12 DAYS
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HIGHLIGHTS OF YOUR TOUR
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This tour is offered only as a suggestion.
You may customize this itinerary and any other aspect of this tour.
DAY 1 – NEW YORK • BERLIN
Begin your Passion Play journey by departing for Berlin. Meals and overnight
on board.
DAY 2 – BERLIN
Arrive in Berlin. Transfer to the hotel and have the afternoon at leisure
for shopping and sightseeing. We have a welcome dinner at the hotel.
Overnight.
DAY 3 – BERLIN
Today we have extensive sightseeing of Berlin including Brandenburger
Gate, Charlotenburg Palace, Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, Schoenburg
City Hall, the Kurfurstendamm and the Reichstag Building, Unter den
Linden, Alexander Platz and a visit to the Pergamon Museum. Afternoon
free for shopping and additional sightseeing. Dinner and overnight at
the hotel.
DAY 4 – BERLIN • WITTENBURG • TORGAU •
LEIPZIG
Drive to Wittenberg , where Luther lectured at the University and lived
for 36 years until his death. It was here, on the door of the Castle
Church, that Luther nailed his thesis. In the Castle Church are the
tombs of Luther and Melanchthon. The Luther House is the world’s
largest museum devoted to the history of the Reformation. We then take
a short drive to Torgau, a political center of the Reformation. It is
noted for having the first Presbyterian Church, consecrated by Luther
in 1544. The town became famous as a result of the “Torgau Confederation”
and the “Torgau Articles.” Luther’s wife, Katharina
von Bora, died here. Visit the Municipal Church of St. Mary with its
alter table by Lucas Cranach and grave stone of Katharina von Bora.
Continue to Leipzig. Afternoon sightseeing to include St. Thomas Church,
St. Nicholas Church and the Town Hall. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 5 –LEIPZIG • EISLEBEN • WEIMAR •
ERFURT
First stop today is in Eisleben. Visit Luther’s birthplace, his
baptismal church and the house where he died. Continue to Weimar which
symbolizes classical German Culture. See the Franciscan Monastery (now
the Franz Liszt Academy of Music) where Luther stayed on his way to
Augsburg for interrogation by Cardinal Cajetan, and the Municipal Palace,
where his various sermons between 1521 and 1540 are historically authenticated.
We proceed to Erfurt for dinner and overnight.
DAY 6 – ERFURT • SCHMALKALDEN • EISENACH •
ERFURT
Morning sightseeing of Erfurt including the Augustinian Church and Monastery,
where Luther lived as a Monk, the Franciscan Church where Luther preached
in 1529, and St. Mary’s Cathedral where Luther was ordained as
a priest. Then on to Schmalkalden, a stronghold of Protestantism, to
see the Luther house. Next stop is in Moehra to visit the Luther parental
home and Memorial. It was in Moehra in 1521, Luther’s pretended
capture took place and he was brought to the Wartburg. Continue to Eisenach
to visit the Wartburg Castle, where Luther translated the New Testament
into German. The walking tour of Eisenach includes the Luther House,
St. George’s Church and the Luther Memorial as well as the Bach
Family House and Museum. Return to Erfurt for dinner and overnight.
DAY 7 – ERFURT • COBURG •NURNBERG •
ROTHENBURG
This morning drive to Coburg. Luther stayed for six months in Coberg
Fortress in order to follow the negociations at the Imperial Diet in
Augsburg. Visit the Luther room and the Luther Chapel. Then on to Nurnberg,
which was the first town in the Empire into which the Reformation was
introduced in 1525. Continue to Rothenburg for a short walking tour
and dinner at the hotel.
DAY 8 – ROTHENBURG • MUNICH • OBERAMMERGAU
Travel the Romantic Road to Munich. Afternoon city tour including the
Olympic Stadium, the 1000 foot high Television Tower, the Nymphenburg
Palace, the Frauenkirche and other sites. Continue to Oberammergau,
site of the Passion Play. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 9 – OBERAMMERGAU
Full day in Oberammergau for the Passion Play. A village in the Bavarian
Alps, famous for its woodcarving industry. In the year 1633, the town
was stricken by the plague. In desperation the people of the village
took an oath that they would stage a performance of the Passion of Jesus
every 10 years if the plague would vanish and save their town. The town
was saved and the first performance took place in 1634. From 1690 on,
the play has been performed regularly every 10 years. The play takes
almost eight hours to perform and the 124 speaking parts are performed
by inhabitants of the village. The audience is seated in a roofed auditorium
while the stage is open-air. Lunch and dinner are included.
DAY 10 – OBERAMMERGAU • AUGSBURG
This morning visit Ludwig’s Neuschwanstein Castle and the Baroque
Church in Wies. Continue to Augsburg. Beginning in 1518, there were
disputes between Luther and the Papal legate Cardinal Cajetan at the
Imperial Diet held in Augsburg. In 1530 the Protestant confession of
faith was publicly proclaimed for the first time. The sightseeing tour
will include the Protestant Church of St. Anne, (the starting point
of the Reformation in Augsburg) the Carmelite Monastery of St. Anne,
where Luther lived during his stays in Augsburg, the Fronhof, former
Bishop’s Palace where the “Confessio Augustana” was
proclaimed and the Renaissance Town Hall. Dinner at the hotel.
DAY 11 – AUGSBURG • HEIDELBERG • WORMS
Depart today for Worms with a lunch stop in Heidelberg. Continue the
short distance to Worms where Luther defended his thesis at the Diet
of Worms, convened by the Emperor Karl V in 1521. Visit the world’s
greatest Reformation Memorial showing Luther surrounded by the precursors
of the Reformation, Pietro Valdo, John Wycliff, John Huss and Savonarola
with other figures as well including Reuchlin and Melanchthon. Also
visit the Trinity Church, the Municipal Museum and the Romanesque Imperial
Cathedral. Farewell Dinner at our hotel.
DAY 12 – WORMS • FRANKFURT • NEW YORK
Transfer to the airport where we board our hometown flight. Arrive home
the same day with wonderful memories of The Passion Play and our European
Adventure.
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The experts in the planning and delivery of high quality, worldwide, custom Christian group tours. ©2005 Friendship Tours. All rights reserved Contact: tours@friendshiptours.com | Telephone: (800) 213-9155 | CST # 2069059-40 |