Eisleben market square and Luther memorial

As in other medieval towns, the market in Lutherstadt Eisleben is not just the proverbial center of the town. Larger and smaller streets lead from different directions to the central square. All around, various buildings and monuments bear witness to different eras and historical events.

Probably the most formative period for Eisleben was the Reformation, which is directly linked to its mastermind Martin Luther. It is therefore not surprising that a monument to the town's most famous child was erected on the market square. The bronze statue was created by sculptor Prof. Rudolf Siemering and was inaugurated on November 10, 1883, on the occasion of Luther's 500th birthday. It shows Martin Luther with the Bible in one hand and the papal bull of excommunication in the other. The base of the monument consists of four reliefs, three of which show scenes from the life of the reformer. The fourth relief deals with the Reformation itself.

Also closely associated with Martin Luther is the Haus am Markt, which today houses the Hotel Graf von Mansfeld. Recent research has uncovered a historical error, as the reformer did not die in a house on Andreaskirchplatz, as was long assumed, but in the house on the market square. Like most of the other buildings on the market square, it was built in the 16th century, after the great town fire of 1498.

The town hall, which dominates the square next to the Luther monument, also dates from this period. The weighing house on the east side of the market is also of historical interest. The market square is an excellent starting point for discovering Eisleben and the history of the Reformation.