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..site
of Martin Luther's 'Diet of Worms' in 1521. |
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| Worms,
pronounced "vorms" is a city well worth a visit. This is the site
where in 1521, Luther stood before the Imperial Diet accused of
heresy after nailing his theses on the door of the Wittenberg Church.
The "edict of Worms", signed by Charles V, branded him a heretic.
Worms became a Protestant city during the Thirty Years' War, when
the city suffered considerable damage.
Did you know that the famous Liebfrauenmilch wines are
named after the Liebfrauenkirche ( Church of our lady) in Worms?
This white wine was first produced in the convent in the 15th century.
The city is also famous as being the inspiration for Richard Wagner's
Opera "Der Ring Des Nibelungen". Click
here for the Worms web site, which includes panoramic views
of the city. |
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St
Peter's Cathedral (Dom St Peter)
was begun in 1181and completed in 1230. It is a "Kaiserdome" - or
"Imperial" cathedral, along with the romanesque cathedrals of Mainz
and Speyer. It is an impressive structure and a masterpiece of medieval
art, including the wooden choir stalls dating from 1760. The baroque
high altar was deigned by Balthasar Neumann and was so large that
there was no room for a transept!
Click here to go to the official web site of the Cathedral. Open
daily 9 -6. Back
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Jewish
sites in Worms. How sad that
Worms which was known as "Little Jerusalem" in the Middle Ages because
of the city's tolerant policy towards Jews, now has so few Jewish
residents. The great Talmudic commentator Solomon ben Isaac of Troyes
(1040-1105), known as Rashi, lived and studied here. Worms has one
of the largest Jewish cemeteries in Europe with graves dating back
to 1076. In the 1960s, the Jewish synagogue, the oldest in Germany,
was restored. The Raschi House Museum is open
Tuesday - Sunday from 10 -12 and 2-5.
Site
of the Diet of Worms. From the end of the
15th century, Worms hosted approximately 100 'Diets" or "summit
meetings". The key figures in the German Empire would meet at
the Bishop's Palace to discuss policy. The best known of these
is when Martin Luther appeared before Charles at the Diet in April
1521, accused of heresy. When he refused to recant, he went into
exile in Wartburg Castle in Thuringia, after a staged kidnapping
by his protector Frederick the Wise. The Bishop's Palace no longer
stands, but you can see a plaque to commemorate the event. Back
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Wine
Gate. (Weintor). This attractive gate greets
visitors as they cross the Rhine into Worms. The weather here
is ideal for the vineyards and Liebfrauenmilch wines are a local
specialty.
The
Magnus Church (Magnuskirche) is one of
the oldest protestant churches in the world, dating from the seventh
century. Luther's teachings were preached here even before the
Diet of Worms in 1521! The plaque outside says "Friends of Martin
Luther served as pastors here." Inside there is a stained-glass
window of the resurrected Jesus with his arms over Worms.
Luther
Memorial (Lutherdenkmal) was unveiled in
1868 to commemorate the Reformation and is largely the work of
Ernst Rietschel (1804-61). The bronze monument also depicts important
reformers:
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Pietro Valdo (1140-1217)
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John Wycliffe (1320-84)
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John
Huss (1370-1415)
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Girolamo
Svonarola (1452 - 98)
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Philipp
Melanchthon (1497 - 1560)
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Johann
Reuchlin (1455-1522)
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Philip
of Hessen (1504-67)
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Frederick
the Wise (1463 - 1525)
The
women sitting around symbolize the towns of Speyer, Augsburg and
Magdeburg, which were among the first to embrace Luther's teachings.
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Heylshof
Art Museum (Kunsthaus Heylshof) contains
a rich collection of artwork that belonged to the von Heyl family.
The garden of the museum was once part of the bishop's palace was
still contains parts of the ancient city walls. Ruben's (1577 -
1640) famous 'Madonna and Child' is one of the main treasures
on display.
Holy
Trinity Church (Dreifaltigkeitskirche)
was built 1709-25. Although is has been modernized, the facade
and tower are still Baroque style. Its modern glass mosaics depict
Martin Luther before the Diet of Worms.
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View
Larger Map
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|  Christian
History Highlights in Worms:
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Martin
Luther (1483-1546):
- Martin Luther was called to the 'Diet of Worms' by Emperor
Karl V (1500-1558) to be examined by Cardinal Aleander
(1480-1542).
- on May 25, 1521, the "Edict of Worms" found him guilty
of heresy.
William Tyndale (1494-1536):
-Completed the printing of the English New Testament in
1525. |
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 Selected
Cultural Events in Worms: |
| Carnival
with costumes, parades and music in February. |
| The
"stare-fest" or Starling Festival - referring
to the lighthearted nickname for the residents of Worms,
in June. |
| The
Worms open-air jazz festival in July |
| Worms
celebrates the 'Backfischfest',
the largest wine festival on the Rhine, where fried fish
is the culinary speciality. Enjoy the parade and fireworks!
August -September |
for
more info: www.worms.de.
(There isn't an English web site yet, but if you contact
them, they are very happy to send information in English
)Back
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Have
you been to Worms? Maybe
you live there...we want to here from you! Use the following form to tell
us your recommendations. Thank you! |
©
Reformation Tours, LLC 2003
409 Portland Ave, Belleville, IL 62220
Tel: (618) 222-9914 • Fax: (618) 222-9917 • Toll Free: (800) 303-5534
info@reformationtours.com
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