for Erfurt and the region (€90/2 hours, mobile 0172-354-7021, bischoff-kultur@web.de, www.bischoff-kultur.de).
Musical Events: Erfurt has a long tradition of classical music—especially pipe-organ music. There are evening organ concerts at the Preachers’ Church (€5, May-Sept Wed at 20:00), plus open-air opera performances on the steps of the cathedral in the summer, a summer organ festival, and a Bach festival each spring. Visit the TI or its website for a listing of musical events.
(See “Erfurt” map, here.)
The best “sight” in Erfurt is the town itself, with its charming, half-timbered core. This self-guided walk (which takes about an hour, not including sightseeing breaks) begins at the main shopping zone and ends at the big square with the cathedral (Domplatz); along the way, it passes nearly every sightseeing option in town.
• Begin in the main shopping square, called Anger. To get here from the train station, follow my walking directions (earlier), or ride any tram one stop to the Anger stop.
The word Anger means “commons,” evoking the grazing land that once sprawled just outside the city walls. During Erfurt’s medieval heyday, this space was used as a marketplace. Much later, after Germany’s unification in 1871, the new wealth that flowed into town was poured into construction around this square. Study the fine late-19th-century and early-20th-century facades. More recently, many of these buildings have been turned into shopping spaces.
In the middle of the square, notice the statues of the Maus and the Elefant—two beloved characters from Germany’s public-television children’s channel, KiKA (short for “Kinder Kanal”), which is based in Erfurt. When German families come here, their kids can’t wait to pose with figures like these—you’ll see them scattered around town.
The palatial yellow building, across the tram tracks from the glassy, modern building, hosts the Anger Museum (described later, under “Sights in Erfurt”). This building was restored to showcase the city’s marginally interesting collections of paintings, applied arts, and medieval artifacts.
• Facing the mouse and elephant, follow the tram tracks 100 yards to the right and look for a church with a statue in front, depicting...
Luther came to Erfurt in 1501 to enroll at the university. After graduating, the smart young student pursued a doctorate at the prestigious law faculty, but after a close call with a lightning storm, Luther had a change of heart and became a monk at Erfurt’s Augustinian Monastery for several years. This walk passes a few blocks from the monastery. The church in front of you is where Johann Sebastian Bach’s parents were married in 1668.
• To the right of the statue is a...
Locals are extremely proud of what they stress is “originale” Thüringer bratwurst—a long, skinny, relatively low-fat pork sausage amply seasoned with pepper, marjoram, and other spices. When you buy one, grab a roll and hold it open, and they’ll serve the wurst straight from the grill. While there’s ketchup standing by, purists put only the locally made Born brand mustard (Senf) on their weenie.
• As you munch, go around the left side of the church, then turn left up Meienbergstrasse, and walk for a couple of blocks—passing a line of ethnic eateries. (Erfurt’s population seems to be about 100 percent German, but they all appear to have a huge appetite for cheap foreign food.) Soon you reach...
This “Little Market Square” is one of Erfurt’s most charming, encircled with al fresco cafés and watched over by the fortified tower of the Methodist church of St. Aegidius (which you can climb for a town view).
• Head toward that church tower, and go through the large gateway in the green building just to its right. Jog left with the cobbled lane, and you’ll pop out at...
Notice the ramp that goes right down into the Gera River, out the other side, then continues through the far branch of the river. Like any German town with “-furt” in its name, Erfurt is named for a shallow point where ancient travelers could ford a river. (The “Er” part comes from an old German word for “dirty”—the water was muddied when people would cross.) In centuries past, this sleepy brook powered 50 water mills and therefore did much to power the economy of Erfurt.
Spanning the river on your left is the Merchants’ Bridge. Notice that—unlike the famous shop-lined Ponte Vecchio in Florence—people actually make their homes along this bridge (see the flower boxes on the lived-in balconies). As in ages past, the residents live upstairs and run shops downstairs.
• Climb the narrow staircase on your left to get onto the bridge.
The bridge dates from 1325, but the shops that line it (Krämer means “shopkeeper”) first sprouted around the late 15th and early 16th centuries, about Martin Luther’s time. Today, the shops on the bridge are quaint, albeit a bit touristy, and a pleasure to browse. Window shop your way across the bridge.
Across from the steps, at #19, is a shop dealing in Thuringian specialties, including wine, mustard, cheese, and sausage. Across from that (on the right, marked by the golden helmet) is the Goldhelm Schokolade shop, selling chocolates and delicious ice cream (the chocolate flavor is tasty, but the caramel is wunderbar).
At #31 is the office of the foundation that cares for the bridge, with a tiny, free exhibit. You’re welcome to pop in and climb downstairs and upstairs. An English flier describes their work (small donation requested, daily 10:00-18:00).
Near the end, at #2 on the right, don’t miss the window marked Theatrum Mundi. This is the brilliant work of local puppetmaker Martin Gobsch—go in, say hi, and observe him at work. It’s well worth popping in a €1 coin to see the evil queen open her green eyes and pull back her arm to reveal an intricately detailed, fully articulated rendering of the Snow White story—it plays for a few minutes, just long enough for you to take in all the delightful details. Happily, the prince takes Snow White away.
• At the end of Merchants’ Bridge, you emerge at...
Originally Merchants’ Bridge was guarded at either end by fortified churches; the one on this end—St. Benedict’s—was torn down by Napoleonic troops, but its name survives. The TI is at the bottom of this square. At the end of the bridge, immediately on the right, is Backstube, a bakery proudly selling handmade breads in the traditional style (with a tasty selection of still-warm rolls and drinks).
• Let’s take a detour up...
Historically the core of the university district, today this drag hosts some of the town’s most popular restaurants and bars. After a block (at Waagegasse), go down the first lane on the left, then look left to find the entrance to the Old Synagogue—one of Europe’s earliest surviving synagogues, displaying a rediscovered treasure in its cellar (see “Sights in Erfurt,” later).
Back on Michaelisstrasse, continue left. At Zum Güldenen Krönbacken (#10), go through the fine arch. Walk 25 paces to a big aluminum planter filled with leafy woad plants. Growing to four feet, and with yellow flowers, woad (Waid in German) was converted into a highly valuable, brilliant blue dye, which buoyed Erfurt’s economy in the Middle Ages. This courtyard is one place where the woad was processed and warehoused. After being mashed up, the plant was fermented with urine for two months. (How they worked out this procedure, I don’t care to know.) The mixture was dried, then ground into a fine powder that was literally worth its weight in gold. Leading woad merchants were local tycoons.
Continuing up Michaelisstrasse, you’ll come to an intersection shared by a church and an old pink building—both related to the University of Erfurt. Founded in 1379, the university was the third in present-day Germany and counts Martin Luther and Johannes Gutenberg as alums. The pink building, called the Collegium Maius, was the town’s first university building (though it’s mostly a reconstruction—the original was one of Erfurt’s few WWII casualties in the last months of the war). Medieval students had a rough life: They got up at 4:00 in the morning to attend Mass, ate two meals a day (breakfast at 10:00 and dinner at 16:00), and bathed once a month. On the upside, students were rationed one liter of beer per meal (it was purer than the water). Notice the modern stained-glass windows above the door depicting the four traditional areas of study: theology (cross and fish), law (weights), medicine (snake on staff), and philosophy (eye).
• Head back to Benediktplatz and the TI, and turn right (in the direction you were originally going) toward...
On the left just before you reach the square, in front of the Town Hall, look for another KiKA character—a morose, SpongeBob-looking slice of bread named Bernd das Brot. In what surely ranks among the most dramatic art heists in European history, this statue was stolen in 2009 by squatters protesting an eviction notice. They even put a tongue-in-cheek ransom video on YouTube. Several days later, Bernd was discovered by kids in an abandoned building, and returned to his rightful home.
Just past Bernd, enter the square itself, dominated by the Town Hall building. The statue in the center of the square holds a flag and shield, both with the city symbol—a wheel in a shield. Erfurt, which was never a free city, spent much of its history as part of the Archbishop of Mainz’s holdings, so this wheel is based on that city’s symbol.
The stately Town Hall, built in 1880 in the Neo-Gothic style, welcomes visitors (free and open daily, WC inside). In the lobby, the fine staircase ahead of you leads up two stories to the festival hall. Along the stairs and in the hall are melodramatic 19th-century Romantic paintings of Wagnerian opera themes and city history (all thoughtfully described in English).
Back out on the square, survey the building facades and enjoy the variety of architectural styles taking you from the 13th to the 20th century. Notice in particular two fine Renaissance facades owned by wealthy woad merchants hell-bent on showing off their wealth: Zum Breiten Herd (1584, celebrates the five senses: from left to right, look, listen, smell, taste, and touch), and the Red Oxen (#7, from 1562, with a round arch and “gossip stones” where women would sit flanking the doorway and gossip while keeping an eye on the city).
Finally, notice the modern addition to the Town Hall, built around 1930 in the bold and early-modern Bauhaus style. The German Bauhaus movement marked the beginning of functionalism—the “form follows function” aesthetic that became the norm for the last half of the 20th century. The statues here, which also date from the 1930s, show bad human characteristics (greed, narcissism, laziness, stupidity, and so on). The Nazi-era relief celebrates solid, traditional family roles.
• Stand with the Town Hall at your back. Now follow the tram lines ahead and to your right up...
At the tall white steeple (after passing Werner’s Head Shop on your left—pop in if you need a gift for your mother), turn left and walk down the street to Haus zum Sonneborn (a big yellow house with brown timbers and trim). At this popular venue for weddings, notice the intertwined golden rings on the grate over the window to the right of the door, and to the left, the cage (whose symbolism is obvious).
• From here, head right, down Mettengasse, imagining the old days when the higgledy-piggledy backsides of these half-timbered buildings were teeming with activity. Passing the biggest potted plant you’ll ever see, you reach the...
This vast square, often full of market stalls, is dominated by twin churches: the cathedral (on the left) and St. Severus (right). While Erfurt’s history is tied to religion, the atheistic East German government successfully smothered the faith: These days, just 7 percent of Erfurters profess to be Catholic, 14 percent are Protestant, and the rest are unchurched. On the hill to the right, you can see the base of Petersberg Citadel, a gigantic fortress that’s free to explore and offers sweeping views over Erfurt. (The churches and citadel are described later, under “Sights in Erfurt.”)
The street leading away from Domplatz to the right, Andreasstrasse, was called “the longest street in Erfurt” during communist times. Just past the end of the square, on the left, the bright red-brick building behind the wall was a prison run by the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police, reserved for those who were caught trying to escape to the West. Why was it the longest street? “It takes five minutes to go in, and five years to get out.”
• Our tour is finished. Visit the churches and citadel, then enjoy exploring the town. Or, if you’re ready to head back to the train station, you can ride tram #3, #4, or #6 three stops to the Hauptbahnhof.
▲Augustinian Monastery and Church (Augustinerkloster und Augustinerkirche)
▲Preachers’ Church (Predigerkirche)
OTHER SIGHTS IN THE TOWN CENTER
▲Old Synagogue (Alte Synagogue)
Church of St. Severus (Severikirche)
▲Petersberg Citadel (Zitadelle Petersberg)
Thuringian Folk Museum (Museum für Thüringer Volkskunde)
Luther’s Birth House in Eisleben
Panorama Museum/Peasants’ War Panorama (Bauernkriegspanorama)
On July 17, 1505, a young student knocked on the door of this monastery and declared that he wished to become a monk. Martin Luther lived here for several years—even after becoming a priest and a part-time professor—until he settled in Wittenberg in 1512. Inside the still-active complex, you can see the church, a small museum of Luther artifacts, and the cell where Monk Martin lived. While the museum and cell are more accustomed to German-speaking groups, they welcome individuals, and their exhibits are explained in English.
Cost and Hours: Church-free, museum-€3.50, daily 9:00-18:00, Augustinerstrasse 10, tel. 0361/576-600.
Tours: €8.50, one-hour guided tours in German depart roughly at the top of the hour (Mon-Sat 9:30-16:00, Sun at 11:00, 14:00, and 15:00). Tours include the church, peaceful cloister, exhibition, and Luther’s cell.
Visiting the Monastery: As the Augustinians were a “begging order,” life here was just the basics: “ora et labora” (pray and work). That’s why this monastery, while important, had no great spire and just a humble cloister. Entering through the door, you emerge into a tranquil, park-like courtyard. On the right, the modern building (housing offices and a conference center) marks the site of an earlier library, where 267 people suffocated while hiding in the cellar to escape WWII bombs. The new building is connected by an elevated walkway to the main part of the complex, with two major sights: the church and the Martin Luther museum and cell.
The church, dating from the late 13th century, is where Martin Luther worshipped as a monk. The stained-glass windows (c. 1330) include (in the lower left corner) a motif of lions (symbolizing Jesus) flanking a rose (Mary). This window, which monks used as a focal point for meditation, must have made a deep impression on Luther: He later adopted a similar rose icon for his personal coat of arms. In front of the main altar, the tomb of Johannes Zacharias, a prominent priest, was a place where monks (including Luther) would meditate overnight—lying on their backs, with their arms outstretched. The deeply introspective Luther struggled with all this piety, and eventually he returned to academic life.
Oddly enough, it was Zacharias who had the Czech reformer Jan Hus burned in 1415 for his proto-Reformation ideas. Just before his execution, Hus had defiantly cried, “You can burn me—I’m just a little goose—but in one century a white swan will come and defeat your thinking.” A century later, Luther, meditating on that tomb, kindled the ideas of the Reformation. As a priest, Luther performed the Mass here and would sit on the bench under the arch on the right.
Today, this monastery and church form a center of ecumenism, and it was in that spirit that Pope Benedict XVI came here in 2011.
To see the museum and cell, go to the reception of the on-site hotel and buy a ticket. You’ll find exhibits about the history of the Bible and a working model of a 15th-century printing press. It was the combination of humanism, Gutenberg, and Luther that resulted in affordable Bibles in the vernacular rather than Latin. Another room dedicated to Martin Luther contains a few original artifacts, as well as replicas of his straw bed, gown, book, lute, and so on. The room is lined with small cells where monks would meditate. (The monks all slept together on the main floor.) The cell at the far corner (called the Lutherzelle) was Martin Luther’s. Inside the cell is a writing table, similar to the one Luther used for carrying out the monastic task of copying Bibles.
The cloister is simple, in keeping with Augustinian values. In the adjoining chapter hall, monks would convene for meetings and to confess before each other.
A couple of blocks away, just across the stream, is the dorm where Luther lived as a student. The renovated building is basically one big room with information about university life and the U. of E.’s most famous alum, Luther.
Cost and Hours: €3.50; Mon, Wed, and Fri 9:00-14:00; Tue and Thu 13:00-17:00; closed Sat-Sun; Augustinerstrasse 27, tel. 0361/576-6094, www.augustinerkloster.de.
This church, founded by the Catholic Dominicans in the 14th century, whose mission was teaching and preaching, is now Erfurt’s main Protestant church. Its architecture is stunning (it has undergone multiple rebuildings). Colorful keystones honor guilds that paid to build the original church in Gothic times (find symbols for the baker, hatter, goldsmiths, and schneider—that’s a tailor...indicated by scissors). You’ll see a rare surviving wall, which separated people from the clergy before the Reformation. The finely carved choir stalls date from 1320. And the windows behind the altar are an abstract kaleidoscope of colors—pieced together from the original medieval glass windows that were shattered in World War II. The church also has a glorious circa-1650 Baroque pipe organ that you can hear in action (see “Musical Events” on here).
Cost and Hours: Free, Tue-Sat 11:00-16:00, Sun 12:00-16:00, closed Mon and Nov-March, Predigerstrasse 4.
One of the oldest surviving synagogues in Europe, the original identity of this building was forgotten for several centuries before being rediscovered in the 1980s. Today it has been restored to highlight its medieval heyday, while preserving its other layers of history. The exhibit inside explains the history of the building, examines the relationship between Jews and Christians in medieval Erfurt, and shows off a cache of coins and jewelry that was discovered nearby.
Cost and Hours: €8, includes audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, mandatory bag check, no photos, Waagegasse 8, tel. 0361/655-166, www.juedisches-leben.erfurt.de.
Background: With sections dating back to around 1100, this building was the religious center of Erfurt’s bustling medieval Jewish community. Erfurt’s Jews mixed freely with their Christian neighbors. In fact, the synagogue’s location was one of the most desirable in town, situated near the main trading routes.
All of that changed during the Black Death pandemic of 1348-1349, which killed a third of Europe’s population. In the hysteria that ensued, Jewish communities, including Erfurt’s, were accused of spreading the disease and faced appalling persecution. Hundreds of Erfurt Jews died and the rest were expelled in a single horrible day of violence.
The Jews returned to Erfurt in the 1350s, but from that point on they were relegated to a ghetto. By about 1450 the Jews had again moved out of Erfurt. The abandoned synagogue building was taken over by the town and sold. Over the next several centuries, it was used first as a warehouse, then (in the late 19th century) as a restaurant, bowling alley, and dance hall. Finally, in the 1980s, historians realized that it had once been a synagogue, and it was restored.
Visiting the Synagogue: On the ground floor, models illustrate how the original synagogue building grew over time. The rail high on the wall once held lamps. The octagon in the center of the room marks the location of the bema, a raised platform for reading the Torah. A projection on the wall shows the niche where the Torah was kept.
Now go upstairs. Nothing here is original—it looks more like the colorfully decorated dance hall that was here from 1876 through the 1930s. The balcony ringing the room was the so-called dragon’s watch, where mothers could keep an eye on their daughters dancing with would-be suitors. Imagine young Nazis waltzing here, oblivious to the fact that they were partying in a former synagogue. Among the replicas of parchment scrolls and important books is a copy of the biggest handwritten Hebrew Bible in the world (notice that the illustrations are made up of tiny Hebrew characters). The originals are in a Berlin museum.
Finally, head into the cellar. In 1998, a remarkable collection of gold, silver, and jewels—some 60 pounds—was discovered in the cellar of a nearby building. Called the “Erfurt Treasure,” this almost certainly belonged to a wealthy local Jew who was killed in the 1349 pogrom. Display cases show off brooches, tableware, and golden decorations for a belt and other garments. The wheel-shaped necklace was used for perfume. (They’ve reformulated this original medieval perfume—you can ask to sniff it at the ticket desk upstairs.) The museum’s prize piece is a finely detailed golden wedding ring from the early 14th century. Around the ring’s central pillar is the hard-to-see inscription mazel tov, indicating that this belonged to a Jewish woman. Squint to see the clasped hand that allows the ring to be adjusted. Nearby are mannequins dressed as a Jewish bride and groom from that period—wearing rich materials and draped in gold. The stacks of coins come from all over Europe, especially from France. The 50-pound bag with chunks of silver is marked with the seal of an Erfurt goldsmith.
This modern, well-presented museum, almost completely lacking in English information, displays paintings, applied arts, and artifacts from the Middle Ages. The ground-floor medieval collection includes wood-carved statues, altarpieces, and a huge collection of shields. The Heckelarium is a small room slathered with frescoes by painter Erich Heckel (1883-1970). Part of the early-1900s art movement called Die Brücke, Heckel strove to create a bridge between two emotional, artistic styles: dramatic Romanticism and edgy Expressionism. The first floor features the good applied arts collection (Kunsthandwerke, featuring historical room interiors with period furnishings, a treasury of precious items, and a collection of glass and porcelain) and a painting gallery (mostly Romantic canvases by largely unknown artists). Temporary exhibits fill the top floor.
Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Anger 18, tel. 0361/655-1651, www.angermuseum.de.
Erfurt’s grandest square is watched over by three giant structures: a pair of churches on the small hill called Domberg (the cathedral on the left, St. Severus on the right) and the Petersberg Citadel.
Climb up the 70 steps to enter the two churches, whose entrances face each other. Both churches are Catholic and Gothic, dating from the 14th century and later expanded after a fire in the 15th century.
The seat of a bishopric founded in the eighth century by St. Boniface, Erfurt’s cathedral is the church where Martin Luther was ordained a priest. It sticks out from the hill on a massive substructure to level out the foundation. Inside you’ll find a gorgeously carved choir and a few interesting pieces of ecclesiastical art.
Cost and Hours: Free, Mon-Sat 9:30-18:00, Sun 13:00-18:00; Nov-April until 17:00, tel. 0361/646-1265, www.dom-erfurt.de.
Visiting the Cathedral: Upon entering, turn left to reach the choir, with its intricately carved oak seats. Designs on the benches, built about 50 years after the Black Death, demonstrate that anti-Semitic feelings were still running high. To the left, near the entrance to the choir (about waist-high), find the carving depicting a duel between two knights—one on a horse, the other on a swine. The Schweinereiter (swine knight) caricature, wearing a Jewish helmet, was intended to both insult Jews (particularly because the Jewish faith considers pigs unclean) and to emphasize the triumph of Christianity over Judaism. Opposite, on the right, are a series of intimate and playful carved scenes from the world of winemaking. Look up to take in the stained-glass windows (c. 1370-1410), depicting Old and New Testament stories, and missionaries in the region of Thuringia.
Directly across from the main entrance, find the remarkably old (c. 1160) bronze candelabra shaped like a man holding up a pair of candles, fighting off evil with light. Nearby, the light hanging from the ceiling was stolen from the Jewish synagogue during the 1349 pogrom. Behind the candelabra in a simple niche is another exquisite example of 12th-century art—Mary and Jesus on the throne of wisdom.
Filling the wall to the right, a giant fresco shows St. Christopher using Erfurt’s namesake ford to walk Christ to safety (notice this cathedral’s steeples over his shoulder). Pictorial depictions such as this helped make the saints’ stories real to medieval congregations.
Below St. Christopher is a tomb relief panel showing the Duke of Gleichen flanked by two women. This gravestone gave rise to a popular (but almost certainly fabricated) local tale: Supposedly “the only man allowed to have two wives,” this influential knight went to the Holy Land to fight in the Crusades, was captured and enslaved, and was forced to toil in the garden of the sultan. He married the sultan’s daughter in exchange for her help in escaping, then brought her back with him to Erfurt...where he introduced her to his first wife. (Awwk-waaard.) The new bride was accepted by the first one, the knight received special dispensation from the pope to be a bigamist, and the valley where the three of them lived in wedded bliss is still called Freudenthal (“Happy Valley”).
This early Gothic “hall church” has five parallel naves (notice the two narrow ones flanking the main nave) and no perpendicular transept. To the left of the fine Baroque organ is a 14th-century sarcophagus containing the remains of the church’s namesake. (Some of the relics of St. Severus, bishop of Ravenna, were brought to Erfurt in the ninth century.) On the sides of the tomb, see the scenes of Severus’ life (a poor craftsman being designated as the chosen one by a white dove over his head—representing the Holy Spirit—and then being “crowned” the bishop of Ravenna) and the Three Magi bringing gifts to the Baby Jesus.
Cost and Hours: Free, same hours as cathedral.
This sprawling fortress complex, occupying the hill just above Domplatz, is an enjoyable place to go for a stroll and enjoy views over the rooftops of Erfurt (grounds are free and always open). Built from the 17th to the 19th century, this is one of the best-preserved citadels of its kind in Europe.
For a quick visit, walk up the ramp from Domplatz, pausing at the gatehouse, and continue up into the main courtyard of the castle complex. The glassy building on your right is a visitors center with a helpful info desk, a view café, and panoramic terrace offering sweeping views over Domplatz and the rest of Erfurt. The visitors center hands out a helpful, free map and miniguide of the entire complex.
To visit the Military History Museum (a couple of rooms with mannequin soldiers and other displays, well-explained in English) and to tour the underground tunnels (in German only), you have to make a reservation (tel. 0361/664-0120). Across the field from the center is a large church building with an exhibit of interesting “concrete art”—modern art with 3-D optical illusions (Tue-Sun 11:00-18:00, closed Mon).
This former hospital contains artifacts and old photos illustrating everyday folk life in the region of Thuringia. You’ll climb up rickety stairs to see representations of various walks of life, including church, school, bars, farming, shops, kitchen, and home life. The top floor features clothing and dress-up dolls from the 19th through the early 20th century. While charming, the museum has not a word of English.
Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Juri-Gagarin-Ring 140A, tel. 0361/655-5607, www.volkskundemuseum-erfurt.de.
Filling the historic Haus zum Stockfisch town house, this old-fashioned collection shows off items relating to the history of Erfurt and a small exhibit on Martin Luther. You’ll also see a model of the town, dusty cases of artifacts, military uniforms, collections of guns and typewriters (both manufactured in Erfurt), and a film about the growth of Erfurt over time. Look for the wall of street signs from Erfurt’s time as part of the former German Democratic Republic (communist East Germany). Under the communists, Erfurt’s main drags were renamed Karl-Marx-Allee, Waffenbrüderschaft (“Brothers in Arms”—i.e., the Warsaw Pact), Völkerfreundschaft (“Peoples’ Friendship”—a favorite buzzword of Stalin’s), and October 7 Street (celebrating the date, in 1949, when the republic was officially formed). In a display case, you can compare banknotes from West Germany and East Germany.
Cost and Hours: €6, Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, closed Mon, Johannesstrasse 169, tel. 0361/655-5650, www.stadtmuseum-erfurt.de.
When the flowers are blooming (April through October), garden lovers travel from all over Germany to this sprawling green space at the western edge of town. You can stroll through various gardens (perennials, roses, dahlias, irises, sculptures, Japanese rock and water), visit the houses (for butterflies, tropical plants, and more), climb the observation tower, and tour the museum.
Cost and Hours: €8, €2 after 17:30, more during special events, free Nov-mid-March; daily 9:00-18:00, shorter hours in off-season; Gothaer Strasse 38, ride tram #2 from the train station, tel. 0361/564-3737, www.egapark-erfurt.de.
Two other interesting sights are close to Erfurt—the town of Eisleben, where Luther was born, and the Peasants’ War Panorama (in Bad Frankenhausen), a monumental painting that depicts the final battle of the 1525 uprising. Both Eisleben and Bad Frankenhausen can be reached by public transportation, but these sights are most easily visited by those with cars. For driving directions, check with the TI in Erfurt.
Luther pilgrims will enjoy a short stop in the town where he was born and died—Eisleben. Luther’s father was a miner, and Eisleben is still in a mining district. A small and rough town of 25,000, it has a fine market square under a Gothic church with a Martin Luther statue marking the center. The house where Luther was born in 1483 burned down, and the “birth house” (a 1689 reconstruction) contains a good museum (they claim it’s the oldest in Germany) with lots of artifacts.
Cost and Hours: €4, April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00, Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, located next to the TI at Lutherstrasse 15, tel. 0347/560-2124.
Located in the town of Bad Frankenhausen, about 30 minutes north of Erfurt, this museum holds a massive, 400-foot-long round painting showing vividly (and with an old, East German communist slant) the bloody Peasants’ War of 1525. It’s housed in a 007-looking building at the top of the hill where 6,000 peasants, armed with shovels and axes, were slaughtered while battling the well-armed troops of the Holy Roman Emperor, marking the end of the Peasants’ War.
Cost and Hours: €6, includes essential audioguide, Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon, good cafeteria, tel. 034/671-6190, www.panorama-museum.de.
Visiting the Museum: This monumental artwork (officially titled Frühbürgerliche Revolution in Deutschland a.k.a. Early Bourgeois Revolution in Germany) portrays more than just a horrible battle. It shows the bloody transition between the medieval and modern worlds. At the panorama’s base, 20 great humanists—change agents from the end of the Middle Ages (Luther, Erasmus, other Protestant reformers, Copernicus, Dürer, and more)—gather around a well. Above them a colossal battle takes place under a rainbow, with the Emperor’s troops on the left, and the doomed rabble on the right. Farther to the right is an elegant couple (with their backs to us), who dance before a gallows. The message: The elites continue to win.
This painting was done in the 1980s, during the last years of Communist rule, by Werner Tübke. The government of East Germany wanted to celebrate the struggle of peasants 500 years ago as a reminder of the same struggle being valiantly fought by the modern working class.
Like many other former East-German cities, Erfurt is short on characteristic little family-run inns. The accommodations here are mostly sterile business-class hotels offering predictable comfort in the Old Town core. Note that Erfurt charges a 5 percent “cultural tax” on all overnight stays in town.
$$$ Hotel Zumnorde, buried deep in the Anger shopping district, has 54 spacious, somewhat overpriced rooms (air-con in some rooms, elevator, pay parking, Anger 50 but enter on the side street at Weitergasse 26, tel. 0361/56800, www.hotel-zumnorde.de, info@hotel-zumnorde.de).
$$$ Mercure Hotel Erfurt Altstadt, part of the Europe-wide business-class chain, has 141 rooms on a nondescript street between the Anger shopping district and the main sightseeing zone (breakfast extra, elevator, pay parking, Meienbergstrasse 26, tel. 0361/59490, www.mercure.com, h5375@accor.com).
$$ Hotel am Kaisersaal offers 90 business-class rooms in an inviting location, just a few steps off the charming Wenigemarkt restaurant square (air-con in most rooms, elevator, pay parking, Futterstrasse 8, tel. 0361/658560, www.hotel-am-kaisersaal.de, info@hotel-am-kaisersaal.de).
$$ Ibis Hotel Erfurt Altstadt offers 105 centrally located rooms with cookie-cutter comfort. Considering the dearth of characteristic hotels in town, if you’re going to sleep in an Ibis, it might as well be here (breakfast extra, air-con, elevator, free Wi-Fi in lobby, pay Wi-Fi in rooms, pay garage parking, Barfüsserstrasse 9, tel. 0361/66410, www.ibishotel.com, h1648@accor.com).
$$ Gästehaus Nikolai, run by the Augustinian Monastery, has 17 old-fashioned rooms along the river, just up the street from the monastery (family room, limited free parking, Augustinerstrasse 30, tel. 0361/598-170, www.gaestehaus-nikolai.de, gaestehaus-nikolai@augustinerkloster.de). This place is far enough from the station that you might want to bring your luggage there by tram (three stops on the #1 or #5 to Augustinerkloster).
$ St. Augustine’s Evangelical Monastery, a conference center where Luther prayed, studied, and taught, is calm, peaceful, and feels very Lutheran. They rent simple, modern rooms—26 singles and 25 twin-bedded doubles—all with private bathrooms (Augustinerstrasse 10, tel. 0361/576-600, www.augustinerkloster.de, info@augustinerkloster.de).
(See “Erfurt” map, here.)
A Thuringian staple is the distinctive potato dumpling called a Kloss (plural: Klösse). About the size of a tennis ball, these are soft and light, though generally drenched in gravy, and served with meat dishes and sometimes in soups. Many Erfurt menus include an array of dumpling dishes. Thuringians are also proud of their own special type of peppery sausage.
Most of Erfurt’s restaurants are quite plain-Jane—don’t expect culinary variety here. Since little distinguishes one place from the next, the stakes are low—just look for an ambience that appeals.
$$ Zum Güldenen Rade (“At the Golden Wheel”) has an appealing beer garden out back—under trees and surrounded by half-timbers (with both table service and self-service sections). To eat cheaply, order self-serve grub at the counter—cheap beer, bratwurst, pork chops, potato salad. There’s also indoor seating. Understandably touristy, it offers classic German and Thuringian cuisine, including a few vegetarian Klösse options (daily 11:00-24:00, Marktstrasse 50, tel. 0361/561-3506).
$$ Kromer’s Restaurant serves “Thuringian slow food”—traditional dishes, great salads, and vegetarian meals with local ingredients in a classy and untouristy setting. They have a small courtyard, a charming dining room, and a romantic barrel-vaulted cellar (closed Mon, near Preachers’ Church at Kleine Arche 4, tel. 0361/6447-7211).
$$ Übersee (“Over the Water”) is a lively restaurant and bar with tables on a terrace over the river, just upstream from the Merchants’ Bridge. It has an eclectic international menu and tables that sprawl through two adjacent buildings—one new, one old—and out onto the best riverfront terraces in town (Mon-Sat 9:00 until late, Sun 10:30-14:00, Kürschnergasse 8, tel. 0361/644-7606).
$$ Feuerkugel serves up good, traditional Thuringian cooking, supposedly from “Oma Käthe” (Granny Katie). Its cozy, warm, woody interior is particularly inviting. For warm evenings, they have a small terrace out back and pleasant tables on the cobbled lane in front (daily 11:00-24:00, Michaelisstrasse 3, tel. 0361/789-1256).
$$ Zum Goldenen Schwan (“At the Golden Swan”) is a brewpub with several rooms, both new and old. Sit inside, near the big copper brewing vats, or head outside to the beer garden (daily 11:00-24:00, Michaelisstrasse 9, tel. 0361/262-3742).
$ Schnitzler, true to its name, serves schnitzel in many varieties—huge and splittable—along with other options. It’s right on Domplatz, with a nondescript interior and fine outdoor tables looking toward the cathedral and St. Severus (daily 11:00-23:00, Domplatz 32, tel. 0361/644-7557).
$ Cognito offers a fresh, healthy, self-service alternative right next to the Merchants’ Bridge. This student-vibe place dishes up soups, curries, salads, and coffee drinks. Get it to go or enjoy the comfortable, hip lounge interior on two floors (Mon-Sat 7:30-21:30, Sun 8:00-20:30, Hefengasse 1, tel. 0361/660-4666).
Wenigemarkt Eateries: The characteristic “little market square” is ringed with inviting cafés, bars, and restaurants. For a good Italian meal consider $$$ Osteria “Il Ponte,” with fine seating inside and on the square (daily 10:00-24:00, Wenigemarkt 2, tel. 0361/5415-7426).
Fast Food: To grab a quick Thüringer bratwurst, stop by $ Faust Food, which grills up sausages and other meats at low prices (€3 or less). Pick a table inside or out. A hit with students, it’s on a forgotten lane in the middle of town—so near all the tourists, yet so far away (Tue-Sat 11:00-23:00, Sun 11:00-19:00, closed Mon, Waagegasse 1, tel. 0361/786-9969).
Ice Cream: Two popular places are Eiscafé Riva (on the east end of Rathaus Bridge) and Eiscafé San Remo (at Marktstrasse 21, a block off Domplatz).
Late-Night Drinks: Modern Masters is the favorite in this student town for cocktails, with a sophisticated yet unsnooty atmosphere. Its historic interior is cool and inviting, and its outdoor tables are great for people-watching (no food—only drinks, Tue-Sat 18:00 until late, closed Sun-Mon, right at the start of Michaelisstrasse at #48, tel. 0361/550-7255).
From Erfurt by Train to: Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (2/hour, 30 minutes on IC or ICE train, 45 minutes on regional train), Leipzig (hourly, 45 minutes on ICE train), Wittenberg (every 2 hours, 1.5 hours direct, more with transfer in Leipzig), Dresden (hourly, 2 hours, some with transfer in Leipzig), Berlin (2/hour direct, 2 hours; more with transfer in Leipzig or Naumburg/Saale), Frankfurt (1-2/hour direct, 2.5 hours), Würzburg (2/hour, 2 hours, some with transfer in Fulda), Nürnberg (hourly, 3 hours, some with transfer in Fulda or Würzburg), Munich (hourly, 4.5 hours, some with transfer in Würzburg or Fulda). Train info: Tel. 0180-699-6633, www.bahn.com.
Just west of Erfurt is another important Martin Luther sight: Wartburg Castle (VART-boorg), perched over the town of Eisenach (EYE-zehn-nahkh). When Luther spoke out against Church corruption, he made enemies of the pope and emperor, and put his life in jeopardy. Luther was given refuge by a sympathetic prince in this easily defended castle, and—hidden away in a small room—he diligently translated the New Testament from original Greek sources. Although Luther’s translation was not the first version of the Bible printed in German, it was the first translated from Greek rather than Latin (and therefore more accurate). It was so widely circulated that it helped shape the development of standard written German—making Wartburg, in a sense, the birthplace of the modern German language.
Wartburg Castle works well either as a side-trip from Erfurt or on the way between Erfurt and points west (such as Frankfurt or Würzburg). You can try to time your visit around the castle’s hour-long, once-daily English tour (at 13:30). But the tour isn’t essential unless you’re here to see the castle’s few fine late-19th-century rooms. Otherwise, you can see the castle courtyard and little museum, including the room where Luther worked, at any time during open hours.
First head for the town of Eisenach, which is 30-45 minutes west of Erfurt on the main train line. (The Eisenach train station has lockers in the main hall.) From the station, you can take the bus, catch a taxi, or hike up to Wartburg.
Bus #10 (€1.70) runs from the parking lot across the street from the station up to Wartburg at the top of each hour (Easter-Oct only, daily 9:00-17:00, 20-minute trip). A taxi costs about €10. Drivers can park in the lot by the castle bus stop (€5). With any of these options, you’ll still have a steep 15-minute climb up the stairs to Wartburg itself—or you can hop on the shuttle bus for €2.
It’s at least a 45-minute walk from the train station to Wartburg, with an elevation gain of about 650 feet. Exiting the station, turn right and walk about 10 minutes into the Eisenach town center; then hike up into the hills (following signs for Wartburg; get detailed directions at TI).
Returning to Eisenach: Bus #10 departs Wartburg at :25 past each hour for the train station (Easter-Oct 9:25-17:25). Walking downhill to Eisenach is quick (30 minutes) and pleasant if you have strong knees. The broad dirt path starts at the bend in the road below the castle bus stop and takes you through the woods back into town: Follow signs for Markt to reach the main square, then wind your way through town to the station.
Cost and Hours: Castle courtyard-free, museum-€10, daily April-Oct 8:30-20:00 (last entry at 17:30), Nov-March 9:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:00).
Information: Tel. 03691/2500, www.wartburg.de.
Tours: A one-hour English tour departs daily at 13:30, year-round. Tours in German run every 10-20 minutes (April-Oct 8:30-17:00, Nov-March 9:00-15:30). The castle offers a tiny-print English handout to English-speaking visitors on a German tour.
Eating: The café in the castle courtyard serves Flammkuchen (German flatbread) and cakes. Halfway up the stairs from the parking lot, the self-serve $ Wartburg-Terrasse has dumpling-based dishes. The wurst stands by the parking lot and bus stop close around 18:00.
Dramatically capping a forested ridgeline high above Eisenach, Wartburg Castle is famous among Luther lovers as a place that gave shelter and solace to the recently excommunicated young scholar who was determined to translate the New Testament into his own living language. Pilgrims come here to see the room where Martin Luther carried out that important work. But Luther aside, Wartburg is a fine fortress in its own right, with a few opulent rooms that were lavishly redecorated during a surge of German pride in the late 1880s. In the castle courtyard, you can climb the tower (Südturm) for €0.50 by inserting coins into the turnstile.
Wartburg has an impressive history. In 1130, the castle became the seat of Thuringia’s landgraves (counts who ruled the region on behalf of the Holy Roman Empire). Most of the castle’s days were peaceful (read: dull), but it was an important center of power—and notable as the site of a contest of minstrels in 1207, a story later famously dramatized by Richard Wagner in his opera Tannhäuser.
In May of 1521, Luther came to the castle, disguised as a bearded man named Junker Jörg (Squire George). He spent the next year secretly translating the New Testament from Greek into German. His short visit helped put Wartburg on the map.
In October of 1817, shortly after German-speaking armies helped defeat Napoleon, recently formed fraternal organizations from around the region came together at this castle to celebrate German unity. It was one of the first occasions when German speakers began to band together and forge a common pride. In fact, the flag of one of those fraternities (from Jena) was later adopted as the flag of a united Germany, which still flies all over the country.
In the museum, placards tell a bit of the story of the castle, and paintings show how it looked before reconstruction. You get the chance to peek into one small “royal bedroom” that shows the sumptuous 19th-century restoration work, and there’s also a collection of historical cutlery. One room displays a few paintings of Luther and his family (mostly mass-produced ones from Lucas Cranach’s workshop). Find the images of Luther’s parents—note the family resemblance. Compare the portraits of Luther at various stages in his life—in the garb of an Augustinian monk, wearing the cap of a distinguished professor, in the bearded disguise of Junker Jörg—as well as the portraits of some of his notable contemporaries.
After the museum exhibit comes the highlight for Luther pilgrims: Walk along the gallery with low timber arches to find the humble Luther Room (Lutherstube). This was the site of one of the greatest intellectual revolutions in human history: For 10 months, Luther hunkered down at a desk here and used original Greek sources to translate the New Testament into everyday German. For centuries Christian worship had been passed through the obscure Latin-speaking filter of the Roman Catholic Church. Luther’s widely distributed translation gave Germans, even peasants, direct access to the Word of God. Luther’s work also helped to codify the evolving German language—setting the foundation for the tongue still being spoken by the people around you. The furnishings you see aren’t original and were placed in the room long after Luther’s time.
The guided tour visits 10 rooms in the part of the castle that was restored in the 19th century, and ends in the museum. Highlights include spectacular, glittering Neo-Byzantine mosaics from the early 1900s; the Elisabeth Gallery (decorated with beautiful frescoes about the life of St. Elisabeth); the Hall of Minstrels (with walls decorated with the text of a poem about Wartburg’s famous contest of minstrels—this room was the setting for part of Wagner’s Tannhäuser); and the vast Banquet Hall (decorated in an exuberant Historicist style rivaling the creations of “Mad” King Ludwig, who had a replica of this room created at his Neuschwanstein Castle).
Squatting in the valley below Wartburg, this town is worth a quick visit for those with extra time. The TI is on the main square, called the Markt (daily 10:00-18:00, Markt 24, tel. 03691/79230, www.eisenach.info). A building where Martin Luther lived for three years while attending high school here has been turned into a museum (Lutherhaus), as has the house once thought to be the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach (Bachhaus).
Eisenach Connections: Trains run to Erfurt (2/hour, 30 minutes on IC or ICE, 45 minutes on regional train), Leipzig (hourly, 75 minutes on ICE, more with transfer in Erfurt), Wittenberg (at least hourly, 2.5 hours, transfer in Erfurt or Leipzig), Frankfurt (hourly, 2 hours), and Würzburg (hourly, 2 hours, transfer in Fulda). Train info: Tel. 0180-699-6633, www.bahn.com.
You need only look at its official name—Lutherstadt Wittenberg—to know this small city’s claim to fame. The adopted hometown of Martin Luther, and the birthplace of his Protestant Reformation, little Wittenberg has a gigantic history that belies its straightforward townscape. With a pair of historic churches—the Town Church of St. Mary, where Luther preached, and the Church of All Saints (Castle Church), where he famously hammered his 95 Theses to the door—and an excellent museum about Luther’s life (Luther House), Wittenberg can be a worthwhile stop even for those unfamiliar with the Great Reformer. And for Lutherans, it’s a pilgrimage. The notable painter Lucas Cranach the Elder, a contemporary and friend of Luther who also lived and worked in Wittenberg, left behind a slew of masterful paintings and woodcuts, and you can see where he lived as well.
Centuries of Germans have celebrated Wittenberg for its ties to Luther. In 1983, which marked Martin Luther’s 500th birthday, Wittenberg was part of communist East Germany, whose atheistic regime was tearing down proud old churches elsewhere. But ignoring the Luther anniversary would have made the East German government, already unpopular, seem woefully out of touch. (The government also sensed an opportunity to attract Luther tourists and much-needed hard Western currency.) So the communists swallowed hard and rehabilitated the memory of Luther, tidying up the sights devoted to him. This may be why Wittenberg emerged from communism in better shape than many other East German towns.
The city received another round of upgrades in 2017, when it celebrated the 500th anniversary of Luther’s famous 95 Theses—it’s newly spiffed up and sparkling. Most tourists here are Germans (and American Lutherans), and the town is also a stop for riverboat cruise groups heading from Hamburg to Dresden and Prague. And yet, Wittenberg isn’t unpleasantly touristy. Its pedestrianized main street feels quiet—sometimes almost deserted—and its sights are satisfying and quickly seen. Wittenberg city works perfectly as a side-trip from Berlin (offering a refreshing small-town break from the intense city), and also works well on the way between Berlin and Leipzig, Erfurt, or even Dresden (handy lockers at Wittenberg train station).
It’s a speedy 40 minutes from Berlin on ICE trains, or 1.5 hours on cheaper regional (RE) trains. All trains depart from the Berlin Hauptbahnhof; some regional trains also stop at Potsdamer Platz. If you’re a small group day-tripping from Berlin, and are willing to take the slower regional trains (not valid on ICE), you can save a bundle with the Brandenburg-Berlin-Ticket. Available through Deutsche Bahn, this covers unlimited regional train travel throughout the Brandenburg region during one day, for up to five people, all for €29.
Wittenberg’s sights can be seen in just a few hours. For an efficient visit, from the train station ride the public bus to Marktplatz, start at the TI and Castle Church, then work your way downhill through town—sightseeing and possibly having lunch as you go. From the last couple of sights—Luther House and Asisi Panorama—it’s about a 15-minute, downhill walk back to the train station.
Literally “White Hill,” Wittenberg (Germans say VIT-tehn-behrk, pop. 50,000) sits atop a gentle rise above the Elbe River. The tourists’ Wittenberg is essentially a one-street town: Its main drag runs about three-quarters of a mile from the Luther House (where the street is called Collegienstrasse) to the Castle Church (where it’s called Schlossstrasse). The rest of the Old Town consists only of a few side streets. The modern part of town sprawls mostly to the north and east.
Don’t confuse Wittenberg with Wittenberge, a town north of Berlin. (The correct Wittenberg sometimes shows up as “Kleinwittenberg” on GPS maps or “Lutherstadt Wittenberg” on some websites.)
Wittenberg’s TI is at the far end of town from the train station, across the street from Castle Church (April-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-March Mon-Fri 10:00-16:00, Sat-Sun until 14:00; Schlossplatz 2, tel. 03491/498-610, www.lutherstadt-wittenberg.de). The TI rents a town audioguide (€7, 2 hours of commentary—must return before closing time), and there’s a pay WC next door. A second, less comprehensive branch of the TI is at the northern edge of the Old Town, in the Stadthaus (shorter hours than main TI).
As you explore Wittenberg, mentally time-travel to the days of Luther—the first few decades of the 16th century. The Renaissance was percolating to the south in Italy (where Michelangelo and Raphael were hard at work redecorating the Vatican), and a spirit of new ideas was also beginning to take hold in Germany.
The influential prince elector Frederick III “the Wise” (1463-1525), who had inherited half of Saxony from his father, chose sleepy Wittenberg as his royal seat. He built a stout castle here in 1492 (not open to visitors, but viewable from the park just beyond the town gate), and began remaking this humble fishing village into a proper Renaissance town. (That explains Wittenberg’s grid of streets, compared with the twisty medieval muddle of many other German towns.) Frederick the Wise hired Lucas Cranach the Elder to be his official court painter. Cranach—along with his wife, Barbara, and son Lucas Cranach the Younger—lived in a big mansion on Market Square (today a museum; his statue—pictured above—is in the courtyard). Frederick also founded a university here (in 1502) and stocked it with some of the brightest minds of his time, including the promising young theologian Martin Luther and the brilliant classical-languages specialist Philipp Melanchthon. Cranach, Luther, Melanchthon, and others were good friends who regularly socialized and swapped ideas.
Although he remained a devout Catholic until the end of his life, Frederick the Wise supported Luther and the reformers in their darkest hour, likely saving them from obscurity or worse. Wittenberg would not be famous if not for Luther—but, most likely, if not for Frederick the Wise, Luther would not be famous, either.
Wittenberg’s main train station (listed on schedules as Lutherstadt Wittenberg) is a dull 15-minute walk from the Luther Museum and a 25-minute walk from the TI and Castle Church. (The smaller Lutherstadt Wittenberg Altstadt station, while closer to the Old Town, only serves trains on a small branch line.) The station building has handy lockers, a café, and a ticket office. Nearby (on the other side of the big, white tent) are bus stops for the ride into town. Look for bus #300 (toward Coswig) or bus #301 (toward Straach); these leave from bus stop #1 (every 30 minutes, 10-minute ride, €1.30/ride, €2.50/day pass, buy tickets from driver). Stops aren’t announced; you want the Marktplatz stop, right at the Old Town’s main square (ask the driver to confirm). A taxi from the station to Schlossplatz (near the TI) should cost about €10 (if no taxis are waiting, call 03491/666-666). To walk, head left from the station, walk beneath the overpass, and look for signs directing you to the city center.
Drivers will find plenty of free on-street parking just outside the mostly pedestrianized town center.
Festivals: Various festivals dot Wittenberg’s calendar, including a three-day celebration of the wedding of Luther and Katharina (second weekend in June) and special events for Reformation Day (Oct 31, when Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the church door).
Tours: Most walking-tour options (you’ll likely see costumed Martin Luthers and Katharina von Boras leading groups through town) are in German only. For an English tour, hire your own local guide—gracious Katja Köhler does a great job telling Wittenberg’s story (€80/2-hour tour, €130/4-hour tour, mobile 0177-688-8218, katjakoehler@gmx.net).
English Worship Services: Local Lutherans offer English-language services in historic Wittenberg churches during the summer (April-Oct Wed-Fri at 16:00 in small Corpus Christi chapel next to Town Church of St. Mary; Sat at 17:00 in either Castle Church or Town Church of St. Mary; confirm times at www.wittenbergenglishministry.com).
Classical Concerts: It seems like there’s always a concert on in one of the town’s churches. If you’re spending the night, check at the TI to find out when and where you can enjoy some classical music. (Luther—who said “to sing is to pray double”—loved music.)
▲▲Castle Church (Schlosskirche)
Cranach Courtyard (Cranachhof)
▲▲Town Church of St. Mary (Stadtkirche St. Marien)
Luther Sights near Luther House
▲Wittenberg 360 Panorama: Luther 1517
▲▲House of History (Haus der Geschichte)
Historical Town Information Center (Historisches Stadtinformation)
Cruises and Biking the Elbe River Valley
I’ve organized these sights roughly in order from the TI end of town (with the Castle Church) to the Luther House end of town.
This Church of All Saints was the site of one of the most important moments in European history: Martin Luther nailing his 95 Theses to the church door. That door—and most of the church as it existed in Luther’s time—are long gone (destroyed in 1760, during the Seven Years’ War). But in the late 19th century, as Germany was uniting as a nation for the first time, the church and the door were rebuilt in the Romantic style as a temple to Luther and his fellow reformers. You’ll find Luther’s humble tombstone inside.
Cost and Hours: Free; April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-March Tue-Sat 10:00-16:00, Sun 11:30-16:00, closed Mon; Schlossplatz, tel. 03491/402-585, www.schlosskirche-wittenberg.de.
Visiting the Church: Before entering, take a close look at that famous side door (in the middle of the church, to the left of the present-day entrance). According to most accounts, on October 31, 1517, a frustrated Martin Luther nailed a handwritten copy of 95 Theses—topics for discussion—to the wooden door that was here then. (What you see is a 19th-century bronze door engraved with the Latin theses.) The act wasn’t quite as defiant as it sounds—the door served as a sort of community bulletin board. But the strong arguments Luther made about ending the practice of indulgences and other forms of Church corruption were revolutionary...as was his timing. Normally, Wittenbergers worshipped at the Town Church of St. Mary, but the day after Luther’s act—All Saints’ Day—was the one day each year that the Castle Church’s interior was open to the public, who were invited to come inside, view Frederick the Wise’s vast collection of relics, and purchase indulgences. Historians quibble over the exact day Luther made his Theses public and whether he actually nailed them to the door, but there’s no doubt that his work spurred a nascent sentiment of reform and cemented his role as that movement’s leader.
Above the door is a glittering image of the crucified Christ flanked by Luther (on the left) and his fellow Reformer Philipp Melanchthon (on the right), with the skyline of Wittenberg behind them.
Go inside, walk down the nave, and look up. Notice the colorful coats of arms on the upper stained-glass windows, which represent German cities that became Protestant when they joined Luther’s Reformation. The carved coats of arms on the railing honor larger principalities that also adopted Protestantism. The lower stained-glass windows, with images of Reformers, were grudgingly added for Luther’s 500th birthday, in 1983, by the aggressively atheistic East German government...and it shows.
In the middle of the church, to the right (in front of the pulpit, with a raised plaque), you’ll see the flower-bedecked tomb of Martin Luther. On the wall behind it is a replica of the large bronze tomb marker that originally covered Luther’s remains. While this wasn’t his home church (that would be the Town Church of St. Mary, just up the street and described later), this university church was traditionally where professors like Luther were entombed. On the left side of the nave is a similar raised plaque marking the grave of Luther’s right-hand man and fellow professor, Philipp Melanchthon.
Proceed to the front of the church. In front of the high altar are large tomb markers for the prince electors who called Wittenberg home and provided safe harbor for Luther’s provocative ideas. On the left is Frederick the Wise, and on his right is his younger brother, John the Steadfast. While Frederick remained devoutly Catholic throughout his life, his support for Luther, Melanchthon, and the early Protestant Reformers never wavered. Frederick’s successor John converted to Protestantism and, in a fit of iconoclasm, destroyed his brother’s impressive collection of relics. Flanking these markers are larger plaques and statues (from the original church) that depict these important brothers.
This wide square is much the same today as it was in Luther’s time. An all-purpose space back then, it was used for everything from tournaments to executions. The square is dominated by the Renaissance-style Town Hall (Rathaus). Notice the seven small, filled-in doors at the right side of the building, which led to a shopping gallery back when the building’s cellar hosted a little marketplace (today the Town Hall houses a 20th-century Christian art collection). In one corner of the square you’ll find a metal model of Wittenberg’s Old Town. In the middle of the square are 19th-century statues of Martin Luther (pictured here) and Philipp Melanchthon (pictured on here).
The main street through town is lined by delightful gurgling canals, as in a few other German cities, like Freiburg and Augsburg. When Luther first moved to Wittenberg, he was disgusted by these, which carried drinking water (on the way into town) and smelly sewage (on the way out). Years later, they were covered over by the modern street. But recently they were opened up to the air to evoke the ambience of Luther’s time.
Find the big beige Renaissance building at Schlossstrasse 1, in one corner of the square, with a pharmacy (the Lucas-Cranach-Apotheke) on the ground floor. This building, circling a surprisingly large courtyard, was the residence of the artist Lucas Cranach the Elder. Enter the courtyard to see a statue of Cranach sketching at the far end (see the photo on here).
As the official court painter for Frederick the Wise, Cranach was one of the most esteemed men in town, but he was also an entrepreneur who dabbled in endeavors like printing and running a pharmacy. Cranach and Luther were fast friends. The artist was the only painter who had permission to do portraits of Luther and his family (Cranach and his school produced and reproduced some 2,000 Luther portraits), and he was one of the first printers of Luther’s writings. Cranach’s house is also where Luther’s future bride, Katharina von Bora, lived when she first came to Wittenberg (fresh out of the convent).
For decades, this space sat in ruins (see the pre-1989 photo in the entry arch.) But it’s been converted into a kind of cultural center, hosting artists’ studios, a small bar, a gift shop, comfortable hotel rooms, and—at the far end of the courtyard—an old-fashioned print shop (Druckerstube). Operated by a quirky printer who speaks some English and enjoys explaining the importance of Luther’s statement, “This is a German nation—the people speak German,” the shop uses traditional methods to create postcards and replicas of works by Luther and Cranach (closed Sun). There’s a small Cranach museum a few doors away (at #4 on Market Square).
Towering over a row of buildings at the end of Market Square, this is the oldest building in town and an impressively historic place to be surrounded by Luther lore.
While everyone who comes to Wittenberg has heard of Martin Luther, many are surprised to find another important figure celebrated here with almost equal reverence: Philipp Melanchthon. The Garfunkel to Luther’s Simon, Melanchthon was a brainy university professor who also played a critical role in the Protestant Reformation.
Born Philipp Schwartzerdt in southern Germany, he later changed his name to its Greek translation, Melanchthon (“black soil”). Although he was short, young, sickly, and notoriously unattractive, Melanchthon impressed everybody in Wittenberg with his keen intellect. In fact, when Melanchthon became disillusioned with Wittenberg and threatened to move away, Frederick the Wise persuaded him to stay by arranging a marriage for him (to the mayor’s daughter, no less). While Luther was no intellectual slouch, Melanchthon was even more brilliant—he taught several topics (specializing in ancient languages, pedagogy, and theology) and encouraged women to pursue university study. Particularly gifted with languages, he provided Luther with invaluable assistance when translating the Bible into German from the original Greek and Hebrew texts.
Before stepping inside, notice that the tops of the twin towers don’t quite match the rest of the building. Formerly pointy Gothic steeples, these were knocked down during a 1546 battle. They were later rebuilt in the round Renaissance style you see today.
Cost and Hours: Free to enter, Mon-Sat 10:00-18:00, Sun from 11:30, Nov-Easter daily until 16:00, free organ concerts May-Oct Fri at 18:00, tel. 03491/62830, www.stadtkirchengemeinde-wittenberg.de.
Visiting the Church: The interior of the Town Church of St. Mary is striking for its pure, uncluttered feel. Once ornately painted and slathered with chapels, statues, and ornamentation, it was cleaned out when it became Lutheran. Sit in a pew and enjoy the Doublemint freshness of the space.
For most of his life, this was Luther’s home church—where he was married, where his children were baptized, and where he preached over 2,000 times. This is where what many consider to be the first-ever Protestant service took place, on Christmas Day in 1521 (although Martin Luther wasn’t in attendance—he was hiding out at Wartburg Castle). The readings were in German (not Latin), communion was taken by everyone (not just priests), and hymns were sung by the congregation—actually quite radical at the time.
At the front of the church, the baptismal font is where Luther’s own children were baptized. Notice the tube extending from the basin directly down toward the ground. This allowed water, after having washed away sin, to be drained directly into what was a sandy floor, so it could be transmitted, unimpeded, to hell. Around the lower legs of the font, notice the many demons attempting to reach the baby being baptized up top—but their progress is blocked by the righteous saints.
The focal point of the church is the colorful, engaging, almost whimsical altar painting by Lucas Cranach the Elder, the Younger, and their school (completed in 1547, the year after Luther died). The gang’s all here: All the big-name early Protestants and their buddies have showed up to reenact classic ecclesiastical scenes. In the spirit of the Reformation, these aren’t saints or royals—they’re just people.
The bottom panel shows Martin Luther preaching from a pulpit, one hand on the Bible and the other pointing to Christ, as he engages an enthralled group of worshippers. The fluttering loincloth of Jesus helps to convey the message from preacher to parishioner. But notice that, true to life, some of those people aren’t paying attention—they’re chatting and looking around. The woman watching Luther most intently is his wife, Katharina. She’s surrounded by their many children. Cranach (with the big white beard) is in the back.
The panel on the left shows Philipp Melanchthon (who was not a priest) baptizing a baby. The early reformers believed that lay people—not exclusively priests—could perform baptisms. In the foreground, the extravagantly dressed woman with her back to us is Cranach’s wife, Barbara. Supposedly, she grew frustrated that her husband was always painting Luther, Katharina, and others, but never her. “Fine,” he said. “I’ll include you in the altarpiece.”
On the right panel, Johannes Bugenhagen (among reformers, he ranks third after Luther and Melanchthon) is hearing confession from two very different people. Over the head of the obviously distraught and repentant man on the left, Bugenhagen holds the key of heaven—the sinner has done right by confessing and will reap eternal rewards. The man on the right, however, is trying to buy his way into heaven—but his hands are tied and the key of heaven is behind him, indicating he can’t purchase paradise.
The central panel features the Last Supper, with the reformers standing in for the apostles. Notice the round table, which symbolizes how, in Protestantism, all are equal. People from all walks of life are actively engaging each other. It’s easy to pick out Judas in the foreground (he wears yellow, as evildoers often do in Cranach paintings). On the opposite side of the table, Martin Luther (clad in black, wearing the bearded disguise of Junker Jörg) is being handed a chalice by Lucas Cranach the Younger. In contrast to Catholic worship at the time, Protestant services invited everybody to participate in communion.
Circle behind the painting and look at the lower panel, which appears as though it’s been defaced by some no-good teenagers. It was...centuries ago. Around Luther’s time, students of theology came here at the end of their studies and scratched their names or initials into the painting: on the left, in the river of knowledge, if they’d done well—or on the right, in hell, if they’d flunked. Looking carefully among the damned (higher up, on a skull), you can find the name “Johannes Luther”—Martin’s son. (Thankfully, he had more success after he switched to law.)
The zone behind the altar has several interesting paintings. Most important is a painting labeled Epitaph for Paul Eber and his Family (better known as The Vineyard of the Lord), by Lucas Cranach the Younger. This work’s propaganda-for-the-Reformation motives are obvious: On the right, the reformers tend to the garden of the Lord (that’s Martin Luther raking and Philipp Melanchthon pulling water from the well—just as the reformers went back to the original source to translate their Bible). On the left, the pope and his cronies (in their excessively opulent robes) trash all their hard work. In the lower-left corner, everyone lines up to receive their reward from Jesus. The pope (wearing yellow, again symbolizing evil) has already received his, but keeps his hand outstretched, expecting more than his share. In the lower right, the reformers (in their simple black robes) pray reverently.
As you head back up the nave to exit, look up: The grand organ dates from the communist period (1983), and booms out short organ concerts in summer. Luther’s greatest musical hit, “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” was first sung here.
Exiting the way you came in, turn left and go to the back corner of the church. Look up at the bottom of the roofline to find the relief of a pig, called the Judensau (“Jewish sow”). This bit of medieval anti-Semitic propaganda was designed to intimidate Wittenberg’s Jews, who lived in the area just behind the church. Look carefully at the pig, which is considered unclean in the Jewish faith: Jewish children are suckling from it, and a rabbi seems to be peering inquisitively into its rear end. When restoring the church, church authorities asked the Jewish community in Berlin what they should do with this painful remnant of a less-enlightened time. Rather than cover it, they suggested leaving it here as a part of the town’s heritage, and adding a modern monument: Look for the plaque in the cobbles directly below the pig, where four paving stones look as if they’re being pried apart by something bubbling up from beneath. The message: You can’t hide uncomfortable facts; they will find a way to see the light of day. The adjacent cedar tree was donated by students in Tel Aviv.
Behind you, go through the gap between the buildings near the pig to see one of Wittenberg’s 16th-century fountains. Part of Frederick the Wise’s improvements, this network of fountains (with wooden pipes) still works—but nobody knows quite how.
Luther’s former home has been converted into an excellent museum displaying original paintings, manuscripts, and other Luther-era items—including the pulpit from which Luther preached, famous portraits of Luther and the other reformers by Lucas Cranach, and Luther’s original New Testament and Bible translations into High German. Everything is fully described, and touch-screen stations provide more depth.
Cost and Hours: €8, €10 combo-ticket with Melanchthon House; April-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; Collegienstrasse 54, tel. 03491/420-3118, www.martinluther.de.
Visiting the House: From the street, step through the passage (at #59) into the inner courtyard to see the giant, turreted building. Not really a “house,” this was originally a monastery. Luther lived here first as a monk and again later, after he had married Katharina von Bora (the building was a wedding gift from a prince elector who took Luther under his wing). Katharina rented out rooms to students, and kept the family fed and watered by cultivating a garden, brewing beer, and even breeding cattle. In the middle of the courtyard is a statue of Katharina. Erected on her 500th birthday in 1999, the sculpture symbolizes her leaving her former life at a nunnery and beginning a new one with Martin Luther.
Head inside through the gateway on your right. From the ticket desk, go straight into the first room to see a simplified model of Wittenberg during Luther’s time; paintings by Lucas Cranach (including a portrait of Frederick the Wise, the prince elector who supported Luther); and a woodcut print of a knights’ tournament at Market Square.
The next room juxtaposes several historic items. Flanking the door are an indulgence chest and an original letter of indulgence (Ablassurkunde), from 1492. Those who bought indulgences would supposedly be rescued from their sins...while generating substantial income for the Catholic Church. Money raised was applied directly to an ambitious building project at the Vatican: On the right, see the engraving of St. Peter’s Basilica, with its spectacular dome still under construction. Albrecht of Brandenburg (as the archbishop of Mainz, he was Luther’s direct superior) and Pope Leo X (both pictured at right), stunningly influential and wealthy, were part of a finely tuned business of selling forgiveness to mostly illiterate Christians frightened they’d spend eons in purgatory...or worse.
In contrast to the opulence in Roman Catholic churches, see Martin Luther’s original linden-wood pulpit from the Town Church of St. Mary. Notice how relatively humble it is—imagine him climbing up to the top and bringing the Reformation message to a packed church. Nearby is the first printed version of Luther’s troublemaking 95 Theses.
Continue into the refectory, where students would sit around a long table to dine. At the far end of this great hall is Cranach’s wonderful painting The Ten Commandments (1516). This was originally designed for the Town Hall so that anybody could see it; and today, as then, it’s handy for a review of Sunday school lessons. See if you can identify each of the 10 commandments being broken (and followed)—and note that the same nobleman (in yellow and black) is responsible for half the sins. In each panel, an eerie-eyed demon prods the sinners.
In a side passage near the refectory, you can peruse a small but endearing exhibit with wood-carved figures acting out daily life in Luther’s time.
Up on the first floor up is a rare painting of a relatively young Martin Luther by Cranach (1520). In the little dimly lit alcove, find the Cranach-printed first edition (1522) of Luther’s German translation of the New Testament, illustrated with Cranach woodcuts. Nearby is the “community chest,” the first systematized charity for poor people—Protestants began steering donations to the needy rather than into Church coffers. (Compare this to the Church’s indulgence chest we saw earlier.)
Pass through a lecture hall dominated by a fancy gilded lectern into the actual private residence of the Luther family (which still smells like the 16th century). Look for his-and-hers Cranach paintings of Martin and Katharina, three years after their wedding. Imagine the lifestyle of these newlyweds—he a former monk and priest, she a former nun. While the idealistic Luther took little or no payment for preaching and writing, and depended on the charity of wealthy local supporters, Katharina was a businesswoman who balanced the books and kept this huge household going. Look for the lockbox they used to protect their valuables. Katharina kept the key so Luther wouldn’t give everything they owned to the poor.
The centerpiece is the “Lutherstube”—the room with benches, a stove, and the table where Luther engaged in spirited conversations with his colleagues. Notice the names scratched into the ceiling, left behind by visiting VIPs (on the door, protected by glass, is the John Hancock of Russian Czar Peter the Great). Luther’s adjoining study contains a collection of his beer mugs (Luther loved his suds).
In the final room, see Luther’s translation of the complete Bible from 1534, printed and illustrated by Cranach with 266 woodcuts, and a tiny hymnal from 1533. Luther, who believed that music should be an important part of worship, composed hymns that are still sung today.
An adjacent room features an old printing press and cases filled with booklets that Luther authored and Cranach illustrated. In this room you can find (on the wall) an etching of “the pope as Satan,” a case full of anti-Jewish-themed books Luther wrote late in his life, and covers with more of Cranach’s political cartoon etchings—designed so even the illiterate could get the gist of Luther’s message. Perhaps the first PR genius to “go viral,” Luther sold more than a quarter million books and was the best-selling German author of the 16th century.
Now climb the stairs to the top floor, which features a small treasury filled with 16th-century documents (including a small printed indulgence from 1515 with empty blanks for the purchaser to fill in, and a big indulgence from 1492 worth 100 fewer days in purgatory). This exhibit finishes with an intriguing exhibit of images showing how Luther has been represented in the centuries after his death. At the very end, check out Luther posters from Hitler’s time and from communist days (including the 1982 East German illustration showing Luther conversing at a table with Che Guevara and other revolutionaries). The East German government decided that it was OK to tell Luther’s story—as long as it was linked to the ideals of socialist revolution.
Several other Reformation sights cluster along Collegienstrasse, at the Luther House end of town:
Leaving the Luther House, turn right down Collegienstrasse with your back toward the town center (toward the ring road). At the big roundabout (see map), at the edge of the park on the left, is the famous “Luther Oak” tree marking the spot where Luther burned the papal bull that threatened him with excommunication.
About a block toward Market Square from the Luther House are two other buildings of interest to Lutherans. At #60 (with the rounded gables) is the Melanchthon House (Melanchthonhaus)—given to Philipp Melanchthon to persuade him to stay in Wittenberg when he threatened to move elsewhere, and now a museum about his life. Nothing survives from Melanchthon’s household, but the museum tries hard to bring him to life, and everything is described in English (€4, €10 combo-ticket with Luther House; April-Oct daily 10:00-18:00; Nov-March Tue-Sun until 17:00, closed Mon; tel. 03491/420-3110).
At #62a, duck through the doorway into the university courtyard. These are some of the original buildings where Luther, Melanchthon, and their colleagues worked. Wall plaques ringing the courtyard celebrate famous professors and alumni.
Berlin artist Yadegar Asisi—who has created these immersive, 360-degree panorama paintings around eastern Germany—has arrived in Wittenberg. A giant bunker-like structure in a park near the Luther House is home to this nearly 12,000-square-foot work that wraps entirely around the viewer. Using a combination of photographed models and digitally reconstructed historic buildings, Asisi recreates a day in the life of the grubby, crowded, and colorful town on the cusp of the Reformation—standing right in front of the Castle Church. Light and sound effects highlight different parts of the giant illustration, inviting you to tune into various details (pick up the leaflet, which explains some of the tableaus you’ll see). You can climb up the metal tower in the middle of the room for a higher vantage point. Panorama paintings like this one were all the rage in the 19th century, and Asisi does a good job of updating the magic for the modern era. While certainly overpriced, this could be worth the splurge to round out your Luther experience.
Cost and Hours: €11, daily 10:00-18:00, Lutherstrasse 42, www.wittenberg360.de.
This orchard of ecumenism, a short walk just south of Market Square, is a leafy statement that Christian communities—Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox—can cooperate. Hundreds of trees from as many Christian communities from all over the world have been planted, and each has a sister tree planted in its community of origin.
Those intrigued by the communist chapter of Wittenberg’s history will enjoy this museum’s three floors of everyday items from East German times (1949-1989). For Cold War buffs, it’s worth ▲▲. The Wende (German reunification) in 1989 erased an entire culture, and in the space of a few years East German toys, food brands, cars, schoolbooks, and much more were replaced by Western ones—awakening nostalgia even in those who otherwise welcomed the end of communism. Over the past two decades, a dedicated staff has collected thousands of items that memorialize the world of their youth. The museum also includes a few rooms showing furnishings and fashions from the 1920s and 1930s. On the ground floor, you’ll find a fully stocked communist-era grocery store, a cozy DDR pub, and an exhibit (German only) on the life of Soviet troops posted to East Germany. The museum is directed at nostalgic German visitors, but the €1 audioguide makes it more meaningful to outsiders.
Cost and Hours: €6, daily 10:00-18:00, Schlossstrasse 6, tel. 03491/409-004, www.pflug-ev.de.
This slick new facility—in two buildings facing Arsenalplatz, a couple of blocks north of Marktplatz—illustrates the history of Wittenberg beyond the life of its most famous resident. The Zeughaus (former armory) displays a large model of Wittenberg in 1873, offering a good look at it earthen ramparts and moat. Across the square—displayed in the enclosed ruins of the Klosterkirche (former Franciscan monastery)—are exhibits on the Ascanian dukes of Saxony, who ruled this area before Luther. (This building adjoins the Stadthaus, with a branch TI, a concert hall, and a free WC.) While presented with modern flair, there’s only so much to say—making this, mostly, a “so what?” experience.
Cost and Hours: €2; April-Oct daily 9:00-18:00; Nov-March Tue-Sun 10:00-17:00, closed Mon; Zeughaus at Juristenstrasse 16a, Klosterkirche at Mauerstrasse 18.
This formerly drab communist-era public school, on the northeast outskirts of town, was redecorated in 1993 with wildly colorful and imaginative flair by Austrian architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser. Most intriguing to architecture buffs, it’s a long 30-minute walk from the city center (interior closed to the public but exterior viewable anytime, officially called “Luther-Melanchthon-Gymnasium,” Schillerstrasse 22a, www.hundertwasserschule.de).
While you can pay to take a brief cruise on the Elbe River, there’s not much to see other than a panoramic view of town (details at TI). The Elbe Valley also attracts many bicycle tourists, following the bike path called the Elberadweg (cycling route info at www.elberadweg.de).
Wittenberg has a wide range of charming hotels at fine prices. My listings (except Am Alten Anker) are right in the heart of the Old Town. Air-conditioning is rare.
$$$ Hotel Best Western Stadtpalais Wittenberg is a professional-feeling place with 78 rooms offering predictable business-class comfort right on the main drag, near the Luther House (some rooms have air-con, elevator, pay parking, Collegienstrasse 56, tel. 03491/4250, www.stadtpalais.bestwestern.de, info@stadtpalais.bestwestern.de).
$$ Ringhotel Schwarzer Baer (“Black Bear”) has 32 modern, comfortable rooms—each a bit different, but all of them stylish—in a period building with hardwood floors right off Market Square (elevator, free parking, Schlossstrasse 2, tel. 03491/420-4344, www.ringhotels.de/wittenberg, wittenberg@ringhotels.de).
$$ Alte Canzley, right next to the TI and across from the Castle Church, has nine enormous, well-equipped (if somewhat dated) rooms above a restaurant in a historic building from 1391. You’ll pay extra for a small kitchenette or a view of the Castle Church (elevator, free parking, pay sauna, Schlossplatz 3, tel. 03491/429-110, www.alte-canzley.com, info@alte-canzley.de).
$$ Hotel Brauhaus, a lesser value, rents 34 straightforward rooms over a restaurant and antique shop fronting Market Square (cash only, closed Nov-March, lots of stairs with no elevator, free parking, Markt 7, tel. 03491/443-3130, www.brauhaus-wittenberg.de, info@brauhaus-wittenberg.de).
$ Am Alten Anker, above a restaurant in a drab area at the far end of town (about a 15-minute walk beyond the TI, or a 30-minute walk or quick taxi ride from the train station), has 21 basic but comfortable rooms at a reasonable price (Dessauer Strasse 286, tel. 03491/768-760, www.amaltenanker.de, info@amaltenanker.de).
¢ Lutherstadt Wittenberg Youth Hostel, an official HI hostel, has 160 beds in 3- to 6-bed dorms, each with its own bath. This modern hostel is perfectly located, filling a sleek building by the Castle Church (private rooms available, elevator, pay Wi-Fi, lots of school groups, doors close at 22:00, lunch or dinner available, tucked behind Castle Church at Schlossstrasse 14, tel. 03491/505-205, www.jugendherberge-wittenberg.de, wittenberg@jugendherberge.de).
(See “Wittenberg” map, here.)
You’ll find a fun variety of good, affordable restaurants within a couple of blocks of Market Square.
$$ Brauhaus Wittenberg serves up traditional meals and great local beer in a fun-loving beer garden that feels closer to Bavaria than to Saxony. From Market Square, you’ll enter the classic old courtyard filled with jovial tables; at the end, go inside to find comfortable seating on two levels, surrounding big copper vats where they brew their own “Wittenberger Original” pilsner. The menu includes big portions of tasty German standards (daily 11:00-22:30, Markt 6, tel. 03491/433-130).
$$ Das Wittenberger Kartoffelhaus serves up hearty, heavy skillets piled high with potatoes, potatoes, potatoes, prepared in fun and creative ways. The interior is cozy and brimming with kitschy decor, and the outdoor seating is on the relaxing pedestrian drag, just off Market Square (Schlossstrasse 2, daily 11:00-22:00, tel. 03491/411-200).
$$ Trattoria Toscana is a popular choice for Italian meals. Tucked in a “Little Italy” corner of town behind the Town Church of St. Mary, it has a fancy interior, romantic piazza seating, and down-to-earth prices (kid-friendly, daily 11:00-24:00, Mittelstrasse 1, tel. 03491/433-188).
$ Hanami, a family-run spot with a classy dining room, specializes in Vietnamese cooking and sushi. Like many Asian restaurants in eastern Germany, the Vietnam connection dates back to the communist days (usually daily 11:00-15:00 & 17:00-21:00, Schlossstrasse 8, tel. 03491/459-7068).
$ Reinsdorfer is good for a quick lunch on the go—there’s a bakery on one side of the shop (sandwiches made to order) and a butcher’s counter on the other (grilled sausages and prepared side dishes sold from the counter’s back end, take out or eat at simple tables, Mon-Fri 8:00-18:00, Sat until 12:00, closed Sun, Markt 6).
$ Super Döner serves up super döner kebabs to go from a hardworking little hole-in-the-wall just off Market Square at Collegienstrasse 86 (Mon-Sat 10:30-19:00, closed Sun).
From Wittenberg by Train to: Berlin (hourly on ICE, 40 minutes; also every 2 hours on slower regional train, 1.5 hours), Leipzig (6/day on ICE, 40 minutes; also hourly on regional trains, 1 hour, some with transfer in Bitterfeld), Erfurt (every 2 hours, 1.5 hours direct, more with transfer in Leipzig), Eisenach and Wartburg Castle (at least hourly, 2.5 hours, transfer in Erfurt or Leipzig), Dresden (hourly, 3 hours, transfer in Leipzig and sometimes also Bitterfeld), Frankfurt (every 2 hours, 4 hours, transfer in Naumburg), Hamburg (nearly hourly direct on ICE, 3 hours; also possible about hourly with transfer in Berlin, 3.5 hours), and Nürnberg (every 2 hours direct on ICE, 4.5 hours). Train info: Toll tel. 0180-699-6633, www.bahn.com.
