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Musical City Walk
Love as in Luther's Time | Praetorius Consort Wittenberg & Wittenberg Court Orchestra & Guests
Sat, September 27, 2025 - 3:00 PM | Castle Church
Rediscover Wittenberg with open eyes and ears to the sounds of history: Participants in the musical city walk can already look forward to it! At the 20th Wittenberg Renaissance Music Festival, the Wittenberg Court Orchestra, the Praetorius Consort Wittenberg, and their guests invite you to a stroll through the original sites of the Reformation this Saturday afternoon, offering extraordinary listening experiences at representative locations in Luther's city. The young musicians from the Torgau Music School, who contributed to the success of this extraordinary tour last year, will be back in 2025.
During the approximately half-hour opening concert in the Castle Church, popular compositions from the past and present will be heard – songs and dances of the Renaissance, into which musical themes, melodies, and motifs from the soundtracks of modern cinema hits, such as "Tennessee," "Lord of the Rings," and "Pirates of the Caribbean," are subtly but unmistakably woven. Above all, however, in keeping with the festival motto, the focus is on two existential things: love and peace. Thus, Wittenberg's famous couple and the 500th anniversary of Martin Luther's wedding play a major role this afternoon.
After the opening, interested parties can participate in a musical city walk in groups – accompanied by experienced city guides, of course. While strolling through Wittenberg, they can enjoy further musical performances in the Old Town Hall, the Corpus Christi Chapel next to the City Church, and the Café Klatschmohn, among others, and experience the impressive sound of historical instruments such as harps, lutes, viols, and crumhorns.
Since capacity is limited, we recommend booking tickets in advance. And be sure to allow some time: it can take two and a half to three hours for the "Love Like in Luther's Time" performance.
Tickets: €25/reduced: €22
According to legend, on October 31, 1517, Luther nailed his 95 theses—his ideas and criticisms of the Church—to the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. His ideas were so influential that they transformed the Church. They ultimately led to the founding of the Protestant Church—which is why this day is so important to us. On Reformation Day, Christians celebrate Martin Luther's courage in initiating the reform of the Church and the freedom that faith grants to every individual.
The Thesis Door
According to tradition, on October 31, 1517, Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses in Latin on this door, inviting scholars to debate them. The purpose of this debate was to clarify whether the Church's practice of selling indulgences was in accordance with the teachings of Jesus. This marked the beginning of the Reformation. The original wooden "Thesis Door" was destroyed in the great fire that ravaged the church in 1760. In 1858, King Frederick William IV of Prussia donated the current bronze door, on the panels of which the Latin text of the theses is cast.
Introduction to Philipp Spielmann
I look forward to exploring the beautiful surroundings of Wittenberg by bike, to beautiful church services, musical highlights, old and new songs, and to meeting you!
History
Around 1340, the Ascanian dukes had an "All Saints' Chapel" built at their castle and founded a collegiate monastery in it for liturgical service. Elector Friedrich the Wise had the palace with the chapel demolished and his new residential palace with a more spacious palace church built on the site. You can find out more about the story here.
Church for children
Every Sunday there is a children's service in the Wittenberg Castle Church, parallel to the adult service. Ms. Felicia Grauel is one of the volunteers for the children's service.