Martin Luther (1483-1546) was a German ex-monk, scholar and reformer who is credited with sparking the Protestant Reformation. After he posted his 95 Theses on a church door in Wittenberg in 1517, Reformation ideas spread rapidly from Germany to most of Europe. Each year, thousands of Protestant pilgrims and history buffs follow the "Luther Trail" across Germany, bringing history to life by seeing the very places where Luther lived and died, preached and wrote. Several tour companies now feature Luther Tours, but it is also very easy to design your own Luther heritage tour or just plan to check out a couple Luther sites during your German vacation. Below are the major stops on the Luther Trail in alphabetical order by location. You can also see all these locations on our Interactive Map of Luther Sites! For more information on Luther's life, see this Luther Timeline (offsite).
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Augsburg (1518, 1530) In 1518 at St. Anne's Church in Augsburg, Luther met with Cardinal Cajetan, who demanded that Luther submit to the pope. In 1530, Augsburg was the site of an Imperial Diet at which Protestants presented the Augsburg Confession. In the town hall, the Peace of Augsburg was signed in 1555, temporarily ending the Wars of Religion in Germany. |
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Coburg (1530) Luther, an outlaw of the Holy Roman Empire, remained in Coburg Fortress under the protection of Elector John the Steadfast while Melanchthon attended the Diet of Augsburg in his stead. |
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Erfurt (1501-11) In the quaint medieval town of Erfurt, Luther attended university and later (1505) entered the Augustinian monastery after being frightened during a storm. He was ordained priest at Erfurt's cathedral in 1507. See Luther in Erfurt for more information. |
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Eisenach (1498-1500) Here Luther attends parish school as a young man, staying with relatives. The main attraction is the Lutherhaus, where he stayed. Many years later, he returned to Eisenach to lead the Reformation after a stay at the nearby Wartburg Castle (see below). |
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Eisleben (1483, 1546) Luther was born in Eisleben in 1483, and he also died here in 1546. Sites of interest in Eisleben include Luther's birth house, death house (with his death mask), the churches where Luther was baptized and preached his last sermon, and the Luther Monument. |
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Mansfeld (1484-97) Luther spent his early childhood in Mansfeld, near his birth city of Eisleben. He later moved to Eisenach. |
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Marburg (1529) In 1529, Luther met with Zwingli at the Marburg Colloquy to attempt to unite Lutherans and Zwinglians. The two reformers agreed on 14 of 15 doctrinal points, but could not agree on the interpretation of the Lord's Supper. |
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Wartburg Castle (1521-22) His life in danger after the Diet of Worms, Luther hid out at the Wartburg Castle in Eisenach under the assumed identity of Knight George. He spent most of his time here translating the New Testament into German, which was completed in 1523. Later he reappeared in Eisenach and continued to lead the Reformation. |
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Wittenberg (1512-21, 1522-45) This city is of such importance in Luther's life that its official name is Lutherstadt-Wittenberg (Luther City Wittenberg). Here Luther famously posted his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in 1517, sparking the Reformation. Sites here include the famous door and Luther and Melanchthon's tombs in the Castle Church, Luther's house and museum, Melanchthon's house, and statues of Luther and Melanchton. |
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Worms (1521) In 1521, Luther appeared before the Holy Roman Emperor at the Imperial Diet of Worms and refused to recant his beliefs. It is here that Luther uttered the famous words, "Here I stand, I can do no other." Though the building where this occurred no longer stands, a plaque marks the spot and there is a grand Luther memorial nearby. |
