European history was written near the town of Mühlberg / Elbe on April 24, 1547, when the armies of the Catholic Alliance, led by Emperor Charles V, and the Protestant Schmalkaldic League, under the command of the Saxon Elector Johann Friedrich, met here. This battle, which was decisive for the course of the Reformation, forms the thematic focus in the refurbished and conceptually realigned, reopened museum, which can now properly join the ranks of the Central German sites of the Reformation. Furthermore, the visitor learns interesting facts about the history of the twin town of Mühlberg, first mentioned in 1230, about the importance of handicraft and trade and about life on and with the Elbe river. Part of the new permanent exhibition is dedicated to the history of the prisoner-of-war camp STALAG IV-B and the subsequent NKVD special camp No. 1 in Neuburxdorf near Mühlberg, which is conveyed to visitors using photos, objects that have survived and interviews with contemporary witnesses. The museum building itself, the New Propstei built in 1531 at the former Cistercian convent of Marienstern, testifies to the eventful history of the city. A special eye-catcher, not only for art connoisseurs, are the wall paintings from the Renaissance period that were uncovered during the most recent restoration work. The ensemble made up of the provost's office and the monastery buildings that have been changed but have been preserved in their substance - especially the monastery church - are among the largest in Brandenburg.
. During the conversion phase and the subsequent redesign, it was converted into a Reformation history museum with a modern memorial to the Battle of Mühlberg in 1547. A large part of the future permanent exhibition is dedicated to the Battle of Mühlberg. A media production presenting the events from three different perspectives will form the focal point. Next to them are the protagonists, such as Emperor Charles V and his adversary, the Saxon Elector Johann Friedrich I or his cousin Duke Moritz von Sachsen. The afterlife and the commemoration of these events also take up a lot of space. A life-size copy of the famous equestrian portrait of Charles V by Titian completes this exhibition. The Reformation is also shown in its local manifestations on the basis of Mühlberg testimonies of faith, such as liturgical manuscripts, a treasure trove of reliquaries or statues of saints of historical value. The presentation is rounded off by large-format picture fields with preserved wall paintings from the 16th century, which represent an interesting testimony to the history of the Reformation.
The second focus of the new museum is dedicated to other aspects of the city's exciting history. There is a lot to tell: the beginnings of the city with castle and palace, the changing country affiliation, life on the river with crafts and high water and also the memory of the prisoner of war and special camp. The award of the European Heritage Label in February 2012 makes it clear how much the small town once stood at the center of European history. The visitor can not only look forward to the Propstei, which has been renovated in accordance with the requirements of a monument, but also to a completely new content. This will be supplemented by the city's tourist information, which will also be housed in the building.
Opening hours of the "Mühlberg 1547" museum and tourist information from April 26, 2015
April to September
Tue – Sun 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m
October to March
Tue – Sun 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m
Translated by Google •
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