This guide follows the main axis of Erfurt's old town through six places: the Luther monument on the Anger, the Krämerbrücke, the town hall on Fischmarkt, the Domplatz, the cathedral and the church of St Severus. All six are stops on our scavenger hunt, and together they show the city's two faces: the merchant town that grew rich on trade along the Via Regia, and the church city crowned by its two great Gothic churches on the hill.
Luther Monument
Martin Luther came to Erfurt as a student in 1501, entered the Augustinian monastery here in 1505 and was ordained a priest in the cathedral. The bronze monument by the Berlin sculptor Fritz Schaper was unveiled on 30 October 1889, on the eve of Reformation Day. It stands on the Anger, the city's long main shopping street, in front of the Kaufmannskirche, the merchants' church, where Luther preached in October 1522.
Walk around the pedestal: three reliefs show Luther as a student, his entry into the monastery and his reception at the university on his way to the Diet of Worms. The front carries a line from Psalm 118, 'I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord'. The monument is one of our scavenger hunt stops.
Krämerbrücke
The Merchants' Bridge is Erfurt's best-known sight: a stone bridge over the Gera that is lined with houses along its whole length, so that crossing it feels like walking down a narrow street. The city built the stone bridge, finished in 1325, at the crossing where the Via Regia trade route passed through town. After a fire in 1472 it was rebuilt with about 62 narrow half-timbered houses; today there are 32, and it is the longest bridge in Europe built over with houses along its whole length.
The ground floors hold small shops and workshops, many selling local crafts, while people still live upstairs. On the third weekend of June the bridge gives its name to the Krämerbrückenfest, the city's largest festival. The bridge is a stop on our scavenger hunt.
- The Ägidienkirche at the eastern end, a church with a gateway through which the street passes; its tower is open to visitors and gives a view down onto the bridge roofs.
- The view of the bridge from the river bank, the best way to see that it really is a bridge.
- The half-timbered backs of the houses, which hang out over the water.
Town Hall
Erfurt's town hall on Fischmarkt looks medieval but was built between 1870 and 1874, in the neo-Gothic style, on the site of the old town hall. Fischmarkt itself was one of the city's main market squares, and some of its finest merchants' houses stand opposite, with the statue of a Roman warrior, the Roland, in the middle.
The real surprise is inside. The staircase and halls are covered with a series of murals showing Thuringian legends, scenes from Luther's life and episodes of Erfurt's history. The interior can be seen on a guided tour; check with the tourist office. The town hall is a scavenger hunt stop.
Domplatz
The Domplatz is one of the largest squares in Germany, covering about 3.5 hectares. It was drained and laid out as a market in the 12th century, and it was enlarged after the bombardment of 1813, when buildings around it were destroyed. Colourful merchants' houses line the eastern side, and the citadel of the Petersberg rises to the north-west.
Above the square, 70 broad steps lead up to the cathedral and the church of St Severus, standing side by side on the hill. In August the steps become the stage for the Domstufen-Festspiele, open-air opera staged by Theater Erfurt. The square also hosts the weekly market and, in winter, Erfurt's Christmas market. The Domplatz is one of our scavenger hunt stops.
- The Erthal obelisk, a sandstone monument from the 1770s in honour of the elector of Mainz, who then ruled Erfurt.
- The Minerva fountain, first set up in 1784, near the foot of the steps.
Erfurt Cathedral
The cathedral of St Mary stands on a hill that was too small for its Gothic choir, so the builders first raised huge vaulted substructures, the Kavaten, to carry it. The choir, built in the 14th century, still has much of its original medieval stained glass. Luther was ordained a priest here in 1507.
The central tower holds the Gloriosa, cast in 1497 by Gerhard van Wou and one of the largest free-swinging medieval bells in the world; it rings only on high holidays. The cathedral is a stop on our scavenger hunt.
- The Wolfram, a Romanesque bronze candle-bearer in the form of a man, one of the oldest free-standing bronze figures in Germany.
- The tall windows of the choir, best seen on a sunny morning.
Church of St Severus
The church of St Severus, next to the cathedral, is a Gothic hall church with five aisles of equal height under one roof, and three slender spires that form, with the cathedral, Erfurt's best-known skyline. It is named after Severus, a 4th-century bishop of Ravenna, whose relics were brought to Erfurt in the 9th century.
Inside, look for the stone sarcophagus of St Severus, carved in the 14th century with scenes from his life, and the towering font with its carved stone canopy from the 15th century, which rises almost to the vault. St Severus is the final stop of our scavenger hunt.
How to see them in one walk
Start at the Luther monument on the Anger and walk west along the shopping streets to the Krämerbrücke. Cross the bridge, or walk along the river to see it from the side, and continue to Fischmarkt and the town hall. From there, Marktstraße leads straight to the Domplatz; finish by climbing the steps to the cathedral and the church of St Severus.
See Erfurt with World City Trail
Our Erfurt scavenger hunt turns the old town into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops, from the Angermuseum to the church of St Severus. All six places in this guide are stops: the Luther monument, the Krämerbrücke, the town hall, the Domplatz, the cathedral and St Severus, and the route also takes in the Haus zum Stockfisch, Zum Breiten Herd and the Naturkundemuseum.
If you prefer a different format, there is also a self-guided walking tour and an outdoor escape game in Erfurt.
Play the Erfurt scavenger hunt →
Take the self-guided walking tour of Erfurt →
Play the outdoor escape game in Erfurt →
Facts checked in October 2026.