Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

73

Luther’s Living Room

Look out for Luther’s living room

in the Lutherhaus. Left as bare as

it was in 1535, it is easy to imagine

his students gathered here for the

religious conversations that were

later compiled in the book Table

Talk. Luther’s views on many

religious and social matters are

candidly outlined in the book.

DRIVE 5: History and Revolutions Along the Elbe

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

VISITING LUTHERSTADT

WITTENBERG

Parking

The most convenient place to park is

the outdoor parking lot on Neustrasse

at the corner of Mittlestrasse, though

there is plenty of on-street parking in

the vicinity, if this is full.

Tourist Information

Schlossstrasse 16, 06886; 03491 49 86

10; http://www.wittenberg.de

EAT AND DRINK

WÖRLITZ

Gastwirtschaft im Küchengebäude

moderate

Located in the old kitchens of the

Schloss, this restaurant is the only real

option inside the park grounds.

Schloss Wörlitz, 06786; 03495 02 23 38

Pension Zum Hauenden Schwein

moderate

This pension has a good traditional

wine bar and restaurant.

Erdmannsdorffstrasse 69, 06786;

03490 53 01 90

LUTHERSTADT WITTENBERG

Wittenberger Kartoffelhaus

inexpensive

An old-fashioned, dark-wood pub

specializing in potato preparations.

Schlossstrasse 2, 06886; 03491 41 12 00

Alte Canzley moderate

An excellent organic restaurant, with a

menu featuring beef in a black-beer

crust and asparagus ice cream.

Schlossstrasse 3, 06886; 03491 42 91

90; http://www.alte-canzley.de

Marc de Cafe moderate

The fabulous cakes, coffee, and relaxed

atmosphere here encourage lingering.

Pfaffengasse 5, 06886; 03491 45 91 14

DAY TRIP OPTIONS

A variety of day trips are possible

along this route, taking in

ecclesiastical outposts, trading towns,

and landscaped gardens. Also discover

Lutherstadt Wittenberg’s many links

with the Protestant Reformation.

The ecclesiastical frontier

Visit the red-brick abbeys and

churches at Jerichow 2 and

Havelberg 1 and then wander

around the half-timbered houses of

Tangermünde 3. The last two can

also be reached by sailing up the Elbe

on a day trip from Magdeburg 4.

Take the B1 and turn left on to the

B107 to Jerichow and then Havelberg.

Landscape and architecture

Follow the tour from Magdeburg 4

to the Bauhaus design school 5.

Next, head for the charming, English-

style gardens of Wörlitz 6. If the

weather is bad, visit the other

Bauhaus buildings in Dessau; if

it is fine, enjoy a picnic in Wörlitz.

Follow the driving instructions

from Magdeburg.

In the footsteps of Reformation

Children will love the Lutherhaus, as it

offers plenty of engaging audio-visual

games. Be sure to climb the stairs of

the Schlossturm and then relax with

coffee and cake at Marc de Café.

Take the B184 and then the B187.

con viction in 1520 by publicly
burning the papal bull threatening

his excom munica tion. Further along
Collegienstrasse from the Lutherhaus
is the Renaissance Melanchthonhaus
3 (closed Mon), the former house
of Humanist Philipp Melanchthon,
Luther’s closest asso ciate and the
author of Augsburg Confession, a
state ment of belief that became
the Protestant constitution. Further
on, Collegienstrasse ends at the
Marktplatz 4 , where 19th-century
statues of Luther and Melanchthon
stand. To their right, an alley cuts

through a row of town houses to the
Stadtkirche St. Marien 5 (open daily),

where Luther married Katharina von

Bora and their six children were bap-

tized. This church dates from 1300 and

contains an altar (1547) painted by the

artist Lucas Cranach the Elder and his

son. On the south ern side of the

Marktplatz is the Cranachhaus 6 ,

once the resi dence of the artist. A few

doors to the right is his former studio,

the Galerie im Cranachhaus (open

daily). Further left, Schlossstrasse leads

to the old palace and the Gothic

Schlosskirche 7 (open daily). On

October 31, 1517, Luther is said to

have pinned his 95 theses on its door,

which has since been replaced with a

bronze door with the theses inscribed

in Latin. His tomb stone lies below the

pulpit, oppo site that of Melanchthon.

The stairs up the Schlossturm (castle

tower) next door offers pretty views

over the town. Take the Schlosstrasse

to Collegien strasse, turn left into

Mittelstrasse to the parking lot.

Left Impressive interior of the Gothic

Schlosskirche, Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Below Luthereiche outside the Lutherhaus,

Lutherstadt Wittenberg