Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of the Wittenberg Castle church 500 years ago, a bold challenge to the established church hierarchy of Europe. It paved the way for the Protestant Reformation, resulting in shifts in power that affected not only religious life but also the cultural norms of the day.
Germany is marking the anniversary with special events designed to attract faith-based travelers as well as culture and history buffs and fans of art and music. The good news is that the festivities extend well beyond Wittenberg where I recently saw firsthand some of the area's Luther-themed attractions.
In Dresden, for example, where Luther often preached, a statue of the reformer holds pride of place in front of Frauenkirche church in the city center, and a nearly 400-foot-long mural, known as the Furstenzug, or Procession of Princes, on the outer wall of the Dresden castle stables tells the complicated story of how the movers and shakers of the day reacted to the seismic shift brought about by the Reformation.
It's worth noting that the statue and nearly 80% of Dresden was destroyed during World War II from a bombing by the Allied forces in 1945. But today, the city's mix of carefully reconstructed buildings, structures from its time under Soviet rule and modern architecture is a testament to its resilience.
Dresden's Royal Palace in the city center boasts one of the largest collections of pieces from the Reformation, including Luther's signet ring and his drinking goblet.
For an entirely different take on Luther's far-reaching influence in German culture, we traveled to Meissen, about 16 miles northwest of Dresden.
The highlight of the visit was the afternoon at the Meissen State Porcelain Manufactory. I'm a longtime fan of the renowned Meissen porcelain, which dates from the early 18th century, but even those in our group who didn't know a gravy boat from a coffee mug seemed to enjoy the tour.
The village of Torgau was the political hub of Martin Luther’s Protestant Reformation. Photo Credit: Felicity Long
For a fascinating glimpse into Luther's private life, we spent an afternoon in the nearby Renaissance town of Torgau, considered the political hub of the Reformation and located about 90 minutes from Dresden by car.
The jewel of Torgau's crown is Hartenfels Palace, which will host a special exhibition of Reformation artifacts through Oct. 31 and boasts a permanent statue of Martin Luther, who was a frequent visitor. The castle also contains the first newbuilt Lutheran church, which Luther consecrated in 1544, and carries on the quirky, centuries-old tradition of several brown bears living in the castle moat.
Our final destination was Leipzig, where we toured the hipster Spinnerei art center, a massive former industrial site now teeming with young artists, before we delved back into the distant past at Auerbachs Keller. One of the city's oldest restaurants, Auerbachs is famous because Johann Goethe is said to have penned his play "Faust" there, for whom the Mephisto Bar is named. In keeping with our theme, we also learned that Luther, who is said to have liked his pint, was a frequent visitor. All of the Luther-based sites and activities can be enjoyed on their own, or travelers can opt for a pilgrimage along the 750-mile-long Luther Trail, which follows the reformer's footsteps through some of the Germany's most picturesque towns and villages. For more information on the trail, visit www.germany.travel.