Sights in Lutherstadt Wittenberg
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Lutherhaus
Even those with no previous interest in the Reformation will likely be fascinated by the state-of-the-art exhibits in the Lutherhaus, the former monastery turned Luther family home. Through an engaging mix of accessible narrative (in German and English), spotlit artefacts (eg, his lectern from the Stadtkirche, indulgences chests, Bibles, cloaks), famous oil paintings, and interactive multimedia stations, you'll learn about the man, his times and his impact on world history. Highlights include Cranach's Ten Commandments in the refectory and an original room furnished by Luther in 1535. Kids love the new exhibit in the cellar, which uses wooden models and sensor- activated …
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Haus der Geschichte
If you want to catch a glimpse of daily life beyond the Iron Curtain, pop by the Haus der Geschichte. The ground floor is devoted to temporary exhibitions, while the two upper levels take you through recreated GDR-era living rooms, children's rooms and kitchens alongside such environs as a pub, a store, a kindergarten and other public spaces. There's something oddly endearing about the toys, clunky early consumer items, and the tins and jars that would have been sheer gold for the son recreating the good ol' East in the movie Good Bye, Lenin!
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Hundertwasserschule
How would you like to study grammar and algebra in a building where trees sprout from the windows and gilded onion domes balance above a rooftop garden? This fantastical environment is everyday reality for the lucky 1300 pupils of Wittenberg's Hundertwasserschule. It was the penultimate work of eccentric Viennese artist, architect and eco-visionary Friedensreich Hundertwasser, who was famous for quite literally thinking 'outside the box'.
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Wittenberg English Ministry
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, 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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Town Church of St Mary
If the Schlosskirche was the billboard used to advertise the forthcoming Reformation, the twin-towered Town Church of St Mary 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.
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Melanchthon Haus
The rather text-heavy Melanchthon Haus 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.
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Schlosskirche
Did or didn't he (Luther) nail those 95 theses to the door of the Schlosskirche ? 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.
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Exhibit
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 on the man, his life and his contemporaries.
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Galerie im Cranachhaus
Alongside the Lutherhaus, the former homes of two other Reformation stalwarts are now museums. The Galerie im Cranachhaus is devoted to artist Lucas Cranach the Elder, who lived in Wittenberg during the reformation and captured the action in fine detail.
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Schlossturm
Next door to the Schlosskirche, you can climb the city's landmark Schlossturm, but be warned that the floor feels a little shaky in parts, and the view is expansive rather than breathtaking.
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Historische Druckerstube
The Historische Druckerstube, is a basement gallery selling ancient-looking black-and-white sketches of Martin Luther, both typeset and printed by hand.
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Hundertwasser School
True modernity is embodied in Wittenberg’s crazy Martin Luther Gymnasium, usually called the Hundertwasser School. Viennese artist and architect Freidenreichs Hundertwasser remodelled the old East German concrete blocks into one of his signature buildings, with ecological materials, brightly coloured elements, touches of gold, mosque-like cupolas and rooftop vegetation. It’s possible to view the exterior any time; the tours are led by school kids and it’s advisable to call ahead because four participants are needed before they start.
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Schlosskirche
The door of the Schlosskirche is where, on 31 October 1517, Luther is said to have nailed his 95 Theses confronting the Catholic Church; the door in question was destroyed by fire in 1760. In its place stands an impressive bronze memorial (1858) inscribed with the theses in Latin. Inside is Luther’s tombstone, opposite that of fellow reformer Philipp Melanchthon.
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Lutherhaus
Wittenberg is the crucible of the Reformation, in which Protestant Christians first split from the Roman Catholic Church, and the town’s leading role is played by Martin Luther, whose campaigning zeal changed the face of Europe. Germany’s foremost museum devoted to Luther is Lutherhaus. The exhibition here, in Luther’s one-time home, combines narrative, personal artefacts, Cranach paintings and interactive multimedia into a fascinating whole. There’s also an original room furnished by Luther in 1535, decorated with a bit of royal graffiti from Russian Tsar Peter the Great in 1702.
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Haus der Geschichte
The Haus der Geschichte showcases the peculiarities of East German design in everyday life.
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