Melanchthon House

The former home of Philipp Melanchthon

This Renaissance style house in Wittenberg, built in 1536, is an architectural gem. The humanist and reformer Philipp Melanchthon lived and worked in this house until his death. Today, the Melanchthon house is on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

From late 2010 to early 2013, the memorial was restored and expanded with addition of a modern new building. The annex now contains some of the amenities formerly in the memorial, including the ticket counter, a museum shop, and technical and sanitation facilities, thus freeing additional space for exhibition. For the first time, visitors have largely barrier-free access to the entirety of the Melanchthon House memorial.

Philipp Melanchthon moved to the Melanchthon House in 1539. This is the house where Melanchthon resided with his family and many guests, where he penned many of his writings, and where he staged poetry contests with his students. More than any other location, this house – which has been preserved largely unchanged through the centuries – is ideally suited to making Melanchthon’s life accessible to the public. Works of art and replicas of everyday objects introduce visitors to the daily lives and circumstances of Melanchthon and his family. Some of the objects have never been before on display, among them an original salary receipt issued to Melanchthon as university professor, and the first handwritten history of the city of Wittenberg penned by Melanchthon. Correspondence and other works by Melanchthon and his contemporaries, include an important document of the Reformation, the 1530 “Confessio Augustana”, or Augsburg Confession, are situated within the context of Reformation theology and Melanchthon’s impact on academic teaching. Another central exhibit is the larger-than-life portrait of Melanchthon by Lucas Cranach the Younger, which has been extensively restored for the exhibition. The exhibition also includes elements designed especially for children and young people. At the entrance to the exhibition, children receive a cast-iron key, which provides them access to various chests and cabinets that contain hidden games, and also unlocks hidden media stations directed especially at children. The complex history of the Reformation is recounted from the perspective of Magdalena, Melanchthon’s ten-year-old daughter. Her voice and image guides visitors through the exhibition and describes the conditions in which people lived and worked in her family’s home – an experience certain to appeal to young and old alike.