The Castle Church — Schlosskirche — is the symbolic heart of the Reformation. According to tradition, on 31 October 1517, Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to its north door, igniting a religious revolution that would fracture Christianity and reshape European history. The church was built between 1490 and 1511 by Frederick the Wise of Saxony as part of his palace complex; the original building was badly damaged in a fire during the Seven Years' War and rebuilt in its current form in the 1880s.
Inside, the tombs of both Martin Luther and his close collaborator Philip Melanchthon lie beneath the pulpit and the organ loft respectively. The church's tower offers views over the Elbe valley. Entry to the church is free; a small fee applies for the tower.