Religious Studies: Germany

Join your Tour Director for a sightseeing tour of Heidelberg, a charming city surrounded by mountains, forests, and the Neckar River. Stroll through Market Square for views of Germany’s oldest university, then visit Heidelberg Castle, one of the most important Renaissance landmarks north of the Alps. Learn about its turbulent history from the Thirty Years’ War to a lightning strike in 1764, and explore the castle courtyard to see the world’s largest wine barrel, a symbol of the city’s enduring spirit and charm.

Located on the Rhine River, Worms is one of Germany’s oldest cities, shaped by emperors, medieval legend, and the Protestant Reformation. Visit Dom St. Peter, a High Romanesque basilica that dominates the historic skyline, and view its rosette window and decorated Chapel of St. Nicholas. Continue to the Luther Monument, the world’s largest Reformation monument honoring Martin Luther and other key figures.

Christmas reigns year-round in Rothenburg, a jewel along Germany’s Romantic Road. Walk the medieval city walls and visit the Rathaus on the Marktplatz, where a unique clock reenacts the legendary wine-drinking feat of a former mayor during the Thirty Years’ War. Across the square, the Gothic St. Jacob’s Church adds grandeur to this storybook town.

Visit St. Jakobskirche, a beautifully preserved 14th-century Gothic church. Inside, view one of Germany’s most treasured works of art, Tilman Riemenschneider’s Holy Blood Altarpiece, completed in 1504.

Built in 1285, this church is Rothenburg’s oldest. It features an altar carved by Tilman Riemenschneider as well as stained-glass windows created by Johannes Schreiter.

Dachau, the first of Nazi Germany’s concentration camps, became the model for thousands that followed. Now a memorial and museum, it honors the 206,000 prisoners held here from 1933 to 1945 and traces the rise of the Nazi party, pre-1930s anti-Semitism, and the lives of those imprisoned.

Towering above the border between Upper Franconia and Thuringia, Coburg Fortress is one of Germany’s largest and best-preserved castle complexes. During the 16th century, Lucas Cranach the Elder frequented the fortress, drawing inspiration and creating sketches within its walls.

Visit the Lutherhaus, where Martin Luther lived from 1498 to 1501. This picturesque half-timbered house is one of Eisenach’s oldest buildings and now serves as a museum, featuring engaging multimedia exhibits that explore Luther’s life, teachings, and historical context.

Explore Wartburg Castle to see the Lutherstube, where Martin Luther lived and worked; the Neue Kemenate, now home to an impressive art collection; and the Singing Hall, traditionally linked to the legendary minstrels’ contest portrayed in Tannhäuser.

Founded as a Catholic diocese in 742, Erfurt flourished as an important trading center during the Middle Ages. Nicknamed “Thuringian Rome” for its abundance of churches, the city also played a key role in the life of Martin Luther, who spent six years here, first as a student at the University of Erfurt and later as a monk at the Augustinian Monastery.

Explore Lutherstadt Wittenberg on a guided excursion through the town that helped spark the Protestant Reformation. Visit Schloss Wittenberg and the historic Rathaus, both former residences tied to the city’s civic and religious life, before continuing to Cranachhaus and Melanchthonhaus, homes of influential Reformation leaders. Step inside St. Mary’s Church, where Martin Luther once preached, and conclude at the Schlosskirche, where he posted his Ninety-Five Theses—95 statements that challenged Church practices and reshaped Christian history.

Explore the Augustinian Monastery, where Martin Luther lived as a monk and celebrated his first Mass in 1507 after being ordained as a priest. Dating to the 13th century, the monastery also houses a rare book library and a permanent exhibition focused on Luther’s life.

Set atop a broad staircase rising from Cathedral Square, St. Mary’s Cathedral is home to the world’s largest free-swinging bell, the Gloriosa, and features an elaborate Gothic chancel with a striking series of stained-glass windows.

Built in 1325 over the Gera River, the Merchants’ Bridge is an arched stone structure lined with houses on both sides. Today, it's filled with bookstalls, cafés, and antique shops. In medieval times, two churches stood at either end of the bridge; one of them, the Ägidienkirche, still remains.

Explore Frankfurt’s historic heart on a walking tour through key landmarks that trace the city’s past and present. Discover the Altstadt, once one of Germany’s largest half-timbered towns before much of it was destroyed during World War II. Stop at the Hauptwache, a Baroque structure that once served as the city’s military headquarters and later as a police station, now rebuilt above a major transit hub. Continue to Römerberg, where a major reconstruction project restored sections of the medieval old town, and view the Römer, Frankfurt’s iconic town hall. The walk also includes Paulskirche, now home to a museum highlighting the area’s political and cultural history.

Explore the Kaiserdom, also known as St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. Despite its name, it is not a true cathedral, as it has never served as the seat of a bishop. The title reflects its historic role as the site where kings and emperors were elected and crowned. The current Gothic structure is the fifth church known to stand on this site and has undergone several periods of modification and restoration over the centuries.