× Home Journeys   Countries and Cities Ways of St. James
In Bach's footsteps
Overview Erfurt Weimar Eisenach Leipzig Johann Sebastian Bach
Eisenach
Bachhaus Wartburg
Stories / History Interesting things What's new ?
  ☰ Menu Flagge Deutsch Drapeau français British flag

The Wartburg is the town's landmark

Wartburg

Nikolaitor from the outside

You enter the old town through the Nikolaitor.


Nikolaitor

The Romanesque Nikolai Church, built around 1180, belonged to the Benedictine monastery, which existed until the Reformation. Right next to the church is the Nikolai Gate. It is the only one of the former five city gates that has been preserved.


Lutherhaus

The Luther House is one of the oldest preserved half-timbered houses in Eisenach. Martin Luther is said to have lived here in Ursula Cotta's house during his school days in Eisenach (1498 to 1501).


Marktplatz, Rathaus, Georgenbrunnen

Renaissance style city hall


Marktplatz

Duke Ernst August was sovereign of the Duchy of Saxony-Weimar-Eisenach. In 1742 he had the city palace built.


Georgenkirche und Brunnen

The Georgenkirche was built around 1180. In 1221 Landgrave Ludwig IV had himself married here to the Hungarian king's daughter Elisabeth.

1498 - 1501 Martin Luther sang here as a choirboy. On May 2, 1521, he preached in the Georgenkirche on his way back from the Diet of Worms. After he had been sentenced to imperial punishment, he was taken into protective custody the following day at Wartburg Castle as "Junker Jörg". He remained there until March 1, 1522, translating the Bible from the original Greek text into German.

Johann Sebastian Bach was baptized here on March 23, 1685.

Between 1898 and 1902, the town church received its present external appearance with a high tower.


Taufstein

The baptismal font in the St. George's Church.
J. S. Bach spent his young years in Eisenach.

The Bach House is a reminder of this.

Bach House
Orgel der Georgenkirche

The organ in the Georgenkirche. From 1665 to 1797, members of the Bach family worked here as organists.


More about Eisenach on the pages "by bike on the Way of St. James from Leipzig to Constance".