Wartburg

Have a look at our new dining room set:

I kid, I kid. We spent a wonderful day in Eisenach this weekend visiting Wartburg castle, the place where Martin Luther spent 10 months of protective captivity (and where he translated the New Testament from Greek into German, in addition to 14 further theological texts, just to keep busy, ya know.)

Wartburg castle itself was first mentioned in official documents of the time in 1080, but apparently the first buildings on this site were erected as early as 1067.

The castle and adjoining museum display many impressively ornate objects …

We did our best to take decent pictures of the interiors, but flash was not permitted as you can well imagine. Intricate mosaics? Check!

Stunning valley views? Oh yeah. Unsurprisingly, hilltop locations with surrounding forest, valleys and ravines provided strategic protection against advancing foes. It also means that modern day visitors can get their exercise for the day in by trecking 30 minutes through the woods and up the hill to reach the castle.

Both the exterior and the interior of the castle boast several hundred years worth of interior and architectural styles.

The grandiose banquet hall is still used for concerts, plays, and the local highschool graduation ceremony.

Martin Luther’s room in the castle puts modern expectations of living and work spaces into humble perspective.

Above the desk (not original to the room as it was in Luther’s time, by the way) hangs a portrait of the reformer by Cranach.

We have been lucky with the weather lately–cold but sunny.

If you ever find yourself in Thuringia, make sure not to miss the Wartburg.We’ll be back to Eisenach in the near future to check out Bach’s house.