If you go Where to stay
Hotel Alte Canzley. Schlossplatz 3-5, Wittenberg, 011-493491-429190, alte-canzley.com/en
Wake up in front of the Castle Church, where Luther nailed his 95 theses, at this lovely 4-star hotel housed in a 14th-century building. The eight rooms are named after famous guests and come with a kitchenette. Rates start at around $158.
Schlossstrasse 2, Wittenberg, 011-49-34914204344, schwarzer-baerwittenberg.de
It doesn’t get more central than this family-run inn next to the Cranach courtyard. There are singles, doubles and even “Luther Rooms” where you can sleep with the Reformer’s pudgy face above your bed. Rates start at around $125. from the 16th century serve more than 60 types of potato dishes, including gamy deermeat stew with spaetzle potato noodles. Entrees run from $10 to $18. Castle Church. Schlossplatz 1, Wittenberg, 011-49-3491402585, lutherstadt-wittenberg.de/en/culture/unescoweltkulturerbe/schlosskirche
The famous church is where Martin Luther nailed his theses to the door. The original wood door was destroyed by a fire in 1760 and has been replaced by bronze doors with his theses inscribed in Latin. Luther and fellow reformer Philipp Melanchthon are buried inside just under the pulpits. Free admission. Open Monday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Guided tours in English are available for around $4.15 Monday through Saturday from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lutherhaus. Collegianstrasse 54, Wittenberg, 011-49-349142030, martinluther.de/de/ besuch/museen/lutherhaus
Housed in a former Augustinian monastery and reopened in March after a sixmonth renovation, Luther’s former home is now the world’s largest Reformation museum and a must-see site for visitors. See where Luther wrote sermons and prepared his theses, as well as Cranach’s wood-paneled painting of the Ten Commandments and an original Luther bible. Regular admission around $9; reduced for students and those with disabilities to around $7. Asisi Panorama. Lutherstrasse 42, Wittenberg, 01149-3491-6434700, asisi.de/ panoramas/luther-1517.html
Built inside a towering rotunda last year, Yadegar Asisi’s striking 50-by-250-foot panoramic illustration of life in 16th-century Wittenberg is a 360-degree, cinematic experience and a great primer for anyone wishing to learn about the events that led to the Reformation. Regular admission around $12.50; reduced for students and those with disabilities to around $10; children around $4.50. Book two nights & get a third night