Erfurt: Where Luther was educated

Imagine a young Martin Luther sitting in this window chatting with a friend. This old market place in the photo above was right next door to the church where Martin Luther was ordained.

These are the streets where he walked.

Notice the narrow streets because there weren't cars and trucks in those days.

Many, many church spires dot the landscape of Eurfurt. This massive Catholic church stands above the largest public square in Europe.

There is often a market in the square.

All the towns associated with Luther's Life are located in former East Germany. We were a bit surprised at the number of places with graffiti. Until I took this photo intentionally, all the photos I took I managed to get graffiti free. I wanted at least one to show the norm covering very old buildings.

Luther, trained in the Monastery

While studying law in Erfurt, Luther felt called into the ministry. He became a monk at an Augustinian Monastery. This room has remained the same as when he was there.

The monks who lived here with Luther as a young monk rotated rooms so they wouldn't feel tied to possessions. They ate out of simple pottery.

This was like their prayer room might have been.

The Abby had treasures from antiquity. These are said to be shoes of an apostle.

Luther's Wittenburg Churches

The first church important in Wittenburg is the place where Martin Luther was married, where his children were baptised and where he regularily preached. The outside is simple. Below is what remains of his pulpit.

The second church important to Luther's town is the Castle Church. This was a place for theological discussion and debate. It was where he posted his 95 theses that began the Protestant Reformation process.

Here is Luther's grave, at the Castle Church.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/wittenberg.htm

Luther's Writings

Martin Luther's writings changed the world. He lived when the Guttenburg press started to revolutionize written work by mass production. Here is a printing press in Wittenburg... much the same as it was in Luther's era.



This library shows off many of his works including his Bible.

Luther's handwriting.

Luther's House in Wittenburg

Martin Luther spent most of his life in Wittenburg. His official teaching career began here. He took a wife and raised a family here.

He was given this church to be his home when he married. Good thing, as they often had guests- as many as 60 at a time.

Wittenburg is a lovely town.

We joined a tour group sponsored by a English speaking Lutheran Church in Frankfurt, Germany.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/wittenberg.htm

Bach, born in Eisenach, Germany

In the same town where Luther translated the Bible into German, several decades later the famous composer, J.S. Bach was born.

Old instruments, but new listeners...

Above is the house where Bach was born. Below, the view from a window in his house and the street he grew up on.

Bach attended this church and was baptised at this fount.

This is a very old grave in Eisenach.

Luther at Wartburg Castle

" A Mighty Fortress is our God..." When Martin Luther penned the words of this hymn, he was probably thinking of the Wartburg Castle, towering above Eisenach, Germany.

Luther spent close to a year in relative seclusion at this castle for his own protection from Catholic Church leaders. The first 3 months he was there, he translated the first German translation of the New Testament.

The photo above shows Luther's room where he wrote. The photo below shows the view near his room.

When Luther was a young lad, long before he holed up in the castle, he studied in Eisenach and lived in this home at one time.

We feel privileged to walk in Luther's footsteps and see church history become real to us.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartburg_Castle