Days: 11 - 13
September 2nd (Mon) - 4th (Wed)
Euros
Conversion rate on
our visit:
€1.00 = $1.11
$1.00 = €.90
Erfurt
                            
       
What We Had
Our only rain (heavy)
on our way to Erfurt
High: 89°F - Low: 75°F
Averages
High: 70°F - Low: 54°F
 Current Conditions
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Page Index

What We Saw
  •  Lunch stop on our way to Erfurt
  •  St. Gregor Church
  •  St. Augustine's Monastery
  •  Erfurt Cathedral
  •  Wartburg Castle
  •  Rathaus (Town Hall)

Where We Ate
  •  Zum güldenen Rade
  •  Hotel Am Kaisersaal
  •  Haus zum Naumburgischen restaurant

Where We Stayed
  •  Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Tour Itinerary

Day 9 (Monday - September 2) In the Footsteps of Luther   
Today we'll say "Auf Wiedersehen" to Munich and transport ourselves back to the 16th century in the heart of Germany's "Luther Country." After checking into our hotel in Erfurt, we'll take a historic walking tour through Erfurt's half-timbered old town. We'll follow in the footsteps of Martin Luther as he became a priest in Erfurt's cathedral and later a monk in its monastery. We'll also learn about the town's historic Jewish population before sitting down to share the day's insights over a hearty dinner together.   Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 5 hours. Sleep in Erfurt.


Day 10 (Tuesday - September 3) Road to Reformation
This morning we'll venture outside of Erfurt to visit the captivating Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther hid away in a small room and translated the New Testament into modern German. After our tour of Wartburg, we will return to Erfurt where you will have the rest of your afternoon and evening to wander through the picturesque pedestrian zone and market square.  Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 2 hours. Sleep in Erfurt
Lunch stop on our way to Erfurt
Monday, September 2, 2024
On our way to Erfurt, Bryan had a great surprise for us. We stopped for a mini lunch just across the border between Bavaria and Thuringia. You can also see a white building in the pictures below. It's one of the last East German border stations you'd have to check through to go from East Germany to the West or vice versa. The building has been converted into a small museum called the Inner German Border Memorial Eisfeld-Rottenbach.


  
In Eisfeld there is a former border tower, which is now used as a memorial.

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the opening of the border on November 9, 2014, it was redesigned for the public. The former border tower of the border crossing gives visitors an insight into life on and with the inner-German border from 1949 to 1989. Above the tower, a model of the former border section can be viewed, which explains the individual border security systems. The memorial is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Admission is €2.00 in €1.00 coins and is payable at the entrance.
Lunch stop on our way to Erfurt
Coburger Str. 501
98673 Eisfeld, Germany
 
St. Gregor Church
Monday, September 2, 2024
This was our first stop on the Erfurt city tour. A 14th-century Gothic parish church at Anger Square. It is one of Erfurt's largest and most important original parish churches.  Note that the picture of the organ is only of the outer facade.  They are hoping to finance (through donations) a new organ to fill it.
St. Gregor Church
Anger 80
99084 Erfurt, Germany
Tel: +49 361 2626962
 
St. Augustine's Monastery
Monday, September 2, 2024
This is another stop on our city tour. Since there are no tours, this is as close as we got. Our interest? Martin Luther lived in the monastery between 1505 and 1511. Unfortunately, virtually, none of the buildings from that time exist today.

 Background from Wikipedia 
St. Augustine's Monastery is a former church and monastery complex dating from the 13th century. The site is almost one hectare (2.5 acres) in size. It was built by Augustinian friars, an order of the Catholic Church. It is most well known as the former home of Martin Luther (1483–1546), the father of the Reformation, who lived there as a friar from 1505 until 1511.

Parts of the complex were destroyed in a British air raid in 1945. Today the complex has a mixture of medieval and modern buildings. It is now used as a place of worship and as a meeting and conference centre. 

 

St. Augustine's Monastery
Augustinerstraße 10
99084 Erfurt, Germany
Tel: +49 361 576600
      
 
Erfurt Cathedral
Monday, September 2, 2024
The closest we got to the Cathedral was the Domplatz, a huge open area opposite the famous stairs. There was no way we were going to climb all those stairs.  

 Background from Wikipedia 
Erfurt Cathedral, also known as St Mary's Cathedral, is the largest and oldest church building in Erfurt and the episcopal seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erfurt. It was mainly built in the International Gothic style and is located on a hillside overlooking the main town square directly next to St Severus' Church. Together, they form a unique architectural ensemble and form the city's landmark.

 

Erfurt Cathedral
Domstufen 1,
99084 Erfurt, Germany
Tel: +49 361 6461265
      
 
 
Zum güldenen Rade
Monday, September 2, 2024
We finished our first day in Erfurt with a group dinner in the biergarten of the Zum güldenen Rade restaurant.  The food was good, and the service was great.  The young woman who waited on us had an opportunity to try out her English.  She was sheepish to do so but did VERY well.  

Zum güldenen Rade
Marktstraße 50, Waagegasse 2-4
99084 Erfurt
Tel: +49 361 5613506
   
 
 
Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Monday, September 2, 2024
We had breakfast both mornings in Erfurt at our hotel. It was by far the best breakfast we had on the trip. The selection of hot foods (fried eggs, bacon, sausage), cold foods(cold cuts, yogurt, various types of cereal), fresh fruit, and breads/rolls was outstanding!  

​
 

Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Futterstrasse 8
Erfurt
Tel: 011 49 361 65 85 60
FAX: 011 49 0 361 6585666
         
 
Wartburg Castle
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
The Wartburg Castle is where Martin Luther hid while translating the New Testament into the version of German used by the common people so everyone understood what they read. 



 Background from Wikipedia 
The Wartburg a castle originally built in the Middle Ages. It is situated on a precipice of 410 metres (1,350 ft) to the southwest of and overlooking the town of Eisenach. It was the home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary, the place where Martin Luther translated the New Testament of the Bible into German and the site of the Wartburg festival of 1817. It was an important inspiration for Ludwig II when he decided to build Neuschwanstein Castle.

 

Wartburg Castle
Auf d. Wartburg 1,
99817 Eisenach, Germany
Tel: +49 3691 2500
      
 
Rathaus (Town Hall)
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Another stop on our city tour.   We're standing in the Fischmarkt (market square) of Erfurt. Pretty sure the statue is Martin Luther.


 Background from the Website 
The old town hall complex, which consists of numerous buildings and has grown over the centuries, was built on the same site where the current town hall stands. The oldest buildings date back to the 13th century. Parts, including the large hall, were demolished in 1830, further parts were demolished in 1865/66, and the remaining parts, including the mighty tower, were demolished in 1870. The main parts of today's town hall were built between 1870 and 1875. In 1904/05, the east wing was extended, a second staircase and the town council meeting room were built. The complex was closed in 1934/35 with the construction of the south building.

Rathaus (Town Hall)
Fischmarkt 1
99084 Erfurt Germany
Tel: +49 361 6551145
      
 
 
Haus zum Naumburgischen restaurant
Tuesday, September 3, 2024
This was a "Bryan" recommendation and a good one.  We found a table outside, right on the square. The food was good...more German faire.  

Haus zum Naumburgischen restaurant
Michaelisstraße 49
99084 Erfurt, Germany
Tel: +4 0361 / 540 24 50
      
 
 
Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Monday, September 2, 2024

Hotel Am Kaisersaal
Futterstrasse 8
Erfurt
Tel: 011 49 361 65 85 60
FAX: 011 49 0 361 6585666
      
 
 
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