In 1505, Elector Frederick the Wise summoned the painter Lucas from Franconian "Cranach", today Kronach, to his court in Wittenberg. Painter Lucas initially lived in the painter's room in the castle. At the end of 1511 he acquired the property at Markt 4, and shortly afterwards the neighbouring property. Cranach married, started a family - presumably four of his five children were born here - and built up a successful workshop business.

Around 1517/1518 he sold the properties at Markt and acquired the property at Schlossstraße 1. The property at Markt 4 was later taken over by Cranach's son-in-law, the pharmacist Caspar Pfreundt, who ran the Wittenberg pharmacy there. Around 1771, parts of the house were rebuilt in the late Baroque style.

Since 1989, a citizens' initiative has been working to save the Cranach courtyards. The aim is to preserve the structural substance and use it as a cultural centre. Together with the city of Wittenberg, which is the owner of the building measures, the courtyard has been renovated since 1990. In the course of extensive preliminary investigations into the history of the building, valuable Renaissance paintings from the Cranach workshop were discovered in the front building. The first construction phase was handed over on 6 June 1998, the second and last phase followed on 24 January 2007.

Exhibition "Cranach's World", special exhibitions, museum shop,
guest flats, management

Managing Director: Eva Löber
Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 4 20 19 11
Fax: +49 (0) 34 91 / 4 20 19 19
E-Mail: info@cranach-stiftung.de
www.cranach-stiftung.de

Opening hours of the exhibitions:

Please note the special opening hours at the turn of the year.

Office

Managing Director: Giorgos Kalaitzis
Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 41 92 60
Fax: +49 (0) 34 91 / 41 92 64
E-Mail: marketing@wittenberg.de
www.wittenberg-marketing.de
www.wittenberg-marketing.de

Business hours:

Office

Managing Director: Dr. Heinz Wehmeier
Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 40 63 18
Fax: +49 (0) 34 91 / 40 63 18
E-Mail: drg.wittenberg@mail.ru

Business hours:

Ludothek

Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 40 16 49
Mobile: + 49 (0) 1 79 / 5 33 89 31
www.exil-wittenberg.de

Opening hours:

Club rooms

Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 66 90 22
E-Mail: e._folgner@web.de

Office

Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 4 59 11 45
E-Mail: predigtzentrum@wittenberg.ekd.de
www.predigtzentrum.de

Objects: Siegfried Appelt, Fred Giese
Glass design: Anne Kerstin Altenberger
Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 45 98 48
E-Mail: info@kunsthof-markt4.de
www.kunsthof-markt4.de

Opening hours:

Ceramics: Anka Demme
Felt: Maria John
Jewellery: Maria Friedel
Phone: +49 (0) 34 91 / 40 90 44

Opening hours: