Eisenach
Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany. It is famous both as the birthplace of the Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach, as well as the city where Martin Luther lived as a child. It was while he was staying at Wartburg Castle that he translated the New Testament into German.
Get in
Eisenach is well connected by Deutsche Bahn (DB) trains, from RB regional trains to IC and ICE trains. There are trains to the Frankfurt International Airport's Fernbahnhof, every two hours.
Get around
The town is walkable, and it is a brisk 30-minute hike to the Wartburg Castle up a hill. All other attractions, such as the Bachhaus, Lutherhaus and the churches, are within 10 minutes from the station.
See
- 1 Wartburg Castle, Auf der Wartburg 1, ☏ +49 3691 2500. English guided tour: daily 13:30. A magnificent example of historic architecture and the place where Martin Luther translated the Bible into German. Also inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. €9.
- 2 Bachhaus, Frauenplan 21, ☏ +49 3691 79340, info@bachhaus.de. Daily 10:00-18:00. A museum dedicated to the life and works of the Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. Although Bach himself was not actually born here, the building is historically significant as one of the oldest surviving residential buildings in the town, and dates back to the time when he was alive. €9 adult, €5 student.
- 3 Lutherhaus, Lutherplatz 8, ☏ +49 3691 29830. Daily 10:00-17:00. One of the oldest surviving half-timbered houses in Thuringia. Tradition holds that Martin Luther lived there with the Cotta family during his schooldays in Eisenach from 1498 to 1501. It was designated a "European cultural heritage site" in 2011, having been run as a cultural history museum since 1956.
- 4 Stadtschloss, Markt 24, ☏ +49 3691 670450, museum@eisenach.de. W-Su 10:00-17:00.
- Rathaus
- Reuter-Wagner-Museum
Map of Eisenach - Kartaus Garden and Wandelhalle
Do
Buy
Eat
- [dead link] Steakhaus zum Ritter, Rittergasse 3, ☏ +493691 743388, info@steakhaus-zum-ritter.de. mains ~ €10 to €15.
- [formerly dead link] Ristorante Michelangelo, Karlsplatz 21 (Innenstadt), ☏ +49 3691 734081, michelangelo.eisenach@googlemail.com.
- Cafe Toccata, ☏ +49 3691 21 75 88, fax: +49 3691 88 35 25.
- Burger King.
Drink
Sleep
Keep in mind that Eisenach charges a "tourism tax" of €2 per night per person, which is usually charged on top of the going rate per room.
- Glockenhof, ☏ +49 3691 2340, info@glockenhof.de. singles from €69, doubles from €99.
- Steigenberger Hotel 'Thüringer Hof', ☏ +49 3691 28-0.
- Hotel auf der Wartburg, Auf der Wartburg, ☏ +49 3691-797 223.
Go next
On Deutsche Bahn, the other two main attractions of Thuringia: Erfurt and Weimar are within easy reach, with frequent and direct trains.
| Routes through Eisenach |
| Frankfurt ← Bad Hersfeld ← | Frankfurt  Dresden |
→ Gotha → Erfurt |