Located in Thuringia, this German city is the birthplace of J.S. Bach and home to Wartburg Castle, where Martin Luther completed his German translation of the New Testament.
Eisenach, in Germany's Thuringia region, welcomes visitors with its medieval streets and striking landmarks. You'll find the UNESCO-listed Wartburg Castle perched on a hill, Bach's birthplace museum filled with historic instruments, and Germany's narrowest half-timbered house measuring just 2.05 meters wide. Walk through the same streets where Martin Luther studied and Johann Sebastian Bach grew up.
Exploring Wartburg Castle
The 11th-century Wartburg Castle rises 400 meters above Eisenach on a forested hill. In 1521, Martin Luther translated the New Testament into German here in just 10 weeks while hiding from authorities. Walk through the 12th-century Great Hall with its Romanesque arches and sandstone pillars. Join a guided tour to explore the castle's interior rooms - German tours run throughout the day, while English tours start at 1:30 PM.
Bach's Legacy in Eisenach
Visit the Bachhaus, opened in 1906 as the world's first museum dedicated to Johann Sebastian Bach. The museum occupies a 15th-century building near Bach's birthplace. Listen to performances on 18th and 19th-century musical instruments and explore exhibits about the Bach family dynasty. A 2007 expansion added modern exhibition spaces while maintaining the historic building's character.
Martin Luther's Connection
Step into the Lutherhaus, one of Eisenach's oldest half-timbered buildings. Martin Luther lived here from 1498 to 1501 as a student with the Cotta family. Modern multimedia exhibits explain how Luther shaped German language and culture. After a 1944 fire damaged the building, reconstruction work completed in 1966 restored its original architectural style.
Getting Around Eisenach
Take a high-speed train to reach Eisenach from major German cities. From the station, walk along Bahnhofstrasse through the Nikolaitor gate to enter the old town. Local buses connect downtown areas and nearby villages. To reach Wartburg Castle, catch bus number 10 from the town center, or follow the marked hiking trail for a 30-minute uphill walk.
Museums and Architecture
Discover Eisenach's car-making past at the Automobile Welt museum, which displays Wartburg cars (1899-1991) and classic BMWs. In Marktplatz, browse art and porcelain collections at the Thuringian Museum, housed in an 18th-century palace. Visit the narrow house at Johannisplatz 9 to see how residents lived in Germany's slimmest half-timbered building.
St. George's Church
Visit St. George's Church at Marktplatz, where Johann Sebastian Bach was baptized in 1685 and Martin Luther preached in 1521. The current Gothic building, dating from 1515, replaced an earlier church where St. Elisabeth married in the 13th century. For 132 consecutive years, members of the Bach family played the church organ here.
