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Lutherstadt Eisleben, Germany Travel Guide, touring Lutherstadt Eisleben - Indian Chief Travel
GERMANY  |  Saale-Unstrutt Region, Germany Travel Guide
Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Lutherstadt Eisleben

Lutherstadt Eisleben

Eisleben is the town of Martin Luther’s birth and death. The town's center is unfortunately somewhat rundown and depressing. Still, the area near the main square is relatively well-restored and quite pretty. But step two blocks away and buildings are dilapidated, broken windows go unrepaired and even inhabited buildings are left unpainted. The main problem is that what is unique to Eisleben is not unique to Germany and thus funds are often not available to restore half-timbered houses considered of lesser architectural value to the nation as a whole. The town is a bit grey and therefore best visited on a sunny day. Lutherstadt was added to the town name in 1946. For travelers not interested in Luther, time is better spent elsewhere.

Sightseeing in Eisleben

Eisleben’s main draws are the two museums dedicated to Martin Luther – both UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites. In both museums, information is almost exclusively in German.

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483 in what is now known as the Martin Luther Geburtshaus (Place of Birth), corner of Luther and Seminarstraße 16. His father was a mine inspector and rented part of the house considered one of the best in the area. The house was severely damaged by a neighborhood fire in 1689. Thereafter the town council acquired the property and restored it mostly to its original condition. The museum is spread over two floors and has sacred art, copies of paintings, and documents related to Luther’s life. Behind the house is a former school now used for temporary exhibitions. In the direct vicinity is the Church of St Petri und Paul, Petrikirchplatz, where Luther was baptized the day after his birth.

The museum in the Luthers Sterbehaus (Death House), Andreaskirchplatz 7, also has descriptions almost exclusively in German. Luther died in this house on February 18, 1546. The museum has some period furniture as well as death masks on display.

Directly opposite the museum is the Kirche St Andreas (church), on Andreasplatz, where Luther held his last sermon. The current church was constructed in 1498 after a town fire gutted the original 13th-century one. Of particular artistic value is the magnificently carved Gothic wing altar by Joseph Wackerle (1520). Luther preached from the Lutherkanzel (Luther pulpit) two days before his death. The church has the graves of some counts of Mansfeld and busts of Luther and Melanchthon were added in 1817.

The buildings of the Marktplatz (Market Square) are very well-restored. The Rathaus dates from 1530 but most of the façade facing the square is from 1874. The statue of Luther was added in 1883. Also on the square are the three former palaces belonging to the three lines of Mansfeld counts. A dispute between them was the purpose of Luther’s final visit to Eisleben and it was settled shortly before he died. 

Last updated June 23, 2011
Posted in   Germany  |  Saale-Unstrutt Region
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