Wittenberg district profile
Explore the place, compare historic figures and follow its stories.
Municipal statistics
The district in figures
Compare all reporting years and sources
- Population: 2,110 in 2019, on an area of 86.80 ha ≙ 24.31 inhabitants / ha
- Population: 2,135 in 2016, on an area of 86.80 ha ≙ 24.60 inhabitants / ha
- Population: 2,215 in 2013, on an area of 86.80 ha ≙ 25.52 inhabitants / ha
Residents with primary residence from the municipal register, reporting date 31 December. The area is the 2019 statistical district area and is used as a fixed denominator for all three density calculations; older district boundaries may differ. Municipal report 2013/2014, table 1, p. 7 (2013) · Statistical Yearbook 2019, p. 12 (area), p. 19 (2016 and 2019).
Historic district figures from the city register. The latest district year available here is 2019.
A special place
Churches and built heritage
Architecture and local memory meet here. Open the researched stories of these places.
Read about the churches and their history
St Mary’s Town Church was first documented in 1187. The present building developed from the 13th century onwards. As a preaching church of Martin Luther and Johannes Bugenhagen, it became an important place of the Reformation. Source: City of Wittenberg.
A significant event was the first Holy Mass in German, which was celebrated in this church in 1521 and initiated a paradigm shift in church practice. Particularly noteworthy is the wedding of Martin Luther and Katharina von Bora, whose marriage took place at the Black Monastery in 1525; the public church service followed at St Mary’s (Luther Museums). This wedding is now celebrated annually with a city festival and testifies to the deep roots of the Reformation in local culture and history.
Inside the church there are important works of art that reflect the Reformation period. This includes the Reformation altar, created by Lucas Cranach the Elder and the Younger, who portrays Martin Luther and other reformers. Hermann Vischer's baptismal font and Luther's original sermon pulpit, which are on display in the Luther House, also bear witness to the artistic and historical significance of the town church of St. Marien.
The Castle Church in Wittenberg is one of the most important historical sites in Germany and plays a central role in the history of the Reformation. This impressive church, which was originally part of Wittenberg Castle, is home to the famous Theses Door, which is associated with the traditional account of the posting of the 95 Theses in 1517 (Luther Museums). These theses marked the beginning of a religious revolution that changed not only the church but also society as a whole.
In addition to the theses door, the castle tower is another eye-catcher. There we find Luther's inscription: "A strong fortress is our God, a good defense and weapons" (quote from Luther's hymn, ca. 1529, added later), which symbolizes both the faith and the resilience of the Reformation. Inside the church are the impressive graves of Luther and Philipp Melanchthon, another important reformer. The wall pillars are decorated with statues of nine important figures of the Reformation, bringing their history to life.
The castle church has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 and attracts numerous visitors.
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Stories of the district
Milestones in urban development
- 1865: Installation of the Melanchthon monument on the market square.
- 1830: Replanting of the Luther oak as a reminder of the burning of the papal bull by Luther.
- 1821: Unveiling of the Luther monument on the market square.
- 1600: Construction of the Jungfernröhrwasser water-supply system.
- 1541: Completion of the town hall; its portal followed in 1573.
- 1504: Construction of the building known as Hamlet House.
- 1503: Construction of the Fridericianum and Augusteum, historic university buildings.
- 1502: Foundation of the University of Wittenberg, known as Leucorea, by Elector Frederick III (the Wise).
- 1187: Early reference to St. Mary’s Church; its winged altar by Lucas Cranach followed in 1547.
- 1187: Early reference to the castle, later converted into the Castle Church. It houses the Theses Door and the graves of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon.
The old town is characterized by a striking funnel-shaped structure, shaped by a steady flow of visitors from Germany and abroad. Its largely preserved historic fabric spans Romanesque, early Gothic and Renaissance periods and provides a setting for public events.
Founded on 18 October 1502 at the initiative of Elector Frederick III (the Wise), the University of Wittenberg played a crucial role in the city’s development. Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon taught here, contributing to the city’s growth and wider significance.
Leucorea: the University of Wittenberg
Aristotle's philosophical orientation that theoretical knowledge is sought for its own sake forms the foundation of Leucorea. The name is related to the city's name, as it is derived from the Greek term "white mountain". [1]
The young university stood between the scholastic tradition and the emerging humanism. [2]
Scholasticism, derived from the Latin adjective scholasticus (“scholastic,” “pertaining to study”), is the scientific way of thinking and method of reasoning that was developed in the Latin-speaking scholarly world of the Middle Ages. [3] The methodological procedures of the two major schools of medieval scholasticism, realism and nominalism, are referred to as via antiqua, via moderna.
When it was founded, Wittenberg University was dominated by scholasticism. In theology, the interpretation method of Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274) and Johannes Duns Scotus (d. 1308) was used, which together formed the so-called “via antiqua” (i.e. old method). Luther received a different education in Erfurt, based on Wilhelm von Ockham (d. 1347) and Gabriel Biel (d. 1495); this was the so-called “via moderna” (i.e. new method), which limited the scope of human reason in matters of faith and the supernatural. The teaching method of via moderna was introduced in Wittenberg at the theological faculty in 1507 by Jodocus Truttvetter from Erfurt.
As much as the followers of the two schools fought each other and as much as they differed in detail, both have in common the philosophical orientation towards Aristotle, who was only known in his medieval form, handed down from Arabic. They also had in common late medieval Latin, which had undergone a long development since the times of antiquity, which the humanists saw as a decline. [2]
1. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leucorea
2. Andreas Meinhardi, 1986, About the highly famous and wonderful city of Wittenberg pp. 16-17, Reclam
3. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scholastic