The Wartburg is a fortress that lies atop a hill in
Eisenach,
Thuringia,
Germany.
Martin Luther hid out here while he translated
the Bible into German. Composer and musician
Johann Sebastian Bach, a resident of Eisenach, was a frequent visitor. This fortress was the inspiration for
Mad King Ludwig's palace
Neuschwanstein in
Bavaria.
Timeline of the Wartburg
- 1067 - The castle was commissioned by Count Ludwig dem Springer
- 1080 - Construction on the castle first begins, 13 years after being commissioned. The Bishop of Merseburg says of the castle: "einer Burg Namens Wartberg" ("a castle named wait-mountain")
- 1155 - Construction began on the main building, which today is one of the best preserved examples of its Roman style north of the Alps.
- 1211-1228 - The castle served as the residence of Saint Elizabeth.
- 1247 - Heinrich Raspe, the last Count of Thuringia, died at the Wartburg.
- 1317 - Much of the castle is damaged by fire.
- 1521 - Hiding in the Wartburg, Martin Luther tanslates the New Testament from Greek into German in only ten months.
- 1777 - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe spent five weeks at the castle.
- 1817 - The Wartburg Festival: 500 students converged on the castle to celebrate the 300th anniversary of the Reformation and to call for democratic reforms and the uniting of Germany as a single national state.
- 1838-1890 - A refurbishment of the castle and its buildings took place, mainly in Romanesque style.
- 1922 - As a reaction to the Revolution of 1918, a group was formed to ensure the preservation of the castle.
- 1952-1954 - The interior of the castle is refurbished.
- 1967 - The 900th anniversary of the castle was celebrated, along with the 450th anniversary of the Reformation and the 150th anniversary of the Wartburgfest.
- 1999 - The castle was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
The castle is open to the public and guided tours are available.
Visiting hours:
March-October:
Tours: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Doors close at: 8:00 pm
November-February:
Tours: 9:00 am - 3:30 pm
Doors close at: 5:00 pm
On December 24, last tour 11:00 am
On December 31, last tour 2:00 pm
Prices:
With tour of interior:
Adults: 6.00 Euro
Seniors: 5.00 Euro
Children and students: 3.00 Euro
Exterior only, no tour:
Adults: 3.50 Euro
Seniors: 3.00 Euro
Children and students: 2.00 Euro
Getting to the Wartburg:
From the downtown area of Eisenach, head south toward the castle on the main road that the Youth Hostel is also on. If you are driving, you can follow the signs and drive your car to the top. If you are walking, there is a trail from Eisenach that Bach used frequently to get to the castle.
50° 58' N, 10° 18' E
Pictures at: http://www.wartburg-eisenach.de/
http://whc.unesco.org/sites/897.htm
The Wartburg was also a car made by
EMW (Eisenach MotorWerke). Further information about this car can be found at http://www.team.net/www/ktud/wartburg.html