Die Großen Schuhe Luthers, Bronze memorial in Heylshof Garden, Worms, Germany.

Die Großen Schuhe Luthers is a memorial in the garden of the Heylshof in Worms, consisting of two oversized bronze shoes, an inscribed plaque and a labelled pedestal. It was designed by Constanze and Norbert Illig and opened on 18 April 2017. The site is thought to be where Martin Luther stood before Emperor Charles V and refused to retract his theses.

The memorial commemorates the Diet of Worms in 1521, when Luther refused to retract his writings and was subsequently excommunicated by the Catholic Church. This act of resistance became the turning point that sparked the Protestant Reformation.

The shoes invite visitors to stand where Luther defended his convictions, creating a physical connection to this pivotal moment of the Reformation. This direct experience makes the historical event tangible and personal for those who visit.

The memorial stands in the garden of the Heylshof, next to an older commemorative plaque by sculptor Gustav Nonnenmacher, which sits at the centre of the redesigned site. The opening on 18 April 2017 was attended by around 100 guests, the limit set by fire regulations, so many waited outside the gates.

The shoes were created in 2017 and allow visitors to literally step into Luther's exact position and experience how he stood during this pivotal moment. This interactive art installation connects physical experience with historical learning in an unusual way.