Eisenach is a city in Thuringia, Germany with 44,000 inhabitants. It is situated between the northern foothills of the Thuringian Forest and the Hainich National Park. Today automobile manufacturing is an important part of Eisenach economy. The German automaker Opel built an entirely new plant in the northwest of the town, after the Wartburg cars plant had ceased operations in 1989. Bosch has a plant in the town too. Eisenach was the place where Martin Luther lived as a child, although he was not born there, and later for his receiving protection by Frederick the Wise after having been pursued for his religious views. It was while he was staying at Wartburg Castle that he translated the New Testament into German. The town is famous as the birthplace of Johann Sebastian Bach as well. The Social Democratic Party of Germany was founded in 1869 in Eisenach.
The history of Eisenach is linked with the Wartburg Castle, which was built according to legend in 1067. There were at least three settlements below the castle, that merged to a common city in the second half of the 12th century. This town, Eisenach, was first mentioned in 1180. Several now legendary events took place on the Wartburg Castle in the following decades, best known is the “Singers’ Contest on the Wartburg” (Sängerkrieg, which is part of the Tannhäuser legend).
The Stadtschloss (town palace) is situated at the north end of the Market place and was built between 1742 and 1745. This palace was constructed to the plans of Gottfried Heinrich Krohne, architect of Ernst August I, Duke of Saxe-Weimar. Later Johann Wolfgang von Goethe frequently stayed here in his capacity as Weimar prime minister from 1777 on. Today the Stadtschloss acts as a venue for special exhibitions and as a museum for artistic and historical artifacts from Thuringia.
This former wine cellar on the market square became the townhall of Eisenach in 1596. The building, having been destroyed by fire in 1636, was rebuilt in 1641. Remnants of an early Renaissance building, originally built by the merchant Kreuznacher in 1539, featuring a tower with spiral stairs, and later owned by Duke Ernst August, who between 1741 and 1743 had the building dismantled and taken stone by stone to construct the Stadtschloss from it . After reconstruction, today the house holds the tourist office of Eisenach.
The Lutherhaus is one of the oldest and most picturesque half-timbered buildings remaining in Eisenach. Martin Luther is said to have lived here as a pupil during his school days in Eisenach from 1498-1501. The Bachhaus was the first museum worldwide to be dedicated to the life and work of Johann Sebastian Bach in 1906. It was established through the Neue Bachgesellschaft. The house is over 600 years old and stands near the place of the house where Bach was born on March 21, 1685. Today, the museum holds several artifacts and a variety of 18th and 19th century music instruments.
