Martin Luther's Death House
Martin Luther 's Death House is the building in Eisleben on St. Andrew's churchyard, from which it was assumed that the Reformer Martin Luther on February 18, 1546, died here. According to recent research, however, is the home of today's Hotel "Graf von Mansfeld " on the market, the actual death house. The house on St. Andrew's Church Square is now used as a museum. It was reopened after two years of renovations and supplemented by a new building on 1 February 2013. In Eisleben is located elsewhere also Martin Luther's birthplace.
Architecture and History
Referred to as Luther 's Death House building stands on St. Andrew's Church Square No. 7 directly opposite the parish church of St. Andrew Eisleben, where Luther had made a few days last surgery before his death. The heritage protection house was built after the fire of 1498 and long served as the residence of the town clerk. Towards the street stands a late Gothic, two-storey house eaves, which is crowned by a steep gable roof. Courtyard side was built around 1600, a narrow wing.
Luther was the time of death at the friend of his family Drachstedt guest. In the 17th century located house on St. Andrew's Church Square was owned by the son of Dr. Drachstedt probably by mistake as last residence. The real death house is probably the Stadtschloss (market 56) in which now houses the Hotel Graf von Mansfeld. There, next to a chair of the Reformer is also the real death room to visit. 1863 bought by the Prussian Treasury than the assumed mortality House, so as to establish a memorial. In the years 1863-1868 the building was extensively renovated by Friedrich August Ritter and also redesigned historicizing. The doors and windows of the ground floor were reconstructed. Worth mentioning here is rich profiled kielbogigen windows, and also kielbogiges seat niche portal. Both were reconstructed in late Gothic style. The original layout of the ground floor with large entrance hall, two vaulted rooms and Wendelstein remained largely intact.
The formerly built as a half-timbered upper floor was built in the massive construction and changes in its layout. One on the courtyard side originally existing gallery has been removed. Upstairs there are coupled, rectangular windows with Stabwerkgewänden. The large living and long suspected as a death chamber Luther room is upstairs. The local beam ceiling is still in its original state. A small sleeping chamber located there still has the features of the 16th century. On the wing conference room has been added. The shallow bay on Kragbögen was reconstructed. In the years 1892-1894 the historicist interior was designed by Friedrich Wanderer from Nuremberg. In the years 1982/83 was followed by a further restoration. Since 1994, the house serves as a museum completely.
After two years of renovation and expansion by a new building, the museum was re-opened on 1 February 2013. The plans for the extensive renovation and reconstruction work in the old building and the extension are from the Stuttgart architects OF M. Dealing with the heterogeneous buildings and the high conservation requirements was an architectural challenge.
Works of art in the Death House
In the aftermath of Martin Luther several art works were placed in the home. So the created in 1905 by William Pape history painting Luther is in the living room last confession. Furthermore, it is shown in the exhibition spaces a Change original at St. Andrew's Church Epitaph for Elizabeth Francke from the year 1517. The Epitaphgemälde shows the scene of the Lamentation of Christ, with Christ as the Man of Sorrows shows his wounds, as well as endowing family. The resulting by 1517/18 paintings probably comes from Hans Döring. Another building under house Epitaphgemälde was created in 1569 by Henry Goding for the family of the Superintendent Jerome Menzel. In the painting the last of Luther performed in the St. Andrew's Church Ordination is shown.