Religious Studies: Germany

Step into a fairy-tale setting in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, one of Germany’s best-preserved medieval towns. Follow your Tour Director through cobbled streets lined with half-timbered houses and shops, then pause in the Marktplatz, the bustling central square. Admire the impressive Rathaus (Town Hall) with its Gothic and Renaissance wings, and the Fountain of Saint George, decorated with carvings of the dragon-slaying saint. With its city walls, towers, and storybook charm, Rothenburg offers a glimpse of medieval life that feels timeless.

Worms Cathedral visit, Luther Monument

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 constructed 14th-century Gothic church. View one of Germany’s most precious works of art, Tilman Riemenschneider’s Holy Blood Altarpiece, painted in 1504.

Visit the Franciscan Church. It was built in 1285 and is Rothenburg’s oldest church. It features an altar carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, as well as windows made by the artist Johannes Schreiter.

Visit Coburg Fortress, one of Germany’s largest and best-preserved castle complexes towers high above the border between Upper Franconia and Thuringia. During the 16th century Lucas Cranach the Elder frequented the fortress for inspiration and to produce sketches.

Visit the Lutherhaus, where Martin Luther lived from 1498 to 1501. This picturesque half-timbered house is one of Eisenach’s oldest buildings, and is now a museum with fascinating multimedia exhibits detailing Martin Luther’s life and times, as well as his teachings.

Explore Wartburg Castle to see the Lutherstube, the room where Luther lived and worked; the Neue Kemenate, which today houses an impressive art collection; and the Singing Hall, allegedly the scene of the famous minstrels’ contest in Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser.

Erfurt was founded as a Catholic diocese in 742 and flourished as a trading center during the Middle Ages. The city is nicknamed “Thuringian Rome” due to its abundance of churches. Martin Luther spent six years here, initially as a student at the University of Erfurt and then as a monk at the Augustinian Monastery.

Schloss Wittenberg, Rathaus, Cranachhaus, Melanchthonhaus, St. Mary's Church, Schlosskirche visit, Lutherhaus visit

Explore the Augustinian Monastery, where Martin Luther lived as a monk and read his first Mass, in 1507 having been ordained as a priest. The monastery dates back to the 13th century, and houses a rare book library and a Permanent Exhibition about the life of Luther.

Visit the St. Mary’s Cathedral, at the top of a broad staircase leading from the Cathedral Square. The cathedral boasts the world’s largest free-swinging bell, the Gloriosa, as well as an elaborate Gothic chancel with a series of impressive stained-glass windows.

Visit the Merchants’ Bridge, an arched stone structure that was built in 1325 over the Gera River. It has houses on both sides and is filled with bookstalls, cafés, and antiques shops. In medieval times there were two churches here, located at either end of the bridge; one of these, the Ägidienkirche, is still in existence.

Frankfurt is a cosmopolitan and bustling city on the Main River. It is Germany’s financial powerhouse, and features a mixture of soaring skyscrapers, half-timbered houses, and also boasts a wealth of museums.

Altstadt, Hauptwache, Romerberg, Romer, Paulskirche

Visit the Kaiserdom (Imperial Cathedral), also known as St. Bartholomew’s Cathedral. Despite its name, it is not an actual cathedral, as it has never been the seat of a bishop. It received its title because kings and emperors were elected and crowned here. The present Gothic structure is the fifth church known to have existed at this site, and has itself undergone modification and restoration.

This evening, students make their final entries in their Reflection Journals, sharing key observations and perspectives gained throughout their travel experience and considering how these insights will remain relevant as they return home.

Throughout the program, we will set time aside time for discussion, guided reflection, and time to write reflections on self-discovery and what we have learned. "We do not learn from experience, we learn from reflecting on experience" - John Dewey