car hire wittenberg

Guide City Wittenberg

Wittenberg is a town in Germany, in the Bundesland Saxony-Anhalt, at 12°59' east, 51°51' north. It has a population of about 50.000 inhabitants.

Wittenberg is interesting chiefly on account of its close connexion with Martin Luther and the dawn of the Reformation; and several of its buildings are associated with the events of that time. Part of the Augustinian monastery in which Luther dwelt, at first as a monk and in later life as owner with his wife and family, is still preserved, and has been fitted up as a Luther museum. It contains numerous relics of Luther and portraits and other paintings by the Cranachs.

The Augusteum, built in 1564-1583 on the site of the monastery, is now a theological seminary.

The Schlosskirche, ('castle church') to the doors of which Luther nailed his famous ninety-five theses in 1517, dates from 1439-1499; it was, however, seriously damaged by fire during the bombardment of 1760, was practically rebuilt, and was since (1885-1892) restored. The old wooden doors, burnt in 1760, were replaced in 1858 by bronze doors, bearing the Latin text of the theses. In the interior of the church are the tombs of Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, and of the electors Frederick the Wise, by Peter Vischer the elder (1527), and John the Constant, by Hans Vischer; also portraits of the reformers by Lucas Cranach the younger.

The parish church, in which Luther often preached, was built in the 14th century, but has been much altered since Luther's time. It contains a magnificent painting by Lucas Cranach the elder, representing the Lord's Supper, Baptism and Confession, also a font by Hermann Vischer (1457).

The ancient electoral palace is another of the buildings that suffered severely in 1760; it now contains archives.

Melanchthon's house and the house of Lucas Cranach the elder (1472-1553), who was burgomaster of Wittenberg, are also pointed out.

Statues of Luther (by Schadow), Melanchthon and Bugenhagen embellish the town.

The spot, outside the Elster Gate, where Luther publicly burned the papal bull in 1520, is marked by an oak tree.

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