Just when you thought you'd seen all that Wittenberg had to offer...

We got up early this morning and had some breakfast.  I looked up things to do in Wittenberg and thought we'd done it all 3 years ago... then came across something that sounded interesting.  There's an artist named Yadegar Asisi who's been doing what we used to call "cycloramas:" 360 degree images viewed from within.  Well, he's taken it to the next level, blending live 3d photos with computerized digitization and lighting and music to create a 360 degree view of Wittenberg in October of 1517.  It cost 11 euro each to get in, which sounds kind of high, but was well worth it.

Here's the flat view of what he created, but it doesn't do it justice:

Here's more of what it looks like from the ground, which is kind of like being inside a really wide silo:

You really feel like you're kind of in the middle of it.

The pictures are "painted" by computer onto about a 3-story wall, with lighting changes projected from a platform in the center.  You can climb up two levels, or stay on the floor and walk around.  The installation moves from daytime through night and a violent revolution (which actually took place, and which Luther rebuked), and back into morning.  I'm going to try to insert a bit of video, although it doesn't come close to doing the experience justice.

In the afternoon, there was a 3:00 worship service at St. Mary's held in English.  It turns out that they've been doing this since 1997, but I suspect infrequently.  It's an English language ministry, and they bring in pastors from all over to preach.  Our pastor was from Brazil.  Sadly, we were the only folks there besides a church group from Manhattan, Kansas.  

That's actually a kind of sad thing about this trip.  Before dinner, we had a beer down by Schlosskirche and talked with a local.  The government has invested millions in preparing for the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, and attendance has been well below projections.  We'd been surprised at how easy it was to find a room in what we expected would be prime season, and we've been surprised that it hasn't been very crowded.  I feel bad for the local citizens.

We also walked down to see what the Elbe looked like when it's not in flood.  We were basically "trapped" in Wittenberg for a day 4 years ago because the tracks toward Leipsig were under water.  Here's what the Elbe looked like then:

And here's what it looks like now:

Next: on to Munich!