--- title: "Discover the Sites of the Reformation – The Luther Trail in Saxony" url: "https://www.lutherweg-sachsen.de/en/explore/reformation-sites" description: "The Luther Trail in Saxony leads you through former places where Martin Luther and his companions lived and worked. Set out on a pilgrimage to the Reformation sites in Saxony!" language: "en" breadcrumb: "Root > Luther Trail in Saxony > Explore > Sites of reformation" --- Sites of the Reformation ======================== - - - - Marktplatz Zwickau - Stadt am Lutherweg Sachsen Along the The Luther Trail in Saxony, you can discover places where the history of the Reformation is still tangible today. Churches, monasteries, historic sites and **former places of activity** offer a vivid impression of the time when **Martin Luther** and his **companions** laid the **foundations of a new world of faith**. **Torgau**, the residence of the Saxon electors, was considered the **political center of the Reformation**. Here, Luther consecrated the castle chapel of Hartenfels Castle as a Protestant church building. The significance of **Zwickau** as a Reformation city is also internationally recognized. As the second city after Wittenberg, monks were expelled and monasteries closed, allowing the Reformation to take hold quickly. In **Grimma**, Luther stayed several times at the Augustinian monastery and preached in the monastery church as well as in St. Nicholas Church. Very close by, his future wife Katharina von Bora lived for 14 years in the Nimbschen Convent before fleeing to Wittenberg in 1523. Each of these places tells a piece of history and turns the Luther Trail into a **journey through the Reformation period**. - - Group trip to Grimma and Torgau - > It feels good to free ourselves from what burdens us every day. Martin Luther Reformation and religion ------------------------ - Churches, monasteries, preaching sites, places of Reformation implementation - Luther, parish reforms, spiritual life - Leipzig (St Nicholas Church, St Thomas Church), Torgau (Hartenfels Castle Church), Zwickau (City Church) - Expand allCollapse all - Leipzig – St. Nicholas Church, St. Thomas Church, Disputation of 1519**Leipzig** is the unofficial capital of Central Germany, with 1,000 years of history and an exciting present. **Reformation:** The Leipzig Debate of 1519 between Luther and Eck in the Pleißenburg led to the break with Rome and ultimately to the emergence of the Protestant Church. At Pentecost in 1539, the Reformation was introduced in Albertine Saxony in St. Nicholas Church and St. Thomas Church. As a result, the university was reorganized with the involvement of Melanchthon. **Sights:** Historic city center with Renaissance town hall and the arcade system of the trade fair buildings, St. Thomas Church with Bach’s grave, St. Nicholas Church, Museum of Fine Arts, Gewandhaus, Monument to the Battle of the Nations **Offer:** A wide range of tourist services available at the Tourist Information - Zwickau – Town Church, Early ReformationThe western Saxon city of **Zwickau** lies in a wide valley plain at the entrance to the Western Ore Mountains and the Vogtland region. **Reformation:** Zwickau is one of the European cities where the Reformation was introduced very early. Traces of the work of Thomas Müntzer, Martin Luther, and Philipp Melanchthon have been preserved to this day and continue to have an impact. **Sights:** Priests' Houses, St. Mary’s Cathedral, Osterstein Castle, Town Hall, Council School Library **Offer:** Luther circular trail, guided tours on Reformation history, children’s tours - Borna – Town ChurchIn October 2007, the **Emmaus Church from Heuersdorf was moved to Borna** and relocated to Martin Luther Square in a globally noted operation. **Reformation:** As early as 1519, Borna became the first town in Ernestine Saxony where Protestant preaching took place. On March 5, 1522, Martin Luther wrote the famous Ash Wednesday Letter in Borna, and at the end of April and beginning of May 1522, he preached four times in St. Mary's Town Church. **Sights:** St. Mary's Town Church, Emmaus Church, Martin Luther Monument, Former City Gate (Reichstor) with museum **Services:** Tourist and city information at the market, museum and church tours, city tours - Torgau – Hartenfels Castle Church, Preaching Sites**Torgau,** the political centre of the Reformation and the capital of Electoral Saxony in the 16th century, is today one of Germany's most beautiful Renaissance towns. **Reformation:** As the former residence of the electors, Torgau was one of the places where the Reformation originated. Luther often stayed in the town, preached here, and consecrated the castle chapel in 1544, the first Protestant church building. Katharina von Bora died in Torgau on 20 December 1552. **Sights:** Town church with Katharina Luther’s gravestone, Hartenfels Castle with castle church, historic Renaissance old town **Offer:** daily public city tours, church space exploration, and Bible copying - Grimma – Town ChurchIdyllically situated in the forest-rich Mulde valley, **Grimma** is a popular destination for guests interested in nature and culture. **Reformation:** Martin Luther stayed several times at the Augustinian Monastery in Grimma and preached in both the monastery church and St Nicholas Church. Katharina von Bora lived for 12 years in the Cistercian convent Marienthron in Nimbschen and fled in 1523 with other nuns via Torgau to Wittenberg, where she became the reformer's wife in 1525. **Sights:** Nimbschen monastery ruins, St Augustine Monastery Church, Church of Our Lady, the listed historic Old Town with its historic town hall, Göschenhaus Museum, Grimma District Museum **Offer:** themed city tours “Katharina von Bora, a strong woman” - Döbeln – Town Church**Döbeln** is a beautiful city over 1,000 years old, located in the heart of Saxony. **Reformation:** Starting in 1521, people came to Döbeln for the first Protestant sermons. The sermons could only be held in the town hall. Duke George the Bearded had several followers of Luther arrested. The preacher had to flee. Only after the introduction of the Reformation in Albertine Saxony could the Reformation spread freely here after 1539. **Sights:** St. Nicolai Church with the “Miracle Man”, Eule organ and Luther monument, the original “Döbeln Giant Boot” from 1925 in the town hall, German Horse Tram Museum Döbeln **Offers:** Hiking and cycling trails, outdoor pool with indoor pool, city tours, city museum, Central Saxony Theater Döbeln - Waldheim – Town ChurchNestled in the scenic Zschopau Valley, the **town of Waldheim** – the pearl of the Zschopau Valley – is rich in Gründerzeit architecture. **Reformation:** The monastery embraced Reformation ideas early on and was, in part, supportive of Martin Luther. As an Augustinian monk, Luther had been jointly responsible for the monastery before the Reformation. With the voluntary transfer of the monastery to the lord of Kriebstein Castle, Georg von Karlowitz, the Reformation in Waldheim was completed. **Sights:** St. Nicolai Town Church, Art Nouveau town hall, Georg Kolbe exhibition, Kellerberg visitor mine, Saxon Prison Museum, railway viaducts **Offer:** Guided tour of the town hall with tower climb, themed city tours, Kellerberg tour - Altenburg – Reformation history, Luther sermons**Altenburg**, the former capital of the Saxon Electors, is an ideal base for cycling and walking enthusiasts. **Reformation:** Georg Spalatin, Frederick the Wise’s closest confidant, secretary and confessor, acted as a mediator between him and Luther for many years. Luther preached on several occasions in the late-Gothic town church of St Bartholomew, where Spalatin was also buried. Luther’s most significant visit to Altenburg took place in January 1519. The occasion was a meeting with Karl von Miltitz, the papal envoy to the Saxon court, who was tasked with ascertaining whether Luther still stood by his Wittenberg theses. Apart from the ‘Altenburg Silence Agreement’ – a final attempt at an amicable settlement, which, however, did not last long – Miltitz was unsuccessful and left the town without having achieved his aim. **Sights:** the Brüderkirche in Altenburg with a life-size sculpture of Luther, the Residenzschloss, St Bartholomew’s Church, the Renaissance Town Hall and the ‘Rote Spitzen’. **Offers:** information terminals, featuring audio-visual animations, recount the history of the town and its inhabitants. The Spalatin circular walk in Altenburg town centre, walking and cycling trails - Löbnitz – Baroque hall church with painted ceilingIn an attractive setting on the banks of the Mulde River and Lake Seelhausen, the municipality of **Löbnitz** offers many leisure and recreation opportunities. **Reformation:** In Luther’s time, the route from Wittenberg to Leipzig passed through Kemberg and Löbnitz. Luther had a close friendship with the manor owner Ernst von Schönfeldt and his daughter Ave von Schönfeldt. **Sights:** Church with the largest painted ceiling in central Germany (coffered panels with biblical images and floral motifs), fully functional post mill, manor house **Offer:** Guided church tours, mill tours, cycling and hiking trails at Lake Seelhausen and along the Mulde River, riding stables, carriage and wagon rides, sightseeing flights over Löbnitz and the surrounding area, skydiving - Mügeln – St. Mary's Church, Marienthal Monastery SornzigOn the southern edge of the district of Northern Saxony in the Döllnitz Valley lies the small town of **Mügeln**, with a lively history spanning more than a thousand years. **Reformation:** The Mügeln region was subject to the bishops of Meissen until the conversion of the last bishop during the Reformation period, Johann IX of Haugwitz. He resigned from his episcopal office in 1581, became Protestant, and died in Mügeln in 1595. **Sights:** historic town center, Ruhethal Castle, Marienthal Monastery, narrow-gauge railway with field railway, local history museum, St. John's Church and St. Mary's Church, Martin Luther Church in Sornzig, Church of Ablaß, St. Andrew’s Church in Schweta **Activities:** outdoor pool, guided city tours by appointment, Mügeln station geo-portal with “Kaolin Adventure World”, hiking and cycling in the fruit-growing region ### Excursion tips and Reformation sites - **Power & Rule** -------------------- - Castles, palaces, residences, places of political decision-making - Princes, administration, urban power structures - Colditz Castle, Rochlitz Castle, Waldenburg Castle - Expand allCollapse all - Colditz – Colditz Castle**Colditz** is known for Colditz Castle, which served as a prisoner-of-war camp for Allied officers during World War II. **Reformation:** Four pastors from the region had to answer to the Bishop of Merseburg in 1523 because of their evangelical beliefs. The choir formed around 1540 became a choral society in 1580. **Sights:** Market Square, Renaissance Town Hall, Colditz Castle with Escape Museum, local history museum, heritage tower, St. Egidien town church **Offers:** City tour, castle tour with HistoPad, cultural-historical hike in the game park, raft rental Wechselburg – Rochlitz – Colditz, Colditz circular hiking trail - Leisnig – Mildenstein Castle**Leisnig** offers medieval charm, a wide range of culture, and is located on the edge of Saxony's largest fruit‑growing area. **Reformation:** Martin Luther’s letters to the council and the Leisnig church congregation contain fundamental explanations on the Reformation’s reorganisation of community life, spiritual rights, Protestant worship, and social issues – the oldest Protestant social document was created here: the Leisnig Chest Order. **Sights:** St. Matthäi Church, manor estate with permanent exhibition and Leisnig Chest Order, Mildenstein Castle, world’s largest cuffed boot, Buch Monastery **Offers:** City, castle, church, and monastery tours; museum of historic vehicles and machines; library; outdoor pool; salt grotto; cycling and hiking trails - Kriebstein – Kriebstein CastleThe medieval **Kriebstein Castle** is located in the center of the Dresden–Chemnitz–Leipzig triangle. **Reformation:** The castle, built in 1384, belonged for six years to Duchess Elisabeth of Saxony, who resided in Rochlitz starting in 1537. Her successor, Georg von Karlowitz, introduced the Reformation. During this time, the famous Alexius Altar from the Waldheim Monastery was brought to the castle. **Sights:** Castle museum with castle chapel, period-style rooms, knights' hall with Alexius Altar, large banquet hall, well chamber with castle well **Offers:** Museum, guided tours, special exhibitions, events, passenger boat on the Kriebstein reservoir - Mittweida – Mittweida Castle**Mittweida** with its 16,000 inhabitants is one of the largest and most important towns in the district of Central Saxony and, as a university location, offers a high quality of life in a scenic setting. **Reformation:** Protestant ideas spread early in Mittweida. In 1535, 73 Protestant citizens had to leave the town. In 1537, Duchess Elisabeth of Saxony introduced the Reformation. **Sights:** historic old town, town church, town museum, Johannes Schilling House, Museum Alte Pfarrhäuser, village church in Ringethal **Offers:** city tours, church tour with tower climb, climbing, hiking along the Zschopau River, themed circular hiking trails - Rochlitz – Rochlitz Castle**Rochlitz**, the over 1,000-year-old city of red porphyry, is nestled in the Valley of Castles and has preserved its unique and unmistakable atmosphere to this day. **Reformation:** The Protestant movement in Rochlitz already welcomed Duchess Elisabeth of Saxony in 1523. She introduced the Reformation in her widow’s residence of Rochlitz and Kriebstein in 1537. **Sights:** Market Square, castle, St. Peter’s Church, St. Cunigunde’s Church with its magnificent winged altarpiece, porphyry educational trail on Rochlitzer Berg **Offers:** themed castle tours, including with Duchess Elisabeth of Rochlitz, city tours in historical costumes, churches: St. Peter’s and St. Cunigunde’s, audio tour on Rochlitzer Berg - Penig – Old and New Penig Castle**Penig** is an old pilgrimage site that once belonged to the Diocese of Merseburg. The Altpenig Church of St. Aegidius is the oldest building in the town and was first mentioned in 1157. **Reformation:** Penig became Protestant in 1539 and later belonged to the rule of the Lords of Schönburg. The Schönburg family sought to maintain their independence from the sovereign. Therefore, they had Johann Pfeffinger develop a church order for their territories. They established three superintendencies. **Sights:** St. Aegidius Church, the town church "Our Lady on the Mountain" - Waldenburg – Waldenburg CastleThe founding of the town of **Waldenburg** dates back to the 12th century. As early as the late Middle Ages, the pottery trade in Waldenburg developed into an important economic sector. Pottery goods from the Waldenburg workshops were sold across the region. During excavations at the Augustinian Monastery in Wittenberg, stoneware from Waldenburg was discovered. **Waldenburg Castle**, built at the end of the 12th century as a base for the colonisation of the Pleisen region, served as the residential castle of the Princes of Schönburg – Waldenburg until 1945. On a guided tour, visitors can explore the luxurious interiors of the former princely representative and living quarters. Join a stylistic journey through various architectural eras of an eclectic Gesamtkunstwerk created between 1859 and 1912. The restored castle park, with its historic trees, rose garden, grotto and terrace, invites guests to take a stroll in the immediate vicinity of Grünfelder Park. - Gnandstein – Gnandstein Castle, von Einsiedel noble family**Gnandstein** is a district of the pottery town Kohren-Sahlis. The symbol of the pottery craft is the well-known Pottery Fountain on the market square. **Reformation:** The von Einsiedel family was among the first Saxon nobles to openly support the Reformation. Threats from Duke George meant that the Reformation could only be openly introduced in 1539. **Sights:** Gnandstein Castle Museum with castle chapel, Pottery Museum, Pottery Fountain, Hofmann Collection, castle ruins, Schwind Pavilion, Mill Museum **Offerings:** Hand printing workshop, fairy-tale garden, adventure dining, summer toboggan run, path train, maze, pottery courses, hiking ### Excursion tips & Reformation sites - Society & Everyday Life --------------------------- - Cities, marketplaces, crafts, social order, women, classes - How the Reformation influenced everyday life, education, social structures, and community - Trebsen, Glauchau, Crimmitschau - Expand allCollapse all - Glauchau – Urban Life, Crafts**Glauchau,** located in the Schönburg region. **Reformation:** After 1542, the Lords of Schönburg promoted the Reformation in their territory. They established a superintendency in Glauchau. **Sights:** Forder- and Hinterglauchau Castles, historic town center with town church, historic town hall, Bismarck Tower **Offerings:** Municipal theater, museum, summer cultural events, church music days, historic castle spectacle, Night of the Castles, nearby recreation area at the reservoir, park facilities, approx. 60 km of marked hiking trails - Crimmitschau – social order, craftsmen’s town**Crimmitschau** - a city with a textile tradition, tangible history, a modern appearance, and sporting ambitions. **Reformation:** In 1529, the first Protestant pastor was appointed in Crimmitschau. The city school had a remarkable level of education with socially critical theater performances. **Sights:** Town Hall, Market Fountain, St. Laurentius Church, architecturally unique factory owners’ villas, Textile Museum as a witness to textile history, Blankenhain Castle Museum **Offer:** 2 outdoor pools, ice stadium, theater, cinema, organization of excursions and city tours - Wurzen – market and urban lifeThe 1,050-year-old town of **Wurzen** – birthplace of the painter, poet, and cabaret artist Joachim Ringelnatz – invites you to explore its main sights along the Ringelnatz Trail. **Reformation:** The town is home to the Bishop’s Castle, where the bishops of Meissen resided for a time. In 1542, Luther worked to settle the Wurzen feud and helped prevent a war. **Sights:** Old Town, castle, town church, cathedral, Ringelnatz Fountain/birthplace, museum with Ringelnatz collection, Post Gate, parks **Offerings:** various guided tours, exhibitions, Mulde ferry service, boat and bike rentals, cycling and hiking trails, indoor swimming pool - Trebsen – river and everyday landscape**Trebsen** is an 850-year-old town located picturesquely in the Mulde Valley between Grimma and Wurzen. **Reformation:** The von Minckwitz castle family supported the Reformation and brought Caspar Zeuner to the town in 1521 as the first Protestant pastor. **Sights:** medieval castle with stepped gables, cell vaults, castle courtyard with remains of the keep, castle park, manor estate, historic town church with ceiling paintings and grave slabs **Offerings:** events around the castle, knight tournaments, wine festivals, restaurant, outdoor seating, hall, exhibitions, concerts and guided tours at the manor estate, church visits - Dreiheide – small municipality, everyday life**Dreiheide** with its three districts is located on the edge of the beautiful Dübener Heide and is easy to explore by bike. **Reformation:** Martin Luther is known to have visited the church in Süptitz in 1535 while passing through. In the 16th century, Süptitz was known as a wine-growing area. The Elector sent Süptitz wine to Luther several times. **Sights:** local heritage room, monument on the Süptitz Heights, post mill, Großwig natural swimming area, Bear Column, Süptitz Church (built in the 13th century), Weidenhain Church (Romanesque basilica style, frescoes in the apse), Großwig Church (Romanesque rubble-stone basilica, Flemming organ from 1787) - Frohburg – small-town life, rural everyday livingAt the transition between the Leipzig Lowlands Bay and the Kohrener Land lies **Frohburg** with its impressive castle complex and a long history as the seat of one of Saxony’s largest knight estates. The medieval castle was built around 1200 and later expanded into a Baroque palace. Today, the Luther Trail runs through the spacious palace park – a scenically appealing stage with historical charm. **Reformation:** In the 16th century, Frohburg was a place of lively Reformation activity. The lord of the castle, Doctor Melchior von Kreutzen, was in close contact with Martin Luther and supported him in legal matters. In St. Michael’s Church, reproductions based on works by Lucas Cranach still commemorate the Reformer. This links Frohburg’s regional noble culture with the religious upheaval of the Reformation period. **Sights:** Frohburg Castle with museum and Romanesque vaulted cellars, Baroque staircases, collections on the town’s history, and ceramics by Kurt Feuerriegel; historical school lesson in the museum; St. Michael’s Church with an organ from 1806 and the tomb inscription of the castle’s founder; walk through the palace park and church square **Offers:** Museum tours, changing special exhibitions, cultural events at the castle, guided city tours ### Excursion tips & Reformation sites - Nature & Landscape ---------------------- - Rivers such as the Mulde, Elbe or Zschopau, forests and heath landscapes - Nature experiences, hiking and cycling trails, landscape shaped by the Luther Trail in Saxony - Dübener Heide, Dahlener Heide, forest and river landscapes around Wolkenburg - Expand allCollapse all - Bad Düben – Dübener HeathThe state-recognized moor spa town of **Bad Düben** is the southern gateway to the Dübener Heide Nature Park and a great destination for health and active vacationers, pilgrims, hikers, cyclists, and anyone seeking relaxation and nature experiences. **Reformation:** On the route from Wittenberg to Leipzig, Luther and other reformers often passed through Düben, as did Katharina von Bora on her way to her estate in Zöllsdorf near Neukieritzsch. **Sights:** historic old town, 1,000-year-old Düben Castle with landscape museum, St. Nicholas Town Church, spa park, and mills **Offers:** city tours, HEIDE SPA health and wellness center, junction of long-distance hiking trails - Wolkenburg – river and forest landscape**Wolkenburg** in the lovely town of Limbach-Oberfrohna, which combines tradition with a forward-looking spirit. **Reformation:** After Luther gifted the Zöllsdorf estate to his wife in 1541, he asked the lord of Wolkenburg Castle to lend him 12 bushels of grain and 24 bushels of oats. **Sights:** New Church, Wolkenburg Castle, Farming Museum, St. Anna Ore Mine, Esche Museum **Offerings:** Leisure pool, city hall, Limbacher Teiche nature conservation area, zoo, city park, city nature trail - Neukieritzsch – landscape and natural area**Neukieritzsch** is a lively village, and the history of its districts as well as the transformation of the landscape in the Leipzig New Lakeland invite you to explore. **Reformation:** The Zöllsdorf estate, the widow’s residence of Katharina Luther, was located within the Neukieritzsch district. On her estate, Katharina produced food for the large household in Wittenberg. A monument in the market square commemorates her today. **Sights:** Katharina von Bora Church, Luther Monument, Schiller House Kahnsdorf, Information Centre at the Lippendorf Power Plant **Offers:** Outdoor swimming pool, Pleiße Cycle Path, Pilgrims’ Route Via Imperii, power plant tours, viewpoint of the active open‑cast mine, excursion options at Lake Hainer - Schildau – rural surroundingsThe Gneisenau town of **Schildau** is known as the town of the "Schildbürger" and is located at the northern edge of the Dahlener Heide. **Reformation:** After the imperial ban was imposed on Luther in 1521, travelling outside the electoral territory became dangerous. Since Luther had to cross ducal territory near Torgau on these journeys, Schildau became the first safe stop within the Electorate. **Sights:** Gneisenau Memorial Site, Path of the "Schildbürger", "Schildbürger" Museum and Fountain, "Schildbürger" Playground, Schildberg with observation tower, Equestrian Sports Arena, Forest Adventure Barn **Offers:** Natural outdoor pool with adventure basin and large water slide, campground, marked hiking, cycling and riding trails, guided city tours - Eilenburg - Mulde City is a town on the Mulde River, located very close to the Dübener Heide Nature Park. **Reformation:** Luther stayed in Eilenburg several times between 1518 and 1545 and preached here. In 1519, he travelled with his companions via Eilenburg to the disputation in Leipzig, and in 1539 to introduce the Reformation in Leipzig. **Sights:** Castle Hill with circular trail, Sorben Tower, St. Mary’s Hill Church, City Museum, Zoo, St. Nicholas Town Church, Cellars in the Hill **Offerings:** Indoor swimming pool, bowling, skittles, hiking and cycling trail, “Juri Gagarin” observatory, leisure center with surfing, camping, and water skiing ### Excursion tips & Reformation sites - "Wandern auf dem Lutherweg Sachsen" Luther-Broschüre Mockup 2023 Luther Trail in Saxony Discover Reformation history Along **31 stations**, the Luther Trail in Saxony leads as a spiritual **circular hiking trail** through important **places where Martin Luther and his companions lived and worked** in Saxony. - - - - - ### **FAQs** - Where can significant testimonies of the Reformation still be discovered today?Significant testimonies of the Reformation can still be discovered today in numerous towns and communities along the **Luther Trail in Saxony**. They are especially impressive where Martin Luther himself worked or where his ideas were taken up early on. Here are a few examples: - Leipzig - Zwickau - Torgau - Grimma - Altenburg - Rochlitz - How does a visit to these Reformation sites fit into my hiking or pilgrimage tour?Many visitors combine their visit with pilgrimages and hikes on the Luther Trail in Saxony. The stations are designed so that shorter sections allow for longer stops at the Reformation sites and can easily be combined with a guided tour. Even on the longer sections, short stops at the sites are possible, offering the chance to pick up interesting facts about Reformation history. All tips on the topic at a glance ---------------------------------