Lutherstadt Wittenberg Travel Guide

Introduction

This is the city associated with Martin Luther (1483-1546), leader of the German Reformation, and it attracts pilgrims from all over the world. Wittenberg's other famous son was humanist Philipp Melanchthon (1497-1560), a Protestant reformer and scholar, and a friend of Luther's and later of Calvin's. Luther and Melanchthon are honored with statues in front of the Rathaus. Wittenberg is a handsome enough city, but a stop here isn't a must unless you're particularly interested in Luther.

Wittenberg lies 68km (42 miles) northeast of Leipzig and 100km (62 miles) southwest of Berlin. Access by car is via the A9 Autobahn north and south, Route 187 east, and Highway 2 north and south. The Wittenberg Bahnhof is on the major Deutsche Bundesbahn rail line (Halle-Berlin), with frequent connections. It's an hour by train from Leipzig. For travel information, contact Wittenberg-Information, Schlossplatz 2 (tel. 03491/498610). November to February, it's open Monday to Friday from 10am...