Sights along the ramparts
If you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the old town for a few moments, you can take a break at the ramparts. In spring, for example, the cherry blossoms on the moat are beautiful to look at, and in autumn you shouldn't miss the colorful leaves.in the southeast of the city is the Bunkerberg, which offers you a beautiful view of the city and the surrounding area. Since 2017, you can walk on mirrored footbridges to gain new perspectives of the landscape. Small parks and watercourses run through the ramparts and invite visitors to take a deep breath. The Wittenberg Zoo and several playgrounds have also found a home on the historic ramparts. To mark the anniversary of the Reformation in 2017, the Luther Garden on the Wittenberg ramparts was created as a living symbol of global understanding - even beyond religious boundaries. Almost 300 trees were planted on the Andreasbreite by church representatives from all over the world who took on a tree sponsorship. Even though the trees are still growing, the Luther Garden is already a retreat for locals and visitors from all over the world. At the center of the garden is a square in the shape of the Luther rose, with five lime trees at each end. Trees from all continents grow along the paths on Andreasbreite, reminding us of the international impact of the Reformation.
History of the ramparts
Under Elector John the Steadfast, who was Elector of Saxony from 1525 to 1532, work began on renewing the town's fortifications. In the years from 1526 to 1547, a rampart was to be built on the site of the medieval town wall. A rampart was built along the city limits, the lower part of which was supported by a wide wall. A moat ran in front of the rampart, which was fed by the Elbe water through a sluice system, and in the north near the Franciscan monastery and to the west in front of the castle, rondels protruded as a defensive measure. In some sections, defensive weirs and bastions were erected, for example at the south-west corner of the Luther House. The decision was taken in 1873 to demilitarize the former fortifications, and so they developed into the green ramparts.
150 years of defortification
The year 2023 marked the 150th anniversary of the fortification of the city of Wittenberg. The former fortifications were transformed into a green belt around the city, creating the ramparts. They still surround the city today. At the same time, the fortification also created more opportunities for industry, villas were built, the district court was founded in Wittenberg and much more.
