Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [185]
Nearby, on the corner of Lutherstrasse and Am Bahnhof, the Luthereiche (Luther Oak) marks the spot where the preacher burned the 1520 papal bull threatening his excommunication; the tree itself, though, was only planted around 1830.
MELANCHTON HAUS
Near the Lutherhaus, the rather text-heavy Melanchthon Haus ( 403 279; Collegienstrasse 60; adult/concession €2.50/1.50; 9am-6pm daily Apr-Oct, 10am-5pm Tue-Sun Nov-Mar) discusses the life of university lecturer and humanist Philipp Melanchthon. An expert in ancient languages, Melanchthon helped Luther translate the Bible into German from Greek and Hebrew, becoming the preacher’s friend and his most eloquent advocate. Combination tickets with the Lutherhaus are €6 (no concession).
SCHLOSSKIRCHE
Did or didn’t he nail those 95 theses to the door of the Schlosskirche (Castle Church; 402 585; Schlossplatz; admission free; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11.30am-6pm Sun, to 4pm Nov-Easter)? We’ll never know for sure, for the original portal was destroyed by fire in 1760 and replaced in 1858 with a massive bronze version inscribed with the theses in Latin. (Also see the boxed text, Click here).
Luther himself is buried inside below the pulpit, opposite his friend and fellow reformer Philipp Melanchthon. Pick up an information sheet by the entrance so you don’t walk past the other eye-catchers, such as the bronze memorial of Frederick the Wise, by Peter Vischer of Nuremberg, in a niche to the left of the altar.
For a fitness fix, climb up the Schlossturm (castle tower; adult/concession €2/1; noon-4pm Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm Sat & Sun), but be warned that the floor feels a little shaky in parts, and the view is expansive rather than breathtaking.
STADTKIRCHE ST MARIEN
If the Schlosskirche was the billboard used to advertise the forthcoming Reformation, the twin-towered Town Church of St Mary ( 403 201; Jüdenstrasse 35; admission free; 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, 11.30am-6pm Sun, to 4pm Nov-Easter) was where the ecumenical revolution began, with the world’s first Protestant worship services in 1521. It was also here that Luther preached his famous Lectern sermons in 1522, and where he married ex-nun Katharina von Bora three years later.
The centrepiece is the large altar, designed jointly by Lucas Cranach the Elder and his son. The side facing the nave shows Luther, Melanchthon and other Reformation figures, as well as Cranach himself, in biblical contexts. The altar is also painted on its reverse side. On the lower rung, you’ll see a seemingly defaced painting of heaven and hell; medieval students etched their initials into the painting’s divine half if they passed their final exams – and into purgatory if they failed.
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WITTENBERG WORSHIP
From May to October, a changing roster of Lutheran guest preachers, usually from the US, holds free English-language services in Wittenberg’s historic sites. Organised by the Wittenberg English Ministry ( 498 610; www.wittenberg-english-ministry.com; Schlossplatz 2), these are held at 5pm on Saturday in the Schlosskirche or the Stadtkirche. From Wednesday to Friday, half-hour services are also offered at 4.30pm in the tiny Fronleichnamskapelle (Corpus Christi Chapel) attached to the Stadtkirche.
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CRANACH-HÖFE
Lucas Cranach’s old residential and work digs have been rebooted as a beautifully restored cultural complex built around two courtyards that often echo with music and readings. There’s a permanent exhibit ( 420 1913; Markt 4; admission €4/3; 10am-5pm Mon-Sat, 1-5pm Sun Apr-Oct, 10am-1pm Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun Nov-Mar) on the man, his life and his contemporaries. Also here is the Historische Druckerstube (Historical Print Shop; 432 817; Schlossstrasse 1; admission free; 9am-noon, 1-5pm Mon-Fri, 10am-1.30pm Sat), a basement gallery selling ancient-looking black-and-white sketches of Martin Luther, both typeset and printed by hand. A small hotel should have opened on the premises by the time you’re reading this.
HAUS DER GESCHICHTE
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