Great Day Out from Berlin: Lutherstadt

Any visitor who spends much time in eastern Germany must surely conclude that so many "movements" started here: classicism, romanticism, existentialism (Sartre wrote from a prison camp), Bauhaus architecture, and more. They all generated much excitement, but no arts revolution evoked such compelling narrative or wide appeal as the Protestant Reformation. In commemoration of the man whose formidable intellect and humanitarian character started the upheaval, the city of Wittenberg is now Lutherstadt/Wittenberg or "Luther’s City."

The main street Collegienstrasse is replete with sites that bring the narrative to life. Walking from the rail station, we first encountered Lutherhaus and took time to read all literature on displays (allow 1.5-2 hours) to become familiar with Luther’s friends, foes and chronology. Continuing up the street, we found the "Mother Church" (Stadtkirche) behind Market Square, and Schlosskirche with Wittenberg Castle at the end of the street, where Luther nailed his "95-Thesis" on the door.

Our stops pieced together the time, place, and people of the Reformation, not just Luther, but his best friend Philipp Melanchthon, noted reformer in his own right. His home is next to Lutherhaus, and Lucas Cranach’s is on the square. Melanchthon, Cranach, Friedrich the Wise, and Katharina von Bora (Luther’s "perfect wife") figure in all narratives and are represented in statuary and paintings. Lutherstadt is the place to learn more about Cranach the Elder, as he was Court Painter here, as well as Mayor, printer, and businessman. Every place in town is loaded with his works.

Quick Tips:

A three-day festival the second weekend of June at Lutherhalle (Lutherhaus) reenacts Luther and Katharina’s wedding: June 13, 1525. Not a religious celebration, but a folk gathering, it is designed to thrill visitors with pageantry, historic skits, music, handicrafts, and food. Another festival in the fall commemorates Reformation Day. On these occasions, the population of 50,000 doubles. Another place for music and relaxing in a pretty garden is on the grounds of the castle.

Visitor Info is across from the Castle and has audio programs for self-guided and guided tours, so anyone starting at that end of the street can choose from "famous people," "architecture," or "parks/city walls." There is even a tour about Philipp Melanchthon, who is buried next to Luther in Schlosskirche.

For those who need a hotel in town, the brand new Best Western Stadtpalais on Collegienstrasse looks charming and is less than 80 euros. It's a great location, and I didn't see any other large chains in the Altstadt.

Best Way To Get Around:

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt, Berlin, so we took the train to Lutherstadt on our way back to Munich. "ICE" trains (no connections -- others on this run require several) leave from Berlin at two-hour intervals, and we took the 12:16 following hotel checkout -- perfect timing! Then the 18:16 on to Munich gave us 4.5 hours to see four sights. This was adequate, but we had done great research and had enjoyed lunch on the train. The castle has a restaurant, and many others along the main street would be good alternatives for a visitor with 6.5 hours.

When we arrived at the rail station, we found all lockers full, so we went to the Deutschebahn office, where the attendant was glad to lock our bags in a safe place. Collegienstrasse is the only street you need if you aren't staying over or looking for an in-depth experience of the city. We walked straight down the street from left of the station and used no public transportation; however, the distance to Visitor Info and the Castle must be a mile. For those who want a ride, buses are in front of the station.

Grand Hyatt Berlin redefines "grand." Gone are the days when craftsmanship and ornamentation made their marks on "posh." Sophisticated simplicity conceived in divine materials, raises to previously-unimagined heights the best of everything building suppliers offer. With Minimalist decor, still warm and "homey" with rich wood, the open lobby, restaurant, and bar area demand chic guests -- incredibly, the hotel’s website insists that men wear jackets and women "at least suits" in their lobby. A turn-off for rail travelers with efficient packing in mind? Dietrich’s Bistro and Vox Bar (over 200 whiskeys, they advertise) were packed with glamorous people of every ethnic background. The full-windowed front of the restaurant showcased their beauty to Marlene-Dietrich-Platz. Perhaps they had visited Hyatt’s top-floor Club Olympus Spa for every "treatment" ever devised! Some were there for extravagant meals from the Vox showcase kitchen. Hyatt has everything to delight.

We arrived on the ICE train from Leipzig to Berlin’s main station Zoologischergarten, then down one level for the subway to Potsdamer Platz. The hotel was only a block to the left. The entire area is new, developed since Reunification, and a great neighborhood for strolling after dark. Shops, eateries, Daimler-Chrysler’s new musical theater, an Omnimax -- all this and upscale residential buildings, too, create a "downtown" atmosphere in this suburb of the "New Berlin."

Front desk was efficient, hospitable, and spoke English. Our room had two strong suits: it was free (Hyatt’s "Faster Free Nights" promo again), and the marble bath was outrageous! The shower enclosed with glass was larger than most full hotel baths and incorporated tub, shaving mirror, and stool on heated marble floor. The vanity area with glass shelves on the walls displayed more of Hyatt’s "Portico" brand supplies than I’ve ever been offered, and a ceiling-to-floor wood closet opposite the vanity had room for our carry-on bags, plus blankets and bathroom scales (another Hyatt "homey" touch).

"Hyatt Home" continued into our sleeping room, where more glass shelves above our hospitality area displayed a lovely vase, other decor items, some fruit, a metal pot with hotplate for warming water, an assortment of coffees, teas, and snacks, even books! The fridge was recessed into the hallway wall (out of the way), and the opposite wall was filled with more mirrored wood cabinetry than we would need for a month’s stay. The room was large with desk, chair, and ottoman. Everything was immaculate and perfect!

The view seemed very "Berlin." Twin gold buildings with seeming concave-slope roofs rising to sharp points were curiousity pieces, somewhat of a contrast to the warm "New Berlin" of minimalist indulgence Grand Hyatt exemplifies, but the greatest contrast was ahead in the 800-year-old buildings of Lutherstadt/Wittenberg, 1.5 hours by ICE.

Outside, the former Augustinian monastery is serene, as one might expect. The statue of Katharina invites a moment’s study. A mosaic tile area on the lawn offers benches. The sculptor conveys an ineffable quality of character that would influence "womanhood" until "Hollywood." Looking up at the covered walkway linking the two main buildings of the complex, I could almost hear the "buzz," the conviction of the many students, artists, and scholars whose lives touched Luther’s that a new humanist world-view would soon change life as they knew it. It must have been an exciting time and place! "Lucky Court Painter," I thought. Lucas Cranach, "painter of the German Reformation," got to record it all on canvas, and many of his works decorate Lutherhalle.

Inside, room after room is filled with artifacts and art: Luther’s last monk’s robe, his Bible with handwritten margin notes, part of the pulpit (removed from Stadkirche) from which he first preached Protestant Doctrine, kitchen items, weapons, tools, desk, bed, stove, and more. At least Luther's room here is of UNESCO World Heritage designation. Commentary in English adds details: his love for Katharina, their family life, his friendship with Melanchthon, and his privileged and fortunate association with the Elector Friedrich the Wise, who stalled representatives from Rome when the Pope insisted he "outlaw" Luther, the customary civil action following papal excommunication. In sly defiance, Friedrich arranged to have the reformer disguised as ordinary monk and transported to Wartburg Castle in Eisenach, now a few hours by train.

It’s an inspiring story the walls tell, especially the beginning of church after church to preach Luther’s doctrine for him while he was in hiding. No more papal pardons or dispensations only the rich could afford! Man’s relationship with Christ becomes personal! Exit the priest as go-between! And, clergy can marry and raise families for the community to emulate, as Luther and Katharina did in 1525. With this, the stranglehold of the Roman Church since the fall of the Roman Empire was broken--well, perhaps the story continues . . . .

I left Lutherhalle with an understanding of the life and importance of the reformer and his friends. "Scenes" enabled me to invision Luther, the teacher, where he liked to meet with his students at night and Luther, the family man, where he had dinner with his wife and children. The house seemed full of the guests who came to discuss the status of new ideas and current events. Some rooms have been preserved with little alteration, so old one must walk through on a platform so as not the disturb the wide plank floors; others have been restored good as new. The monastery ceilings are wonderful in the new part, and some of the old has interesting wallpaper. Cranach paintings and paintings and statuary by other artists illustrate the characters, places, and events particular to the Reformation. It’s a good tour (5 euros) with storyline important to the history of Western Civilization. Lutherhaus is closed Mondays.

Schlosskirche or Castle Church was intended for the royalty of Wittenberg Castle, so no expense was spared. Built in the 15th Century and rebuilt in the 19th after a fire, the natural materials used in its construction needed no painting. The interior exudes sheer natural beauty, so much more imposing, it seems, than wooden interiors that depend on applied color for their decoration--those were built for commoners! Walking directly from Stadtkirche or City Church, where Luther was married, to Schlosskirche, where he is buried, we appreciated the elevation in rank of a life well-lived. He and his friend Melanchthon rest in the floor close to the altar, while Wilhelm II occupies a position further back.

This is the church where Luther nailed his "95-Theses" to the door in 1517 and thereby launched the Reformation. The historical significance of this act is commemorated by UNESCO with its designation of Schlosskirche as a World Heritage Site. Burned in the fire, the original doors were replaced in 1858 with bronze ones that bear the text of the Theses in Latin. They are protected with iron fencing, and the entrance is further along. We walked all around the church and castle and enjoyed the grounds and saw the stairs in back to a hostel. We didn’t visit the Castle, but noted that the restaurant there looked like an inviting spot. From the back, we had a good view of the roof of the church, one of those colorful tile roofs that command notice.

Inside, we were astounded by Germanic beauty. Walls of stone with decorative carving revealed just a touch of inlaid color repeated in the high ceiling and along the carved balcony railings with inlain family crests. The stained glass was especially beautiful and curved around the altar and continued throughout the church with less color. The altar of carved stone was ornate with statuary in lieu of painting on canvas, which must have been burned in the fire. Alabaster statuary lined the vestibule. The church is an aesthetic treasure as well as a historic one.

Schlosskirche is open 7 days until 4pm November through April and until 5:00 May through October. Her sharp, black Germanic spire can be seen a few blocks away down Collegienstrasse, which apparently turns into Friedrichstrasse, the proper address. We thought it was all one street and had no trouble finding all the Luther sites lined up in a straight line on the same street. There is no admission, except for a pittance for guided tours.

The two square towers of Stadkirche peak over guild houses on the Markt. With sections dating from the 13th Century, it is the oldest structure in Wittenberg. The "Mother Church of the Reformation," it once held the pulpit from which Luther preached for 30 years (we had already seen part of the pulpit, now removed to Lutherhaus). The reformer and Katharina von Bora, a former nun, were married here in 1525, and a carved stone recess on the side of the building commenorates the celebrated couple, still models for husbands and wives to emulate.

The most striking piece of artwork is the altar by Lucas Cranach the Elder, which was on display, but probably not in its usual place. It was stupendous and bright with bold colors, but not showcased, moved to the side while some restoration work was being accomplished. The restoration of the interior was not major and certainly did not deter the crowd. A church for the stadt, "city,"--translate "commoners"--it has surfaces that require routine painting and sprucing up. Still, a sense of awe assured a quiet crowd today, large, but orderly as they circumnavigated the walls in counter-clockwise fashion. We were surprised at the number of visitors on April 6th, out of season and with an unexpected snowstorm with biting winds making that walk from the rail station a tad uncomfortable, but we were glad we hadn’t waited until summer, when the site must be overwhelmed.

Near the altar, I tried to imagine the position of that pulpit I had seen at Lutherhaus, but the structure was a little confusing. Looking back to where the congregation would have sat, I wondered what kind of idealistic rabble-rousers these Wittenbergers had been to defy Roman authority and cherish "blasphemous" doctrine even while its author was being hunted like a common criminal. The congregation here, as well as their reformer, deserved recognition for their conviction and bravery. (Thanks to this congregation and others, Luther’s ideas were well-established as the new doctrine by the time he came out of hiding in Wartburg Castle.)

A separate room off to the left of the altar had more artwork and artifacts, including more of Cranach’s paintings. We were told not to take pictures, but I couldn’t resist at least one of the interior and snapped one of the entrance on the way out. Some Scaffolding on exterior walls announced that this World Heritage treasure would be more beautiful next time. For today, the greatest story ever told in eastern Germany would reveal its climax at Schlosskirche, further up Collegienstrasse, where Luther and Melanchthon are buried.

Stadkirche is open seven days from November through April until 4pm and from May through October until 5pm. Admission is free.