Erfurt is a city of 213 000 people and is the capital city of the state of Thuringia. It's metropolitan area is called  Thüringer Städtekette (Thuringian city chain) and has a half a million people. The city was first mentioned in documents in 742, when St. Boniface founded the diocese. The University of Erfurt was founded in 1379 and was the first university founded in what is now Germany today. It closed in 1816, but was re-established in 1994. Martin Luther was a student here between 1501-1505.  Erfurt's old town is one of the best preserved medieval city centres in Germany. Some of the tourist attractions of old town include: The  Krämerbrücke is found here. It is one of the few remaining bridges that have inhabited buildings and has been inhabited for 500 years. It spans the Breistrom, which is a branch of the Gera River. The bridge connects two town squares - Benediktsplatz and Wenigemarkt. The bridge was built as a stone bridge in 1325. Houses were built on th...