Bringing Our Trip to Germany and Switzerland to a Close
Part One of Two
I’ve heard from many of you that you have enjoyed our trip via my photos and thoughts, but in an effort to not drag it out any longer, and because I posted some of the later part of the trip while in Europe – this one and the next will be my last entries on Europe.
Wartburg Castle
Wartburg Castle was an amazing place to visit, and is one of the best-preserved medieval castles in Germany.
Crossing the old drawbridge and walking through the large castle grounds, made me feel like I had traveled back in time.
We saw some incredibly old architecture and artifacts, as it was founded in 1067. Though much has happened here, the castle is most famous as a hiding place of Martin Luther.
A scale model of the castle gives you an idea of its size.
The room where Martin Luther spent most of his time while hiding here.
Martin Luther sought refuge at the castle, from May 1521 until March 1522, at the request of Frederick the Wise, after being victimized for being one of the originators of the Reformation. It was during this period that Luther translated the New Testament into German.
Johann Sebastian Bach
Johann Sebastian Bach was a contemporary of Martin Luther, and his music was a driving force during the Reformation.
The front of the Bach House. The museun is the grey building on the right.
The Bach House was originally two houses, built in succession in 1456 and 1458. In 1611 they were joined to form one building.
The back of the house.
At the time, the ground floor was used for agricultural purposes; today’s instrument room may have been used as a barn, the room next to the stairs for cattle and horses, and the hallway as the gateway.
This talented young woman honored us with a concert on several old instruments.
The builder of this unique organ believed that the person who was playing it should not be seen. It only worked when someone pulled the bellows.
Marburg Colloquy
This castle was the location of the historic meeting between Martin Luther and Huldreich Zwingli.
This painting depicts the meeting when Luther and Zwingli’s differing beliefs in the meaning of communion…
…led to an early split in the Protestant movement.
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