Lutherstadt Wittenberg | |||||||
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From top: Skyline of Wittenberg,
Wittenberg old town with view to the Castle church (undergoing repairs), Market square with town hall and Stadtkirche Wittenberg, inside Wittenberg castle church and Leucorea university |
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Coordinates: 51°52′N 12°39′E / 51.867°N 12.650°ECoordinates: 51°52′N 12°39′E / 51.867°N 12.650°E | |||||||
Country | Germany | ||||||
State | Saxony-Anhalt | ||||||
District | Wittenberg | ||||||
Government | |||||||
• Mayor | Eckhard Naumann (SPD) | ||||||
Area | |||||||
• Total | 240.32 km2 (92.79 sq mi) | ||||||
Elevation | 67 m (220 ft) | ||||||
Population (2015-12-31) | |||||||
• Total | 46,475 | ||||||
• Density | 190/km2 (500/sq mi) | ||||||
Time zone | CET/CEST (UTC+1/+2) | ||||||
Postal codes | 06886 | ||||||
Dialling codes | 03491 | ||||||
Vehicle registration | WB | ||||||
Website | wittenberg.de |
Market square with Stadtkirche Wittenberg |
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UNESCO World Heritage Site | |
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Location | Wittenberg, Q1787573, Q1803552, Germany |
Coordinates | 51°51′57″N 12°38′59″E / 51.8658°N 12.6497°E |
Area | 240,320,000 m2 (2.5868×109 sq ft) |
Criteria | iv, vi |
Reference | 783 |
Inscription | 1996 (20th Session) |
Website | www |
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Wittenberg, officially Lutherstadt Wittenberg, is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Situated on the river Elbe, it has a population of about 50,000.
The importance of Wittenberg historically was due to its seat of the Elector of Saxony, a dignity held by the dukes of Saxe-Wittenberg and also to its close connection with Martin Luther and the dawn of the Protestant Reformation; several of its buildings are associated with the events of this time. Part of the Augustinian monastery in which Luther dwelt, first as a monk and later as owner with his wife and family, is preserved and considered to be the world's premier museum dedicated to Luther. Various Luther and Melanchthon memorial sites were added to the UNESCO world heritage list in 1996.
Duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg 1296–1356
Electorate of Saxony 1356–1806
Kingdom of Saxony 1806–1815
Kingdom of Prussia 1815–1871
German Empire 1871–1918
Weimar Republic 1918–1933
Nazi Germany 1933–1945
Soviet occupation zone 1945–1949
East Germany 1949–1990