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Erfurt

Tourist Information and Travel Guide

ABOVE: Early morning on the Krämerbrücke, an historic stone bridge lined with shops and houses. INSET: Grain in a "beer hole" announces that fresh beer is available within.

By Durant Imboden

Erfurt is the capital of Thuringia, which Martin Luther described as "in the center of the center" of Germany. It has a long history as a center of German religion and learning, with one of the oldest universities in Central Europe and a Catholic diocese that was founded in 742 AD.

Erfurt is a popular tourist destination with Germans and, increasingly, with English-speaking visitors for two reasons:

• It has one of the best-preserved medieval city centers in Germany, with patrician townhouses, half-timbered buildings, Europe's longest inhabited bridge, and enough churches to be called "The Rome of Thuringia."

• It's an important stop on the Luther Trail from Eisenach to Wittenberg, with Lutheran landmarks such as the Augustinian Monastery and the Michaeliskirche. (Luther received his university education, became a monk, and entered the priesthood in Erfurt.)

Erfurt is an attractive, lively city where you can easily linger for several days before heading for larger cities such as Dresden or Berlin. It's also a bit cheaper than the more heavily touristed cities of Germany, with hotels and restaurants that offer solid middle-class comfort at moderate prices.

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