Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Eisenach Wartburg Castle

Wartburg Castle

The castle where Martin Luther secretly translated the New Testament from Greek to German while in hiding.

Eisenach, Germany

Added By
Jana
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
The room where Luther translated the New Testament into German.   Unknown
Wartburg Castle   Reisevogel1981 / Atlas Obscura User
Mosaic ceilings at Wartburg Castle   NakNakNak/CC0
Wartburg Castle   Reisevogel1981 / Atlas Obscura User
View from the small tower   Reisevogel1981 / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The beautifully imposing Wartburg Castle has been around for nearly a thousand years, but it’s what happened there between 1521 and 1522 that had the most profound effect on Germany.

On May 4, 1521, fake robbers abducted Martin Luther, who started the Protestant Reformation, after he was excommunicated from the Catholic Church and declared a heretic and outlaw who could be killed without consequence. They took him to Wartburg Castle for safekeeping. To help keep his sanctuary a secret, he grew out his hair and beard and went by the name Junker (“squire” or “knight”) Jörg.

Luther referred to the castle as his “Patmos,” after the Greek island where the Book of Revelation was written. He wrote many things in his exile, and was supposedly tormented by the devil, but his most significant work was translating The New Testament from Greek to German. It was not the first time this had been done, but it became so popular it contributed to the standardization of the German language.

The room where Luther did his translation is preserved. Some pieces, like the desk, are not original, but the piece of whale vertebra he used as a footstool is. An original first edition of his translation is on display. It is a powerful place of pilgrimage for Lutherans and other Protestants from around the world.

Other notable chapters of the castle’s history include the brief life of Saint Elizabeth, the Battle of the Bards that became a Richard Wagner opera, and the German unity rally at which a flag was flown that served as inspiration for the modern German flag. Walls and ceilings decorated with paintings, tapestries, and mosaics combine to make the castle a feast for the eyes.

Related Tags

Castles Christianity Catholic Mosaics Religion Linguistics Sacred Spaces

Community Contributors

Added By

Reisevogel1981

Edited By

aribrown, AaronNetsky

  • aribrown
  • AaronNetsky

Published

September 7, 2017

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://europeforvisitors.com/germany/eisenach/wartburg-castle-visitor-information.htm
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartburg
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#At_Wartburg_Castle
  • http://www.luther.de/en/wartburg.html
  • http://www.uncommon-travel-germany.com/wartburg.html
  • http://www.wartburg.de/en//national-exhibition-in-2017.html
  • http://www.spiritualtravels.info/articles-2/europe-2/a-martin-luther-tour-in-germany/eisenach/some-personal-reflections-on-wartburg-castle/
  • https://www.luther2017.de/en/news/outlawed-and-unrecognised-at-wartburg-castle/
  • http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/897
  • http://www.sacred-destinations.com/germany/wartburg-castle
Wartburg Castle
1 Auf der Wartburg
Eisenach
Germany
50.966143, 10.306331
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Naturbauten Park

Nentershausen, Germany

miles away

The Living Fence

Ohrdruf, Germany

miles away

Krämerbrücke

Erfurt, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Germany

Germany

Europe

Places 755
Stories 68

Nearby Places

Naturbauten Park

Nentershausen, Germany

miles away

The Living Fence

Ohrdruf, Germany

miles away

Krämerbrücke

Erfurt, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Germany

Germany

Europe

Places 755
Stories 68

Related Places

  • The monument with the inscription is the only trace of the convent.

    Somerville, Massachusetts

    Site of the Destroyed Ursuline Convent

    A monument marks where a convent was burned by an anti-Catholic mob in 1834.

  • Kigungu Missionary Landing Site monument.

    Entebbe, Uganda

    Kigungu Missionary Landing Site

    A monument marks the spot where the first Catholic missionaries arrived in Uganda.

  • Pater Noster Church.

    Jerusalem, Israel

    Church of the Pater Noster

    Dozens of elegant ceramic tiles decorate these ancient walls, each displaying the Lord's Prayer in a different language.

  • Ruins of Um er-Rasas.

    Umm ar-Rasas, Jordan

    Um er-Rasas

    The remains of three different ancient civilizations have been found at this rich archaeological site.

  • The interior.

    Palermo, Italy

    The Martorana

    This mosaic-lined medieval church was built by the world's first admiral and still holds mass in ancient Greek.

  • The statue.

    Windsor, Ohio

    Servants of Mary Center for Peace

    The world's largest Our Lady of Guadalupe statue overlooks this Ohio sanctuary.

  • Château de Villerouge-Termenès

    Villerouge-Termenès, France

    Cathar Castles

    The site of the first medieval crusade that pitted Christians against Christians.

  • The new church, built in 1840.

    Glynn, Northern Ireland

    St. John's Church

    Local legend says there's treasure hidden within its crowded graveyard.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.