Just over 500 years ago began a movement that changed the world. An easy day trip from the Kaiserslautern area, we are blessed to have the opportunity to walk the footsteps of The Reformation.
I (Ollie) had been looking forward to taking this trip since reading “Martin Luther: The Man who Rediscovered God and Changed the World.” It was a chilling experience to walk the same steps Martin Luther took, as he endured the 1521 Diet of Worms. Whether you are looking to strengthen your faith, or just want to see a history book wide open, Worms is a perfect day trip for you!
The best part about a day trip to Worms is how accessible it is to the Kaiserslautern area. Worms is an easy beginner’s train trip, and the main train station drops you off within walking distance to everything.
Only paying €19 total roundtrip through the DB app, Day Tripper Grace (our youngest) and I hopped on the RE at the Kaiserslautern Hauptbahnhof. Including a quick transfer, the trip to Worms took under an hour and a half.
Before our trip, I plotted all the sights I wanted to see in the city. I planned for only three hours for sightseeing, including the time we spent at the annual Backfischfest along the Rhine River.
Three hours was enough time to “see everything” by foot, but I would have liked to spend time touring the Jewish Cemetery, which happened to be closed that day. Below are a list of the sights we saw in Worms, and I hope to inspire you to do your own walking tour of the city. The sights are listed in the same order we saw them for our self-guided tour. If the purpose of your trip is to walk the steps of The Reformation, you will find informational signs in German and English throughout the city!
– Jewish Cemetery Holy Sand: The oldest surviving Jewish Cemetery in Europe. I had to take picture from the outside, since the cemetery is closed on Saturdays. I would have liked the opportunity to tour the inside.
– Magnuskirche: Known as the oldest Lutheran Church. Martin Luther preached here while he underwent the Diet of Worms. This is also the smallest church in the city.
– Dom St. Peter: Also called St. Peter’s Cathedral and the Worms Cathedral, this Romanesque-styled cathedral is a MUST SEE! Right here, you can feel chills as you stand where Martin Luther stood as he was labelled a heretic. Still an active cathedral, there is so much to see here!
– Luther Monument: One of the largest Martin Luther monuments in the world, see the group of statues with Martin Luther as the centerpiece.
– City forts and wall: You can still touch the well-preserved city forts and original wall scattered throughout the city. Points of interest include Martinspforte and the Wormser Stadtmauer. Close to the Wormser Stadtmauer is a playground with a mini-replica of the entire city wall.
As we walked from point to point, we were able to soak in the city’s lively atmosphere that included parks, statues, and restaurants scattered throughout the city. We went in late August and were able to experience one of the city’s largest festivals, Backfischfest.
October is a perfect time to visit the city so vital to The Reformation. Hopefully you will see for yourself everything the city has to offer!
