Lutherstadt Wittenberg

Lutherstadt Wittenberg is  a centre of spirit and culture. In late 15th and beginning 16th century duke Frederick I., known as "the Wise", settled in Wittenberg and made it into a Metropolitan city of Kursachsen.

He founded in 1502 the still existing university of Wittenberg, called  "Leucorea" (greek translation of Wittenberg). After it gave home to many important thinkers such as Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon it became the cradle of a worldwide religion.

On 31^st of October 1517 Martin Luther published his 95 Theses against the abuses of indulgence. According to the legend, he nailed them to the door of Schlosskirche (castle church). The Luther House, which Martin Luther's wife Katharina von Bora transformed into a thriving industrial and commercial company, has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites as well as the Schlosskirche.

Frederick the Wise commissioned to build a house for Philipp Melanchthon, who also taught at the Wittenberg university and was one of Luther's most important allies.

Lucas Cranach the Elder came to Wittenberg in 1505 as court painter of Frederick the Wise. In The Cranach Courtyard he founded his famous school of painting and established a printing shop and a pharmacy. His reputation was enhanced due to the association with Luther and Melanchthon.

The Cranach courtyards are all restored and well presented to the visitor. In the town church you can see an altar designed by Cranach and some of his paintings.

Lutherstadt Wittenberg is still standing for enlightenment and humanism. Here first were chanced "Schwerter zu Plugscharen" (swords into plough blades). Visitors follow the footsteps of great persons of history and culture like Albrecht Dürer, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Peter the Great of Russia and Karl XII. of Sweden, Frederick the Great, Napoleon, Goethe and many others.

And  ...  when will you come ???