Eight routes include a total of 42 sites. Each of the sites represents an important moment in the life of the great reformer, Martin Luther.
2017 marks a special jubilee – 500 years since the Reformation, an important anniversary for all Protestants and all citizens of the world who share a keen interest in history and culture. It is precisely for that reason that the German Tourism Association decided to put the focus of this year’s marketing campaign on special places that celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther. In order to connect all locations and monuments of significance to his heritage, eight routes have been designed which crisscross Germany. The first route starts in Berlin, the venue of the 2017 National Special Exhibition, proceeding to Potsdam and its many attractions, continuing to Sachsen-Anhalt, the heart of the Reformation and two key towns in the life of Martin Luther, namely Eisleben and Wittenberg, which feature prominent monuments inscribed on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Wittenberg is home to the castle church, where Luther nailed his 95 theses to the door in 1517, while Eisleben features Luther’s House, the place of his birth and death, now the UNESCO World Heritage site and museum. Other routes focus on Luther’s life and his time during the Reformation and its cultural heritage, politics and rebellion, his sermons, vision, modest beginnings and major impacts, with the final route focusing on the view beyond the borders of Germany, encompassing other places where the ideas of the Reformation were fervently advocated, which was also significant to the emergence of Humanism. The routes connect 42 locations which marked the life and path of the great reformer, allowing tourists to plan their trip on their own, using the routes as a framework. The beginning and the end, together with all the stops along the way, are all within reach, regardless of whether you’re traveling by bus, train, car or bicycle.
