Luthers Geburtshaus, Eisleben 
Martin Luther was born here in 1483. Photo
Stephan Komp.
Baroque portal with Luther's portrait. Photo
Stephan Komp.
Exterior and another view of the portal. Photos © Debra Dinda.
Luther posters on display. Photo © Ethan Stock and Judi Stock.
Location map and satellite view of Luther's Birth House. For a larger
view, see our Eisleben Map or get our free Google Earth download.
Luthers Geburthaus (Luther's Birth House) in Eisleben, is the house in which Martin Luther was born. It has long been preserved as a museum to the reformer.
History
On November 10, 1483, Martin Luther was born in Eisleben to Hans and Magarete Luder (the reformer altered the spelling of his surname) in this modest, half-timbered house on Lange Strasse (now Lutherstrasse).
The future "Father of the Reformation" was was baptized the following day at the nearby Church of St. Peter and Paul and named after St. Martin of Tours, whose feast day is November 11. The Luther family moved from Eisleben to Mansfeld in 1484.
Luther's birth house opened to the public in 1693 as the first memorial museum in Germany. (Before that, it had been used as a school.) In preparation for the opening, the main floor was made into a decorated festive hall celebrating the history of the Reformation.
The front of the building, which had been severely damaged in a fire in 1689, acquired its baroque appearance during the renovation that preceding the opening.
In 1817, King Friedrich William III declared that the museum should be funded by the state. Martin Luther's birthplace was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1996, along with other Luther sites in Eisleben and Wittenberg.
What to See
Dating from the museum's opening in 1693 is the Schöner Saal in the main room of the first floor, which is decorated with a large ceiling painting of an angel, full-length portraits of Martin Luther, Philipp Melanchthon and the Electors of Saxony. There is also a statue of a swan, one of the symbols of the Reformation. The outside Baroque portal with Martin Luther's portrait also dates from this period.
The ground floor contains a medieval kitchen, which was probably used by the landlord rather than the Luders. On display in the Geburtshaus are books and artworks from the time of Luther's childhood, such as a Bible with coloured woodcuts which was printed in Nürnberg the year he was born.
Across the courtyard from Luther's house (and included in the price of admission) is the Lutherarmenschule, an early 19th-century school for the poor that now contains displays of various local artifacts.
Quick Facts
| Location: | Seminarstrasse 16, in the Petriviertal suburb in southern Eisleben, Germany |
| Contact: | 03475/602775 |
| Hours: | April-Oct: daily 10-6; Nov-March: Tues-Fri 10-4, Sat & Sun 12-4 |
| Cost: | €2 or €3 combined ticket with Luthers Sterbehaus |
Sources
- The Rough Guide to Germany 6.
- Geburtshaus Martin Luthers - Luther.de
- The Birthplace of Martin Luther - Lutherstadt-Eisleben.de
- Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg - UNESCO World Heritage List
- Luther's Birth House - Luther Memorial Foundations of Saxony-Anhalt
- Timeline of the Life of Martin Luther - ReligionFacts
