Reformationsdenkmal

The Reformationsdenkmal stands in Leipzig, a city in Saxony. It was a monument to mark the introduction of the Reformation in Leipzig. The work was created by Dresden sculptor Johannes Schilling between 1883 and its destruction in 1943. It stood before the Johanniskirche on the Johannisplatz. The figures of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon were cast in bronze and placed on a red granite pedestal.

The monument showed Luther seated, holding an open Bible, while Melanchthon stood beside him. The bronze figures were over life-size, with Melanchthon reaching 2.70 metres tall. The pedestal carried four large bronze reliefs depicting scenes from Protestant life. These included the introduction of the Reformation in Leipzig, baptism, confirmation, and the sharing of communion under both kinds. Each side also featured an oval emblem with a rising sun and a key date in Reformation history.

The original site is now a green space opposite the New Town Hall. A new monument is planned to replace the lost work. The winning design by Gerald Aigner features an empty pedestal as a reminder of the earlier loss. The project aims to restore a presence on the same historic spot where the first monument once stood.