This window in the Luther birth house gave the family an appealing view of their world. The church steeple in the photo is the St. Peter and Paul Church where Luther was baptized, showing how close it is to where he was born.

In this house, on November 10, 1483, Margarethe Luther gave birth to a son. The simple two-story house where Luther was born is essentially preserved as it was. Opinions vary as to which room Luther was born, but the best guess is that he was born in a second-floor room where the Luthers would have lived. The wealthier house owners would have taken up residence in the more spacious [and warmer!] rooms on the first floor.

Soon after his death, Luther sites were turned into Luther shrines. A large wooden plaque with Luther's portrait was hung on this house in the 16th century. This house contained the very first Luther memorial, becoming one of the first history museums in Germany. In 1817, Frederick William III built a large, permanent museum behind the house. He further stipulated that the state should care for the house, museum, and grounds in perpetuity. This is one of my favorite pictures, since the chances are somewhat high that Luther was born on this floor of the home.