Luther Trail (Lutherweg)

In short: Luther Trail (Lutherweg): from Wittenberg, among others to Luther sites in several German states. Length: network with several sections, duration: depends on the section. Best time: Spring to autumn.

Overview

The Luther Trail is a network of regional routes linking places from the life of Martin Luther, with no single continuous path. One focus is in Saxony-Anhalt around Wittenberg and Eisleben, and there are further sections in Thuringia, Saxony, Hesse and Bavaria.

Protestant tradition does not really include pilgrimage, as Luther himself criticised it. Even so, the trail attracts people today who want to combine history and exercise.

The sections are manageable, and you can often connect to the railway. Because the trail stays close to towns, guesthouses and hotels are easy to find.

Main stops: Wittenberg, Eisleben, Erfurt, Eisenach.

Stops in a reformer's life

The main places are easy to name: Eisleben, where Luther was born and died, the Augustinian monastery in Erfurt, Wartburg Castle near Eisenach, where he translated the New Testament, and Wittenberg with the Castle Church, on whose door the 1517 theses are said to have been posted.

Which section should you choose?

Because there is no single overall route, you pick a section. The area in Saxony-Anhalt around Wittenberg is a good place to start. How well the sections are marked differs from state to state. Get the regional map before you set off.

Who is this route for?

This route suits a first pilgrimage well. You need no mountain experience, normal basic fitness and broken-in shoes are enough.

You can find more routes under Pilgrimage routes in Europe, Pilgrimage in Germany, sorted by religion under Christian pilgrimage routes.