An authentic display of history

1. Pedestrianised Collegienstrasse, the Old Town's main artery is a cobblestone street lined with souvenir shops, restaurants, ice-cream parlours and food stores. Most of the historic attractions like Lutherhaus, Melanchtonhaus and the University Gate are squeezed between shops; so, while enjoying the lively atmosphere among the pushing masses of German tourists, don't fail to inspect these interesting buildings which house excellent history museums associated with the Reformation.
2. The westernmost end of Collegienstrasse opens into the Markt, a medieval square surrounded by graceful Renaissance houses. The large picturesque Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall) which occupies one complete side of the square has a magnificent portico that shouldn't be missed. Two large statues of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchton stand proudly under canopies in front of the Rathaus.
3. A tiny passageway leads from the east side of the Markt to Kirchplatz where the old brick city church of St.Marien almost fills the entire square. Inside, a wealth of historical artefacts and paintings await visitors.
4. From the Markt, Schlossstrasse runs westwards towards the castle and the castle church. The huge Schlosskirche where both Luther and Melanchton are interred stands as a monument to Europe's greatest religious reformers.

Quick Tips:

1. Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's Tourist Office is at Schlossplatz 2 in front of Schlosskirche. Its shop is one of the best places to buy Lutherstadt-Wittenberg souvenirs and handicrafts. If you arrive by train however, don't ever dream of asking for information here since it lies 2kms west of the train station on the other side of the town.
2. To savour the Old Town charm of Lutherstadt-Wittenberg without being pressed to hurry from one attraction to the next, it's advisable to stay overnight. In the Old Town, there are a handful of good hotels where the medieval town atmosphere can be felt from the hotel's door. Stadhotel Wittenberg Schwarzer Baer for example, has a dream location - a stone's throw from Schlosskirche. Better for atmosphere but not for location is Hotel Brahaus Wittenberg which is right on the market square at Markt 6 in an area of shops and restaurants.
3. Those who want to substitute location for cheap accomodation have numerous hotels to choose from, mostly located outside the centre. Acron Hotel, a stone's throw from the Hauptbahnhof is good. If you crave for personal attention however, opt for Pension-Gastehaus Lindemann where clients enjoy priority over anything else.

Best Way To Get Around:

1. Lutherstadt-Wittenberg can be reached directly by frequent Intercity trains from Berlin's east station (Ostbahnhof) in about 1.5 hours. From Potsdam, there are no direct trains however. The best thing is to take an ordinary train to Bitterfeld from where you carry on with the Intercity to Lutherstadt-Wittenberg.
2. Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's train station is southeast of the Old Town in an area under construction. After climbing steps to exit from the station, you may find yourself lost amidst vast red-paved areas, traffic islands and bus lanes. A couple of metres away on your left however, there is a small information kiosk which is undoubtedly the best source of transport information in town. Don't hesitate to ask. The friendly and helpful ladies on duty will provide you with brochures and any other information you may need.
3. As you exit from the train station, you will find the bus station on your right. If your hotel is within the Old Town however, there's no need to take a bus. Just follow the crowds along newly constructed roads towards the south end of Lutherstrasse. A sharp turn into Wilhelm-Weber strasse soon leads towards the east end of Collegienstrasse, the Old Town's main artery.

Inconveniently located 2kms out of Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's Old Town, Pension-Gastehaus Lindemann is mostly beneficial to those who have their own means of transport since there's ample free parking space within the surrounding grounds. However, even if you don't have transport, you can still come here since the difficulty in accessibility is more than compensated for by numerous other benefits.

If you arrive by train during the day, exit from the station and go straight towards the information kiosk on the paved walkway to your left. Politely ask the English-speaking ladies on duty to phone up Pension Lindemann to check for availability, in which case you can be sure that the friendly lady owner will be pleased to pick you up. Alternatively, you can walk towards the pension in about 30 minutes. From the station, don't follow the crowds but walk to your right towards the bus station. From here, Am Hauptbahnhof runs northwest towards the roundabout on Friedrichstrasse, a main road that connects further north with the B2 motorway to Berlin. Walk north along Friedrichstrasse for about 1km past rows of front gardens and residential buildings. Pension-Gastehaus Lindemann is on your right.

Comprising just eight comfortable newly refurbished rooms, which include two singles, five doubles and one triple, Pension Lindemann is a small bungalow-style building constructed within a lovely garden area. An abundance of pot plants and blooming geraniums decorate the drive-in while a profusion of shrubs and flowering bushes complete the picture in the colorful back garden. You can sit here on a wooden bench or lie over a deckchair anytime you like and enjoy the serene atmosphere of a marvelously picturesque garden.

All rooms have recently been given a facelift and are currently in tiptop condition. The interior designer responsible for refurbishment matched the pastel colors of the walls with the soft undulating lines of the fluffy quilt and curtains. The trim light-wood furniture polished to a high sheen adds to the aura of cleanliness, calm, order and space. A couple of electric air fresheners contribute further to the soothing effect. The bathroom equipped with new accessories is supplied daily with clean towels, toothpaste and tissues and decorated with a matching vase of fresh flowers.

The small white painted breakfast room that overlooks the garden is adorned with numerous traditional decorations prevalent in country cottages. The trim and tidy perfectly laid tables with tablecloths and matching napkins await clients for the daily buffet breakfast between 8am and 10am. An abundance of oven-fresh bread and a good assortment of cheese, ham and cereal are available daily. Take your pick of fresh fruit from the wide variety displayed in country-style wicker baskets.

Would-be visitors may be impressed by all this. But on coming here, they will surely be more impressed by the hearty welcome given by the friendly, helpful and generous lady owner who gives personal attention to her clients and goes out of her way to provide them with information about her much beloved city.

The name of this restaurant is a clear indication of both its Italian origin and its location, a short distance away from Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's castle. So, if you're looking for special Italian fare in a superb location where the ambience is as pleasant as the food, opt for Il Castello and your desires and expectations will definitely be satisfied.

Located next to the historical building that houses the Stadthotel Wittenberg Schwarzer Baer, Il Castello occupies two floors of another medieval building that has been meticulously restored with no expense spared. If you're in the vicinity of the Tourist Office, walk east along Schlossstrasse for about 30 metres where you'll find Il Castello on your right. Alternatively, Il Castello is a stone's throw from the Markt at the easternmost end of Schlossstrasse.

The restaurant's ground floor is furnished with a dark-wood bar and numerous matching stools where customers can sit and enjoy a delicious cocktail that is mixed, shaken and iced by the Italian barman. You can opt for Pils or Radeberger on draught if you wish or else choose local quality wine like Riesling or Muller-Thurgau. You can take your free share of mouth-watering appetizers from the wide variety presented at the bar. The drinking area leads to the restaurant's inner courtyard that houses a gazebo-style garden conservatory that is awfully hot in summer but ideal for the winter weather. Even better is the ambience at a table on the street where clients can enjoy a festive atmosphere brought about by the tour groups who parade from the Markt towards Schlossplatz. After sunset, the atmosphere is further enhanced by the scarcely audible Italian operetta music that creates an aura of relaxation.

Upstairs, the huge restaurant is furnished with dark-wood tables and matching armchairs, arranged systematically to create an atmosphere of elegance, tidiness and refinement. The curtains gathered at the sides to allow natural light to come through add to the elegance of the place. White tablecloths and matching napkins, silver cutlery and vases with fresh flowers characterize the restaurant's high-class superfine atmosphere.

Some customers dine here to enjoy the elegance of the restaurant upstairs; others opt to dine at the sunshaded street tables to enjoy the lively atmosphere that characterizes this pedestrianised mall. But without exception, all come here to savor the delicious Italian fare, which is undoubtedly the best asset of Il Castello. The usual varieties of pizza are tasty and good; better are the unusual ones, such as the pizza al salamone topped with fillets of fresh salmon and crushed almonds. The long list of pasta dishes on the menu makes the choice difficult but undoubtedly, the best is the pasta au gratin, which is always served with a fuming layer of parmigiano. The long list of Italian desserts caters only for those who want to keep their sugar level high. Try the over-sweet cassata Siciliana or opt for a semi-freddo with the flavor and topping of your choice.

Opens daily from 11:00am to midnight.

Walking along the unpretentious streets, alleyways and courtyards of Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's Old Town and inspecting the preserved medieval houses and churches is like attending a series of lessons about 16th-century German history. While history lessons may be tedious, stale and old-fashioned, the experience gained by looking closely into Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's medieval buildings is alive, fresh and unforgettable. For its medieval historic buildings, which are undoubtedly a great source of cultural and artistic enrichment, Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's Old Town was added to the list of UNESCO World Culture Sites in 1996.

The Tourist Office and Wittenberg Information Bureau at Schlossplatz 2 west of the Old Town center provides all sorts of guided tours for groups and individuals but for obvious reasons, there's nothing better than touring around independently taking preferred attractions at your own pace without being pushed from one attraction to the next. Any tours by independent travelers along Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's medieval town streets must necessarily start from the easternmost end of Collegienstrasse, the pedestrianised mall that runs across the Old Town. But before proceeding along Collegienstrasse, make a back detour towards the small park at the southernmost end of Lutherstrasse. At this place, referred to as Luthereiche, a tree stands to commemorate the burning by Luther of the Pope's edict in which Luther was threatened with excommunication.

Back to Collegienstrasse. On the left side, a short distance west from the end of the street is Lutherhaus at Collegienstrasse 54. Within the walls of this former Augustinian monastery, Luther lived from 1511 up to the end of his life and it was from here in 1517 that he initiated the Reformation. Except perhaps for the medieval tower, the white painted building is not architecturally impressive but historically, it has great cultural importance considering that Luther's Reformation made great impact on the political and religious scene that prevailed in Europe in the early 16th-century. The building houses a small but otherwise excellent history museum related to the Reformation. Not to be missed are the room furnished by Luther himself and the copy of the Pope's edict threatening his excommunication.

Further west at Collegienstrasse 60 is Melanchton's house, which has also been restored to house a history museum. Melanchton, a classical scholar, a close friend of Luther and a lecturer at Wittenberg's university was the mind behind the reform of the German system of education. Not to be missed are the huge artistic stove and Melanchton's preserved writing desk that are both displayed in his former study.

A few metres westwards on the same side, Collegienstrasse is adorned with the medieval University Gate. Though small and far from stately, the preserved University Gate covered with fine intricate sculptures is attractive and pleasing. Enter through the gate to see the big building of the university that was considered the top university of Saxony in the Middle Ages. As Collegienstrasse runs westwards, it becomes a shopping mall with more souvenir shops, boutiques and restaurants. Although perhaps too commercial, the atmosphere is still charming considering the tasteful display of handicrafts and artistic works in the shop windows and the sunshaded tables standing outside opposite numerous restaurants, ice-cream parlors, coffeehouses and pubs.

The most impressive and atmospheric section of Collegienstrasse is definitely when it opens into the Markt, the Old Town square lined with numerous medieval buildings that have been meticulously restored. The huge white building that occupies the north side of the square is the Altes Rathaus, an untouched monumental specimen of the simple yet beautiful German Renaissance architecture predominant in Germany in the 15th- and 16th-centuries. The canopied portico that leads to the door is as graceful as the orderly arrangement of the windows that characterize the main facade. Don't fail to examine the magnificent architecture of the buildings along the east side of the square backdropped by the lofty twin towers of the church of St. Marien. In front of the Rathaus, two similar colonnaded bronze canopies shelter the big statues of Luther and Melanchton. Identical in size and composition, the statues cannot but emphasize the fact that both reformers contributed equally towards the religious and educational Reformation.

A tiny passageway along the east side of the square soon leads to Kirchplatz, an unsymmetrical medieval square dominated by the city church of St. Marien. Although this church was enlarged and modified throughout the centuries, its external architecture dates back from the 15th-century. There's much to see inside but don't expect gaudy works of art or gilded sculptures. From the table that adjoins the shop near the main door, take a free information sheet (available in many languages but returnable), that will direct you towards all the attractions. The highlight is the huge altarpiece, an artistic work by Lucas Cranach the Elder and his son completed in 1547 when Lutheranism was establishing itself and spreading all over Germany. Note Luther himself, Melanchton and Cranach on the right side of the picture. The pulpit from where Luther preached to the congregation and the original baptismal font are still there. More fine paintings are permanently exhibited behind the high altar. The sacristy on the left side houses temporary exhibits of ecclesiastical paintings and other fine works of sacred art.

West of the Markt, Collegienstrasse becomes Schlossstrasse and curves slightly towards the Castle and the Castle Church. At Schlossstrasse 1, visitors can see the Cranach-Hofe, the house where the Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Elder lived and worked for 43 years. Not to be missed is the charming courtyard with numerous photos of the house before restoration. Further west at Schlossstrasse 6, the Pflug History Museum has exhibits about the development of the German Democratic Republic from its birth in 1949 to its collapse in 1990. From here, don't fail to look at the majestic tower of Schlosskirche that dominates the city's skyline.

Walk towards the church in the direction of Schlossplatz. Passageways on your left lead towards the castle, a medium-sized structure that is neither stately nor interesting but nonetheless authentic and untouched. The Julius Riemer Museum of Nature and Folklore housed inside however has an interesting display worth viewing. The adjacent Schlosskirche, that has been rebuilt, contains numerous historic artifacts that ask for careful inspection. Available on entry is a free information sheet that guides you around the attractions. Not to be missed for their historical significance are Luther's and Melanchton's tombstones. Organ recitals giving visitors the opportunity to listen to the wonderful tune of the classical church organ are held every Tuesday from 2:30pm to 3pm.

Before leaving Lutherstadt-Wittenberg, make sure to stroll along other Old Town streets, which may be less prominent but nonetheless picturesque. Narrow Mittelstrasse, which runs from Kirchplatz towards the east end of the town, is lined with more medieval houses, some of which are still under restoration. Judenstrasse behind the Old Town Hall and its continuation Coswigerstrasse are ideal for a stroll in an atmosphere that is undisturbed, calm and serene.

To realize fully the historical and cultural value of Lutherstadt-Wittenberg's churches and museums, it is advisable to get acquainted with the social and religious climate that led to Luther's Reformation.

In the early 16th-century, Germany was still a divided country governed by a number of princes and noblemen who had supreme power over their lands. In this sense, they were even more powerful than the king. On the other hand, the peasants and countrymen were treated no better than slaves and having nothing to lose except their serfdom, they were easily enticed to revolt against authority, be it civil or religious. At the same time, the Catholic Church in Germany was considered the wealthiest in Europe and it was estimated that it owned one-third of the German estate. This resulted in numerous priests being attracted towards the priesthood more for personal gain and money than to fulfill their pastoral vocation. To make matters worse, many Catholic priests forbidden by the church to marry were contrary to moral law living with a woman outside marriage. The situation among male or female members of religious communities residing in German monasteries was not much better.

Such was the general climate in Germany during the times when Martin Luther was born on the 10th November 1483 in Eisleben in the state of Saxony. Born within a miner's family where the only source of income came from manual strenuous work in the mines, Martin Luther was given a rigid form of education based upon strict discipline and religious formation. At the age of 15, he was accepted as a student in the University of Erfurt, that in those days was considered the best university in Germany. In 1502, he graduated with a degree in Philosophy. Unusual and somewhat mysterious circumstances 3 years later attracted Martin Luther towards the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt where he joined the community of monks on the 17th July 1505. He was ordained priest in 1507 and a year later, he was transferred from the monastery in Erfurt to that in Wittenberg where he stayed for just 1 year, during that time he started teaching in the University of Wittenberg. Back in Erfurt for 3 more years, he was finally chosen as the vice-superior of Wittenberg's monastery. Consequently for a second time, he was entrusted to teach in Wittenberg's University, which by this time was making a name all over Germany.

Martin Luther was always a controversial figure, obstinate and extremely hard to convince. It was perhaps this trait in his character that led him to oppose the teaching of the Catholic Church during the pontificate of Leo X. When large amounts of money were needed for the construction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Pope Leo X promised the remission of sins through plenary indulgence to any Catholic who contributed towards this cause. This was considered by Luther as an outright abuse on the part of the church. How could the poor and the peasants who couldn't even afford to buy the necessities pay their contribution to the church? Martin Luther was convinced he had to preach against such teaching, that was discriminating against the working classes. On numerous occasions he did so from the pulpit of the city church of St. Marien in Wittenburg. The ever-increasing congregation consisting mostly of the needy saw in Luther's arguments the support they required to set aside social injustices.

These and other similar circumstances were just the commencement of a long struggle between Luther and the Pope. When the Pope issued the edict 'Exsurge Domine' in that it was declared that whoever opposed the church's teaching on matters of faith was to be excommunicated, Luther was arrogant enough to burn down the Pope's edict in front of the professors and students of Wittenberg's University. For obvious reasons, many German princes and Catholic noblemen were against Luther's teaching and in 1521, it was decided that Luther was to be expelled from the country. However, an intriguing plot by Prince Frederick of Saxony who favored Luther resulted in providing him with shelter and protection within the walls of Wartburg Castle. Here he stayed for 18 months, during that time he wrote numerous theses that were later valued highly among his followers. During his stay at Wartburg, some of his followers who included students, university professors and workers coordinated together to revolt against the teaching of the Catholic Church but as soon as Luther reappeared in Wittenberg in 1522, he calmed down the situation after numerous appeals from the pulpit. Soon after, he changed drastically the liturgy of the Mass and the manner in that Sacraments were administered. Less than a year later, the saying of Mass was abolished in the city.

Martin Luther's home was the Augustinian Monastery on Collegienstrasse in Wittenberg. When some Cistercian sisters from the Monastery of Nimbschen slipped away because they couldn't stick monastery life any further, Luther was kind enough to welcome them into his home. One of them was Katarina Bora whom he married secretly on the 13th June 1525 in the Church of St. Marien.

In 1530, Melanchton, a friend of Luther and professor at Wittenberg's University, compiled the teaching of Luther into a series of documents in that he explained as clearly as possible the doctrine of Lutheranism and disclosed the points of disagreement between Lutheranism and Catholicism. However, the actual religious reform was still in the hands of Luther and he continued preaching from the pulpit of Wittenberg's city church and publishing more theses about religious matters. His fervor for teaching the faith and helping the poor and the sick was carried on without interruption for many more years. His courage to defend the working classes, the needy and the unfortunate earned him deservedly more followers who flocked to Wittenberg to listen to his eloquent speeches from the pulpit of St. Marien's Church. His followers often referred to him as the Pope of Wittenberg.

In 1546, for health reasons, he was forced to leave Wittenberg for Eisleben, his birthplace, taking with him his wife and a couple of close friends. Less than 1 month later, Martin Luther died on the 18th February 1546 at the age of 63. His greatest wish was to establish the city of Wittenberg as the focus of Lutheranism. Whether he succeeded or not is uncertain but without shadow of doubt, he will definitely be remembered by anybody who visits his beloved historic city whose name was later changed from Wittenberg to Lutherstadt-Wittenberg.