Posted on January 28, 2013 by sguese

 

Many cities, towns and villages boast of being the “heart” of Germany.

However from a geographical standpoint, Erfurt has them all beat. The capital of Thuringia rests just 45 kilometers south of the geographical center of Germany. It does share the commonality of many German towns of being heavily bombed throughout World War II. Erfurt had already taken a major blow to the heart when a fire raged through the city in 1472. The only surviving buildings of old Erfurt date back to the 15^th century for this reason. And despite such destruction, the charming village has put together a spectacular scene. Roam the winding streets of the restored Old Town and you will discover how. Erfurt is also prized for its university, founded by rich merchants in 1392. Among its most famous graduates, Martin Luther studied up in Erfurt. Perhaps you should too.

Walk about Krämerbrüchke: One of the most famous sites in all of Erfurt is the Krämerbrüchke. The 18-meter wide, 120 meter long medieval bridge is the longest of Europe’s bridges that have homes staggered across it. Originally constructed from wood, the bridge was later rebuilt with more sturdy stone. Nearly three dozen homes can be found along here, filling up with bookstalls, cafes and antique shops.

 

Take in the Dom: The origins of this grand cathedral stem from a simple chapel found here in 742. The simple chapel took on a more grandiose look in the 14^th century when it was transformed into a Gothic construction. Most come to see the stained glass windows with their biblical scenes from 1370 to 1420. The stained glass scenes are unique for they do depict elements of everyday lift. Erfurt’s Dom also features a Gloriosa bell, 14^th century choir stalls and a Romanesque stucco Madonna.

See where Martin Luther lived: Erfurt is home to the Augustinerkloster, where the reformer lived from 1505 to 1511. Much of the key moments in Luther’s life took place here. He was ordained a monk and also read his first mass in Erfurt. You can explore the grounds and the church with its gothic stained glass windows.

 

Look through a kaleidoscope of colour in Egapark:

Erfurt’s Egapark presents flowerbeds so bright in color, you might need some sunglasses to even look at them. The park also holds a rose garden, Japanese rock garden and green houses. Set up four kilometers west of the city center, Egapark is away from any potential chaos. It completes with the medieval Cyriaksburg citadel. You can climb to the top for great views of the city and the parkland.