Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany: why you should go, what to do and what to visit, where to eat, tourist tips. It is called the most beautiful German city: Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg ob der Tauber (Rothenburg ob der Tauber, 11 thousand inhabitants) is a small town in the north-west of Bavaria, which arose in the 11th century, like hundreds of other German towns, around a feudal castle. For the first hundred years, the city was owned by the Count family of Comburg-Rothenburg. Despite the early degeneration of the family, its legacy in the form of six cities founded by them with the same name Rothenburg is still alive. The last of the Rothenburgs bequeathed his lands to the abbey, but the Roman emperor disavowed this will in favor of his nephew Conrad III. As often happened in the Middle Ages, the city experienced rapid development in connection with the election of a local overlord as the king of Germany in 1137 - the royal castle and courtyard attracted cash, human and commodity flows. The king was replaced by his descendants, the dukes, but the initial impulse did its job, and in 1274 Rothenburg received the high status of an imperial free city. The prosperity was brought to an end by the Thirty Years' War, when the Protestant city was captured by the Catholic troops of Field Marshal von Tilly, and the plague epidemic of 1634. Deprived of external and internal sources of development, Rothenburg could no longer rise, but its historical center avoided further reconstruction. If it weren’t for the American rednecks who bombed the city of no military significance in 1945, the medieval ensemble would have been completely untouched.
Rothenburg stands on the so-called The romantic road connects two dozen ancient Bavarian towns and is considered the best on this tourist route. Be careful - this is a toursit trap and a gingerbread city: quantity organized tourists and the animation business here is just off the charts. So if you come here, then only in the early morning:
The unusually good city plan makes it easy to describe our route. We enter through the north-eastern gate (No. 17), go through to the park (No. 12) past the church (No. 4), return to the geometric center along another street to the town hall (No. 2), turn south to the bastion (No. 28), and from there we return to the starting point along the top of the eastern wall.
I managed to park the car for free, in the shade, and not far from the entrance to the pedestrian zone, so after two minutes I already approached the Galgentor tower (14th century):
Having climbed it, you can walk along the city wall, and after passing under the arch you can get to the Galgengasse street of the same name. Despite its pedestrian status, there is a lot of traffic along it, and tourists are even given rides on horse-drawn carriages:
It is immediately clear that, unlike other German cities, the street development here is homogeneous - apparently, no new houses were built after the 17th century, but only old ones were renovated. On many gables there are still brackets for lifting baskets with things to the upper floors:
The street ends with another tower - the White Tower (Weißer Turm). It is part of the inner ring of walls, late 12th century:
Inside the first ring, the streets narrow. This is Georgengasse, looking back towards the White Tower:
Soon we go to the main city church of St. James. It was built slowly and in stages - from 1311 to 1484, and with the advent of the Reformation, it became Lutheran. The altar part is separated from the main volume not by transepts, but by two towers of slightly different heights:
The three-nave Gothic church is elongated, and up close it only fits into the frame in parts, so we look from afar (from the northern city wall):
The side naves are much lower and shorter than the central one, and the flying buttresses are attached to the wall like suction cups. Last year, the church was completely restored, so it looks like new. To complete the picture, let's look at its southern side, this time close up:
The altar overlooks the small Kirchplatz square, where the Renaissance parish school building (1593) stands out. There are three pairs of sundials on its tower, and inside, obviously, there is a spiral staircase:
In Rothenburg, people are greatly distracted from viewing architectural monuments by animation. There is simply an incredible number of mummers on the streets, staging scenes from supposedly medieval life in literally every home. Here, at the apse, stood either a duke or simply a noble hunter:
And at the portal of the church school, the Atlanteans are obscured by two peasants fighting with pillows:
They don’t ask for money for performances, but they sell some souvenirs everywhere. Green Market Square, facing the backyard of the town hall:
We go further along Klostergasse, named after the Dominican monastery that operated here in the 13th-16th centuries. I looked into his yard, but didn’t find anything photogenic. But on the street itself a working bracket with a basket was found:
We approach the western gate of the city, which is guarded by the tall Burgtor tower. It was here, on a high hill near a bend in the river, that the original fortress was located, destroyed by an earthquake back in the 14th century. Its bastion was then included in the system of city fortifications:
Under the arch we go beyond the city walls. In the west, the hill drops steeply towards the river, so it is not entirely clear why the gate was built on the outside:
On the left side of the complex, the fortress walls look truly ancient:
Not even the ruins of the former castle remain, and a beautiful park has been laid out in its place:
In the shadow of the fortress walls, another group of animators is waiting for their turn, drinking beer in their spare time:
And we will admire the panorama of the surrounding area, opening from the parapet of the park. In the northwest is the green Tauber Valley; somewhere beyond the distant ridge of hills lies the border of Bavaria and Württemberg:
On the opposite side, a neat (all roofs are the same height) line of houses in the long southern branch of the old city is clearly visible:
We will gradually head there, but first we will return to the city and walk along Herrngasse. After 200 meters, we look back (do you recognize the Burgtor tower in the background?).
On this street there is another Gothic church - the Franciskanerkirche (1285), named in memory of the former convent. By the time the reformers arrived, the monastery had already fallen into disrepair and was taken over by the Lutherans without a fight.
All the houses in Herrngasse are from the 15th century and older, but some facades have since been updated, for example, they have acquired half-timbered decor, like this house on the north side:
To the right is a former bakery, on the pediment of which we notice the Baroque style for the first time in this city. And even further to the right is the 60-meter tower of the old town hall. We go out to the Town Hall, or rather, to the Market Square:
The size of the town hall alone suggests that Rothenburg played a significant role in medieval Germany. An attentive reader can find several architectural styles in the town hall complex - Gothic in the tower (1286), Renaissance in the main building (1578), Baroque in its arched gallery and corner bay window (1681).
The German name of the building on the right in the picture (1446) - Ratstrinkstube - literally translated means "town hall beer hall". Experts in German can correct me, maybe this is the popular name for the reception hall?
The northern side of the Market is formed by rich Gothic houses of the 15th century without significant alterations of the facades:
But in the southern corner there is a half-timbered couple:
This is also the 15th century with an even more ancient base, and the age of the fountain with lions is also impressive - 1608. But the combination of functions of these buildings blows your mind: imagine the close proximity of a slaughterhouse and a dance hall with a theater!
To the east is the pretty street Hafengasse, leading to the Markusturm tower. Like the White Tower, which we saw at the beginning of the walk, this one limits the inner core of the 12th century city - behind it there will be a few more blocks to the outer wall:
But our further path lies to the south, along the longest street, which changes its name three times along the way. Its initial part is called Upper Schmidgasse, in honor of the blacksmiths' guild. And the hitherto quiet gentlemen buffoons turned on the noise design:
There is also a Catholic Church in Rothenburg, St. John, or simply Johanniskirche (1410):
After 200 meters, an interesting fork is discovered: to the left, the main street passes through the Sieberstor tower (in this part - Plönlein), and to the right, the “street of goblins” - Koboldzellersteig - descends, above which there is also a tower (Koboldzeller Tor), only half a level lower. This postcard view of Plönlein turns out to be one of the most popular in all of Germany:
Both towers were erected at the end of the 14th century, which means that the gates of the inner core in this direction have not been preserved, and we have already reached the border of the outer city. Excuse me, but the old city does not end behind these towers - a decent-sized appendix still stretches to the south. We conclude that the city expanded after the 14th century, although not on such a large scale.
And here is confirmation of our hypothesis - huge houses in the Renaissance style at the very end of the street (16th century, of course):
In this part the street is called Hospital. Which of these buildings do you think served as a hospital? That's right - closest, because the hospital church was usually located nearby. “The church is older - it’s Gothic,” you will say, and you will be right: the Church of the Holy Spirit was built in 1308 and at first stood far outside the city wall (too lazy to look, but obviously there was some kind of monastery here). During the Reformation, it became Lutheran, and with the construction of the hospital it was assigned to it.
But the distant building used to serve as a stable - another example of non-compliance with hygiene rules in the Middle Ages :) Well, this whole complex is completed by the Spitaltor - Hospital Bastion (1556):
There are many entrances and exits inside his baby. Having entered one of them, I tried to go upstairs and go further along the covered gallery of the city wall, but I got hopelessly lost, and had to move down along the wall for some time:
On the way to east gate I came across the most gingerbread house in all of Bavaria - Gerlachschmiede, i.e. house of a blacksmith from Gerlach (the forge operated here until the mid-20th century):
I finally managed to climb the Rödertor tower, and then filmed from the heights of the fortress walls:
Do you recognize the asymmetrical belfries? These are the spiers of the already familiar St. James Church, and to the right is the White Tower. And now we have already reached the starting point - Galgentor,
but it’s too early to go down - you can look at the city from the north side. The same objects plus the town hall tower:
Looking back towards Galgentor. It is noticeable that most of the houses are oriented the same way - they look beautiful and harmonious:
Another symphony of roofs with the White Tower:
I accidentally looked through the narrow loophole to the opposite (northern) side and suddenly saw a very impressive house:
This is the building of the former imperial city gymnasium (now vocational school), neo-Renaissance, 1914. It turns out that in stagnant times the city received some things.
I'm going back. While I was walking, the mummered knights, apparently tired of entertaining the public for free, moved to the city gates to collect tribute, not only from motorists, but also from pedestrians. I'm not kidding!
However, they didn’t take any money for leaving, and I went home. I was generally pleased with the excursion - despite some excesses, the city retained its stylish appearance. On the other hand, Rothenburg clearly lacks real content, which no animation can replace - after all, in lively and dynamic cities (for example, such as Bamberg or Regensburg) there is no need to additionally entertain tourists. So you can look here along the way, but nothing more.
The best time to visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber is from May to September. Winters are cool here, and summers are hot, with temperatures above +30 °C.
Rothenburg has a glorious history: it was once the pride of Franconia and was considered a center of trade. Gradually the city turned into a corner of comfort. Today, only 12 thousand residents live in Rothenburg. The area of its territory is small - a little more than 40 km². But it is still noisy here, because every year 2 million tourists visit the village. According to statistics, it is the third most visited city in Germany. First of all, guests from Japan and China are interested in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Rothenburg's popularity is due to its favorable location. The city is located at the intersection of the most popular routes for tourists - the Romantic Route and the Road of Castles. The view of Rothenburg is impressive - it seems that it rises above the Tauber River valley. No wonder the name of the city is translated as “fortress over the river.”
History of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
The first houses in this area appeared in 960. Two centuries later, a fortress was built, and then the settlement of Rothenburg arose. Geographical position city played into the hands of local residents. Rothenburg ob der Tauber became a center of trade, quickly developed and prospered. In the 13th century, the locality was given the status of a “free imperial city.” This meant that local residents were directly subordinate to the king.
In the 14th century, the fortress was destroyed due to an earthquake, but this did not stop further development cities. At the beginning of the 15th century, the number of residents exceeded six thousand - this was the “Golden Age” of Rothenburg. The subsequent history of the town is sad. During the Thirty Years' War, the settlement was occupied several times. The heyday gave way to decline. After this, the city seemed to fall into a sleep - it did not develop, lost its significance, but managed to maintain its original medieval appearance.
In the 19th century, Rothenburg became part of Bavaria. When Germany became unified, the settlement attracted the interest of tourists. Rothenburg ob der Tauber had to endure difficult times during the Second World War. About 40% of buildings were destroyed due to bombs. The eastern, new part of the Old City suffered. Fortunately, the most important landmarks survived and the residents rebuilt the center of Rothenburg. The Americans helped restore the buildings - memorial plaques on the walls remind us of this.
The ancient spirit of Rothenburg
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is protected from adversity by the city wall. Its length is quite large - 3 km. You can walk along the city walls and walk around the entire perimeter of the settlement. The fortress is complemented by turrets, some of which were erected in the 12th century.
Guests enter through the gate, which is considered a landmark in itself. If you move from the railway station, you need to go through the 14th century gate. But in beauty they are inferior to the Castle Gate, which is also called the Eastern Gate. The path through them leads to a city park located on a cliff. When passing through the gate, you should raise your head and look for the mask - through it, tar was poured onto the attackers of Rothenburg. The castle itself has not survived.
Other buildings of the ancient town also proved to be beyond the control of time. Tourists admire the powerful fortress wall, ancient paving stones, and narrow streets. The houses match - quaint, with neat facades. Almost all of them are half-timbered - this is the name of the technology that developed back in the 15th century in Germany. The buildings have almost no load-bearing walls, only a frame made of horizontal and vertical elements. The space between the beams is filled with different materials: stone, brick, wood. Since there is no load on the walls, they can be removed and rebuilt as desired. This allows you to organize the space inside the house in a new way.
The walls of the buildings in Rothenburg ob der Tauber are snow-white and decorated with ornaments. The balconies and windows are decorated with flowers. You can walk around the entire city, but still not find a single modern building, but you can fully feel the atmosphere of the Middle Ages and comfort. Thanks to its “classic” appearance, Rothenburg is often chosen as a film location. Usually films about Germany or the Middle Ages are shot here. The last part of Harry Potter was even created in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
The pride of the “fortress above the river”
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a small town. Just ten minutes - and tourists find themselves in the very center, on the Market Square. The town hall is here. It differs in color - the snow-white part is adjacent to the brown one. One half of it is a medieval Franconian building, the other is an ancient tower. The height of the town hall is 60 meters. You can go up to the observation deck and admire the view of the peaceful German town. There is an entrance fee, but it is inexpensive. You can safely pass the turnstile and climb the steps of a narrow and steep staircase. They pay at the very top.
To the right, near the town hall, is a building with an intricate doll clock. It's worth taking a look at the "masterful sip" here. The clock shows the doll emptying a large goblet of wine twice a day. It is believed that the original decoration was created in memory of the burgomaster of Rothenburg. At the beginning of the 17th century, during the Thirty Years' War, the city was captured. An unpleasant fate awaited him - the enemies were going to completely destroy and burn Rothenburg. The invaders mockingly promised that they would not touch the territory under one condition. The local burgomaster Nush had to drain a huge goblet of wine - 3.5 liters - in one sip. The head of the city coped with the task.
There is an old diner near the town hall. It was created during the heyday of Rothenburg, in the 15th century. Around the square there are various cafes, shops with souvenirs, and shops. All the most significant events take place on the Market Square: festivities, theatrical performances, seasonal markets.
Another local pride is the Church of St. James. Since the 14th century, the temple has been “protecting” the city. Tourists admire the carved wooden altar. It is believed that the cross contains rock crystal capsules that were used at the Last Supper. Stained glass windows create a special atmosphere in the church, turning the interior space into a work of art.
After exploring the main attractions of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, you can take a break and stroll through the city park. On its territory there is a small hill from where a panorama of the surrounding area opens up. You can see houses with red roofs, and the surrounding greenery of the trees emphasizes their beauty. The park gates and the ancient well of St. George have been preserved.
Museums Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Rothenburg is not only a “time machine”, it is considered a “city of artists”. You can easily verify this by walking through museums. Interesting exhibitions include the Nativity Exhibition and the Crime Museum of the Middle Ages. It is worth exploring local art or learning about the wild customs of medieval society. The museum of the imperial city contains a collection of ancient objects: furniture, sculptures and paintings, tools and even toys. The building itself where the collection is kept is also interesting - it is a convent of the 13th century.
There are always a lot of tourists at the Museum of Medieval Forensics in Rothenburg. The collection includes assorted different types punishments of the XII-XVIII centuries. Chastity belts, chairs with spikes, metal masks of shame in the shape of a pig's snout - the most sophisticated methods were found to torture and shame citizens. Even documents about the process of torture of witches have been preserved.
After the horrors of the Forensic Science Museum, you can look into the Old Rotenburg Craftsman's House, where a completely different atmosphere reigns. The building has been in operation since the 13th century. At first, various craftsmen lived in it: coopers, basket makers, soap makers... A hermit who did not recognize the benefits of civilization also called it his home. He did not provide any plumbing or electricity. Today the museum consists of 11 rooms reproducing ancient furnishings. There is an apprentice's closet, a kitchen with an open window, and a well inside the house for water.
Eternal Christmas
In Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Christmas is revered and remembered throughout the year. Opposite the town hall there is a Christmas museum. At the door there is a large sleigh with gifts. The showcase is decorated with festive garlands. On the street near the building, Christmas carols are constantly sung. The museum unites five houses in the Bavarian style. There is a festive atmosphere inside. Santa Claus and reindeer, Christmas trees and toys - the products are made of different materials. The collection includes vintage postcards. The museum has a toy store where you can shop with significant discounts in the summer. Near the houses, a five-meter spruce tree peacefully “watches” what is happening.
One of the fabulous places in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the doll museum. Here is a collection of toys created by German and French masters. There is also a shop in town that sells Teddy bears. At Christmas, Rothenburg hosts festive markets, brass bands fill the streets with music, and theatrical performances and dances are held. You can join a tour through the mysterious nooks and crannies of Rothenburg.
Time for fun
Residents of Rothenburg ob der Tauber liven up their lives with more than just the Christmas spirit. Every year costume parties are held. The townspeople try on ancient clothes and figure out their roles - merchants, artisans, horsemen, musketeers. The events are dedicated to the Thirty Years' War, which significantly changed the fate of the German city. An obligatory figure of the holiday is the burgomaster, who must drink wine from a goblet and stand on his feet. Even the name of the celebration is appropriate - “Mastery Sip”. After draining the cup, local residents loudly shout the phrase “The city is saved!” and rejoice. Similar theatrical celebrations are held several times a year. The walk takes place on a large scale, covering different venues, but the most significant event in Rothenburg ob der Tauber is held on Whitsunday.
The townspeople are sensitive to old traditions and revere them sacredly. On the holidays of Trinity and Easter you can enjoy shepherd dances. The tradition has come down from the time of the plague. So the cattle drivers tried to ward off the disease from the city. At the end of September, a vibrant city festival takes place. The history of Rothenburg is “revitalized” with the help of costume plays and processions, and even Medieval trials are reenacted. When it gets dark, residents and visitors of the city are treated to volleys of fireworks.
Another tradition is the night guard walking around the fortress every day. A man dressed in black carries a lamp and a halberd. First he goes around Old city, ending at the Market Square. The position of Rothenburg guard remained as a reminder of the past - he has no duties other than patrolling.
Shopping in Rothenburg
Skyscrapers and large shopping complexes there are none in this German city, but in many houses there are small souvenir shops, clothing boutiques and jewelry stores. Most buildings with brisk trade have metal signs hanging on them. In the past, Rothenburg merchants used them to stand out from the gray crowd. This was one of the first forms of advertising. In the passage under the town hall you can stroll through the flea market and look at antiques.
You can buy a Teddy bear as a gift - toys of different sizes are sold at your local store. The Christmas decoration shop is also worth buying something as a souvenir, even if it’s summer. In Rothenburg, tourists buy copies of medieval armor and weapons - men are primarily interested in this.
Local delicacies
The delicacy of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is considered to be “snowballs” – “schneebal”. This is a bun cake, which is created from shortcrust pastry according to an old recipe. It is sold everywhere: in cafes, bakeries, shops and even in souvenir shops. They will please even the discerning tourist, because cookies are made in different variations - with powder, glaze, chocolate, cinnamon. It is worth trying different types of bread and local wine, which is bottled in special shapes.
Hotel deals
How to get there
Traditionally, tourists include a visit to Rothenburg ob der Tauber in the program of their trip to Bavaria or Germany in general. It will not be possible to fly to this city directly from Russia, since Rothenburg does not have its own airport. But there are more than a dozen flights daily from Moscow and St. Petersburg to Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Munich and Nuremberg. The main air carriers are Aeroflot and S7, as well as their foreign partners. The flight will take about 3 hours, and then from each of the four neighboring cities Rothenburg can be easily reached by car or train.
By car, be prepared to cover the following distances: from Stuttgart – 165 km, from Frankfurt – 185 km, from Munich – 245 km, if you count from the airports. The journey along the German autobahns will take no more than 2–2.5 hours; stay on the A7 highway. After the exit "Rothenburg/Tauber" - 2 km to the Old Town. A more attractive option seems to be a trip from Nuremberg, only 80 km, but it is worth keeping in mind that you can only fly to this city from Russia with a transfer.
You can park your car near the walls of the Old City - there are five parking areas. Two of them are free – P5 and partially P4. They are located in the northeast of the town. You can’t get into the center of Rothenburg by car on a weekend - access is only open to local residents. On weekdays the passage is closed from 11:00 to 16:00, and then from 19:00 to 5:00. Entry is free for hotel guests.
You can get to Rothenburg ob der Tauber by train using the RB regional train network. From the central stations of Munich, Stuttgart and Frankfurt, trains to Rothenburg depart every 30-40 minutes. Trains depart from Nuremberg a little less frequently, about once an hour. Travel times vary depending on the type of train, so the journey from any city listed will take approximately 2.5 to 3.5 hours. You can get to the cozy German city through Wurzburg. By train - about an hour. Excursion tours are also organized in Rothenburg Bus tours from Prague or Munich with Russian-speaking guides.
The city's territory is small, so the need for public transport No. You can travel on foot or rent a bicycle from one of the hotels. For complete immersion in the ancient atmosphere, tourists are offered a ride on a horse-drawn cart.
They are ready to provide guests with information on site - it is provided at the tourist center located on the main street of Rothenburg. Travelers are offered booklets in Russian - with information about the city, a map, and a list of hotels. You can also find out about upcoming city holidays at the office.
In this article you will learn:
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the most romantic and most visited medieval city in Germany. When traveling around Western Bavaria, it is simply impossible to pass by, which is due to one of its peculiarities. It is known that almost every German city has a historical center called Altstadt or Old Town.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, having survived to the present time almost completely intact, itself seems like a small Altstadt, as if it came out of Christmas fairy tales.
Geographical position
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is located in and is subject to administrative district Middle Franconia. Its population is approximately 11,000 people. In German pronunciation, the name of the city is pronounced Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber, literally translated as “Red Fortress over the River.” Indeed, located on a high coastal slope, the city seems to rise above the Tauber River flowing below.
Closest to Rothenburg major cities are Würzburg (67 km) and Nuremberg (76 km). True, the most significant ones are much further away - 210 and 185 km, respectively.
Some facts from the history of the city
The first mention of Rothenburg as a settlement dates back to 804. At that time, this was the residence of the Dukes of Franconia. A little over a century and a half later, the local nobleman Ranger built Grafenburg Castle on a hill. Perhaps because it belonged to the Counts of Rothenburg-Comburg or because of the color of the roofs of the buildings in the nearby village, this city received its present name.
In the 12th century, it was given over to the Comburg monastery for some time, but soon, thanks to the efforts of King Henry V, Rothenburg became part of the possessions of the ruling Hohenstaufen dynasty. From that moment on, active construction began there. Two- and three-story stone houses are being built here, and fortifications and fortress walls are being built around.
Rothenburg was officially given city status in 1172. It became very significant locality in medieval Franconia, but never turned into a metropolis. In the 13th century Rothenburg ob der Tauber became free imperial city, and by the beginning of the 14th century it already had 6,000 inhabitants, which allowed it to enter the 20 largest cities of the Holy Roman Empire.
The further prosperity of Rothenburg was prevented by the 30-year war, which crippled its economy and financial reserves. At some point, the enemy troops who captured it were even going to destroy the city, but the city burgomaster Georg Nusch saved it from ruin, who fulfilled the almost impossible condition of the invaders. He had to drink 3.5 liters of wine in one gulp. This story was included in the annals of Rothenburg under the name “The Master’s Sip.”
The post-war payment of indemnities stopped the development of Rothenburg. Over time, it lost its independence and became subordinate to Bavaria. The city received new development opportunities with the advent of railways, one of which was extended to Rothenburg. People began to come here who wanted to see an almost untouched medieval city.
Wise authorities, noticing the promise of nascent tourism, completely focused on preserving its appearance, prohibiting the construction of modern houses. Today Rothenburg ob der Tauber is the tourist center of northwestern Bavaria, which is visited with pleasure different people, including painters, writers and musicians.
Attractions
City Hall
Like most other ancient cities, one of the main attractions of Rothenburg is the town hall. This building is located near central square, called the Market, and consists of two parts: a high tower in the Gothic style and an adjacent building in the spirit of typical medieval Franconia.
The town hall tower, whose construction began in 1250, is 60 meters high. Now at its top it is organized Observation deck, overlooking Rothenburg.
City Hall
Beer "Mastery Sip"
We are talking about a municipal beer hall, in which an event once took place, imprinted in city history as the “Mastery Sip”. At the beginning of the 17th century, during the 30-year war that raged here, the city was captured by a unit of enemy troops. According to legend, the enemies were going to burn the city, but agreed to cancel their decision if one condition was met: one of the city residents had to drink a 3.5-liter container of wine in one go.
The then burgomaster Georg Nusch undertook to save the city. He complied with the demands of the invaders, drinking the container he brought to the bottom. It is now difficult to say how true this story is, but this incident is still played out by local residents during the annual festival, which always begins with a theatrical performance called “The Magic Drink.”
On the building itself there is a clock with figures in the façade of the roof. At strictly defined times, seven times a day, the dolls in them show various scenes.
Beer "Mastery Sip"
Church of St. James
The Gothic structure was founded in 1311. Its construction took 150 years. Tourists are attracted here primarily by mosaic images and altars from the famous carver Tilman Riemenschneider and his students.
Church of St. James
Christmas village
The city, as if it came out of a fairy tale, cannot do without a Christmas village, which operates almost all year round. Here you can buy New Year's decorations, toys and even a Christmas tree at any time. The Christmas village itself consists of 5 houses connected into a single complex, which can be walked around entirely without going outside.
The entire setting of the village is stylized winter holidays: a richly decorated spruce towers, artificial snow lies around, stars glow and holiday toys are everywhere. In fact, this village is a real museum of Christmas celebrations.
Other noteworthy places are the crime museum, popularly called the Museum of Torture, and the city fortifications.
Christmas village
How to get to Rothenburg
You can come to Rothenburg by rail. Urban Train Station is located a quarter of an hour's walk from the central Market Square. However, when purchasing a ticket, you should make sure that it was purchased in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, since there are several cities in Germany with the same name.
Organized here bus routes. You can also arrive by your own transport. The journey from Munich will take about two hours.
The town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber has a history of more than a thousand years. However, it has managed to maintain its identity, and now tourists flock here to travel back in time.
Where to stay
A hotel map will help you find a hotel in the city.
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It is very difficult to write non-trivially about Bavarian villages and towns. In terms of difficulty, it's about like shaving eggs. Okay, I don’t argue, there is much less adrenaline, but at least the scratched balls can be hidden from everyone in jeans, and the unsuccessful text will be seen to the shame of the author by all four readers and his grandmother.
Someone will simply give up in the face of difficulties and flee to the fumes of Hindustan. There you don’t even need imagination for a tasty text - just record trash. Someone will remain, but will definitely find in the basement of the conditional Kakenwurst an der Piesse Ibrashka, who escaped from Sudan, undoubtedly the most important person in the history of the city, and will make a blood-curdling report from shit and sticks about the horrors of the great migration of peoples in the post-industrial era corporate empires and the associated decay of the product called the “German people.”
But I'm not like that. Therefore, dear four readers and grandmother, d'Artagnan in Morse's white coat has prepared a classic report for you, in which, I promise, there will not be a single fugitive Syrian, but there will be many Chinese. What else, because we will be talking about a town in the north Bavaria, which three of you, not to mention grandma, have probably never heard of, but wow, we're talking about Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
First there was Google. No not like this. First there was a day off. No, not like that, at first the weather was great for the weekend. Then Google and search for a “beautiful Bavarian town” an hour or two away from Munich. And immediately there are very vivid pictures of the hegemony of half-timbered huts and the strange name of the city Rothenburg-ob-der-Tauber. Wow, Morseanovna, fill up the gas, let's go!
First of all, you need to figure out the name. If a river appears as a separate word in the name of a city, then our city, it turns out, always goes “to” according to its name. Not to hell, but to the river. Rostov-on-Don. Frankfurt am Main. Stratford-on-Avon. Rothenburg, judging by the preposition "ob", was either around the river, or over the river, or was simply running nearby. Isn't this a reason to come and sort it out? Occasion!
And of course, bright pictures of canned medieval city. At least right now, shoot a new d'Artagnan on the ready-made scenes! Rothenburg is essentially the ONLY city in Germany, which is a complete ensemble of a preserved medieval city. Despite the firestorm of constant wars on the territory of this country.
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Of course, the benefits of civilization have penetrated here too: no one openly pisses on the pavement, witches are not burned, there is Uber. But if you don’t look closely, you won’t find anything later than the 16th century in the city’s skyline. There is not even an ugly Karsdtadta - a unique phenomenon for Germany! Who doesn’t know, Karstadt is a chain German department store and, like Sberbank of Russia, is famous for the fact that, firstly, it is everywhere, and secondly, it chooses the ugliest buildings in the city center for its branches.
In this regard, we can say that modern Rothenburg enjoys its Present thanks to the bad luck of its ancestors. If Rothenburg had done well in the past, it would have developed, grown, demolished the old and built something new. By the 21st century, Rothenburg, as a significant city, would have been wiped off the face of the earth twice in world wars, then restored, built up with some kind of bosch-revolting Bauhaus. And now another sad Mannheim is ready for you.
But its own special fate gave Rothenburg a mistake in choosing religion. By the beginning of the Thirty Years' War in 1618, Rothenburg arrived in excellent shape, representing a prosperous city for those times. Strong walls, powerful towers, a necklace of Gothic masterpieces behind the walls. Independence from all empires (Rothenburg was one of the 51 free Imperial cities of the Holy Roman Empire), therefore, all taxes flow into the city’s treasury, and the Jewish pests were successfully expelled once again. Christian babies are safe.
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And in this flourishing age, as luck would have it, friction begins between Protestants and Catholics. Now, against the backdrop of the last world wars, we are smiling at the mouse fuss of our medieval ancestors. But in fact, it was a fucking mess that threw Europe back centuries. Needless to say, only a third of the population of Southern Germany survived the Thirty Years' War!
And so our Rothenburg found itself in the center of the mess. Local princes converted to Protestantism, secretly hoping for intercession from the Swedish king Putin I, Gustav II. But our neighbor is Catholic Bavaria, which was rising from its knees under Maximilian the First! And away we go. For some reason, the Protestant Swedes who descended to the south were received in Rothenburg as brothers and prepared to defend the city together from the army of the Bavarian duchy. The Bavarians lost many soldiers during the siege, but managed to convince the Swedes to voluntarily surrender their weapons. The Scandinavians left Rothenburg unharmed, and the abandoned local population inevitably faced the terrible fate of the vanquished, thrown through the medieval meat grinder. But here the mayor of the city, Georg Nusch, showed remarkable ingenuity and unlimited capabilities of the body. The Bavarian military commander agreed to spare the lives of the rebels on the condition that the burgomaster personally and in one gulp in front of everyone would blow out three liters of wine. And he did it! On this occasion, in Rothenburg they still drink festively once a year on an official holiday. So, dear reader, do not rush to scold your parasite officials. Who knows, maybe this skill of your mayor will one day save your life.
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But of course, the burgomaster’s feat was not limited to Rothenburg. Indemnities were imposed on the city, plus the Kaiser’s army had to be fed and watered. As a result of this tuches, Rothenburg stopped developing and lost its significance as a regional center. In the sleepy Middle Ages, it somehow limped along until Hitler’s times and unexpectedly became almost the only completely preserved urban monument of antiquity, never having tasted the bucket of progress. Under Hitler, Rothenburg was declared a center of tourism and mass pilgrimage. And all thanks to the completely preserved city wall, which the expanding city did not have to destroy, like a fat woman bursting her corset with her belly.
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However, the title of an ancient monument did not prevent the evil Americans from destroying half of the city on March 31, 1945. U.S. The Air Force was flying to bomb an oil reservoir somewhere in the vastness of Franconia, but lost its way. In order not to return empty-handed, we decided to bomb the quietest Rothenburg. The city was unlucky to be in their way. But I got lucky after a month. The remains of the city should have been razed to the ground by the artillery of General Devors, but the then high commissioner of the future US zone in Germany, John McCloy, canceled the shelling order. It was lucky that McCloy’s mother visited Rothenburg before the war and told her son about the amazing city. It's like an Indian TV series. By the way, ironically, it was Rothenburg that served as the setting for the Disney pre-war cartoon "Pinocchio".
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After the war, the city was rebuilt by the whole world. In gratitude, all the city walls of Rothenburg are covered with memorial plaques from benefactors. If, reader, you have a desire to immortalize your name on a thousand-year-old wall, the city will be happy to satisfy it in exchange for 1,200 euros.
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You will be surprised, but Rothenburg is currently one of the three most visited cities in Germany! Second only to the monsters Munich and.
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The main share in attracting over two million tourists a year, in addition to architecture, undoubtedly belongs to the famous local shops Christmas tree toys. You will always find them by the crowd of Chinese constantly grazing here.
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Rothenburg offers its main entertainment to the tourist infantry - walking route along the city walls. 6.5 kilometers of path in the footsteps of ancient guards clad in armor, passing fortress towers, bastions, and weapon rooms.
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Looking into the narrow slits of the loopholes and into the muzzles of the guns at such a cozy little world below.
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The city looks sleepy even a thousand years later. Sometimes along the way I had a crazy thought: shouldn’t I go to the bank here to get my monthly pension? But Morseanovna is like Genghis Khan. Only he destroyed cities with iron, and Morseanovna - with his will. “Don’t you dare think,” he says, “we will treat senile radiculitis exclusively with the southern seas.”
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All I can do is admire the modern interpretation of Hobbiton.
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Main street fragment Plönlein recorded in the first Google images if you enter the name of the city. Moreover, the pictures are brightly colored after the fact, stimulating the viewer’s desire to buy a ticket as soon as possible. Looks more modest in life.
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However, you will be more grateful to such treachery of photographers. Plönlein attracts tourists who are greedy for the bright pictures of guidebooks, leaving other streets at the mercy of contemplators who like to be freer and calmer.
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In some places Rothenburg looks completely abandoned. This charm of frozen existence involuntarily reminded us of Croatian.
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Only in that city were live cats ruling the streets, but here there are iron dachshunds.
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However, there are even larger animals in Rothenburg.
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The defensive walls of the city are studded with towers, so every street in the city always ends with a final view of one of them.
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Probably not a single German city has gone through its history without shameful scenes of oppression of Jews. The first mention of Jews in documents was recorded almost a hundred years after Rothenburg received the status of a city. And the first pogrom happened half a century later.
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Further according to the standard scenario: short periods of heyday of the Jewish community, which were each time interrupted by expulsion. By the way, the word “pogrom” is one of the few (and maybe the only) words in the Russian language that later passed into the German language. And the worse life was for the German people, the more often this word came to light.
There is a "Jewish lane" in Rothenburg Judengasse. It is considered one of the few surviving streets of compact Jewish settlement in Europe. On the street itself I didn’t see anything historical with a hint of Judaism, but thanks for at least the mention on the city map. In a country where anti-Semitism has begun to actively manifest itself not only among Muslims, but also among the left-liberal sections of society, this is important.
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Near White Tower(Weißturm) there is a small garden with a mention of Rabbi Rabbi Meir. Built into the fence are memorial plaques moved here from the former Jewish cemetery.
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Rabbi Meir lived in Rothenburg a thousand years ago and the flourishing of Judaism in the city is associated with him, when people from all over Europe came to study at the Yeshiva school of Talmud that he founded.
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Another famous city dweller - the legendary burgomaster Heinrich Toppler - reminds his descendants of himself with a curious building, which is called Toppler Palace. The “palace” looks like something out of the dream of an unlucky Tetris player.
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In every such Instagram-cute door, in every such masipusic house, in every such “I dream of living here” staircase, I always mentally drag a piano in place of the residents.
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Although I am certainly delighted that in Europe, houses continue to serve new generations even after a thousand years. Here, for example, is a still functioning student dormitory.
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How old is he? Seven hundred or eight hundred years? And the first studious here was gnawing on the granite of science even before Grozny took Kazan? Perhaps it was here that Jorge Mario Bergolio lived as a modest student in 1986, studying theology in Rothenburg, so that years later he would lead the Vatican and all of Catholicism under the title of Pope Francis. I wonder if the Protestant founding fathers of Rothenburg could have imagined such a future guest?
The city's most famous catering establishment is the café einzigARTig (special, outstanding). “ART” is highlighted here for a reason. The cafe's interiors resemble a Parisian flea market.
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At the beginning of May, a rare beast comes to Germany - naked female legs.
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But we never saw that very river Tauber. So its location in the city name remains unknown.
Let's summarize. Rothenburg is certainly worth the two-hour autobahn drive from Munich and several hours of diving into the past. Is this the best, most beautiful city in Germany? Without mountains around, without a lake or river with an embankment, it is impossible to get this title in Bavaria. Sorry, Rothenburg, but you have too many competitors with natural advantages.
Today Rothenburg is one of the most beautiful cities Bavaria (Germany). It is located high above the Tauber River valley. The name of the city Rothenburg comes from the merger of two German words rot ("red") and burg ("fortress") and literally translates as "red fortress". There is no red fortress in this area, but the roofs of all the houses in the city are of this color, which is probably why it was named this way. The location above the Tauber River valley added the piece ob der Tauber to the name, and today its full name is Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Fairytale city
The city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is more than a thousand years old, but it has managed to preserve its originality. A trip to this ancient town will be a journey back in time. Complete preservation of the medieval appearance is the main thing that attracts thousands of travelers from all over the world. This can be judged from the stories of tourists who visited Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Reviews and impressions about the beauty of these places are equally enthusiastic. Everyone unanimously insists that they have never experienced such a feeling of a fairy tale anywhere else in the world.
History of the city
The first mention of the town of Rothenburg - the residence of the Dukes of Franconia - dates back to 804. It received city status in 942. Until 1108, it was part of the possession of the Counts of Rothenburg-Comburg, and after the death of the last representative of this family, it was bequeathed to the Comburg monastery. However, eight years later, Henry V gives Rothenburg ob der Tauber to the Duke of Swabia, his nephew from the Hohenstaufen dynasty. Since then, a new era in the development of this city began: fortress walls and other fortifications were built, new houses of three and four floors, squares, pavements, etc. appeared. Most of them, thanks to the care of the owners and local residents, have survived to our days days.
"A masterful sip" saved Rothenburg from ruin
In the 70s of the 13th century, Rothenburg ob der Tauber became free and expanded and went beyond the fortress walls. There is a need for the construction of new protective structures. By the beginning of the 14th century, Rothenburg is considered one of the 20 largest cities Holy Roman Empire. Its population by this time was about 6,000 people, who mostly professed Protestantism. It was because of faith that the city was drawn into a 30-year war between Catholics and Protestants, during which it suffered greatly. According to legend, Rothenburg was saved from ruin by the burgomaster Georg Nusch, who fulfilled the invaders' condition - he drank 3.5 liters of wine in one gulp. The story about the burgomaster’s “masterful sip” is recorded in the chronicles of the city. In memory of this event, local residents organize annual celebrations, which begin with a theatrical performance called “The Magic Drink.”
Decline and rebirth
After the end of the war (1648), the city had to pay an indemnity. As a result of this, its economy suffered great losses, it lost its former independence and moved to However, by the beginning of the 19th century, when a road was built to the city Railway, it began to revive again due to tourism. The beauty of small provincial town Rothenburg ob der Tauber (photo can be seen in the article) and its fabulous atmosphere attracted artists, musicians, writers and poets. Entire crowds of tourists sought to visit places sung by famous poets, to see with their own eyes the beauty captured on the canvases of talented artists, etc. The wise city authorities understood that luck and prosperity depended on the preservation of the medieval appearance, and decided to completely abandon modernization.
Another city rescue
During the Second World War, danger again hovered over the city. Some buildings were destroyed by aerial shells. But, like 300 years ago, the city was saved from complete destruction, this time thanks to the American general John McCloy, who was later given the honorary title of “Noble Defender of Rothenburg.”
How can I get there?
This beautiful town, part of federal state Bavaria, located in the center " Romantic road Germany" is the most popular tourist route in Germany. It stretches from the Main to the Alpine peaks. All along the way there are ancient castles, cozy and well-preserved cities with medieval architecture, etc. However, many tourists want to visit Rothenburg ob der Tauber. How to get from Munich to this town? The distance between them is 204 km. If you wish, you can do it by bus. However, as noted above, there is a railway to the city, therefore, you can also come here from Munich by train.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber: attractions and museums
Rothenburg is a unique city. Its uniqueness lies in the preservation of its integrity as there is not a single modern building to be found here. City Hall (built in 1419), market square, central St. James (1311), narrow streets, brightly painted houses with balconies decorated with flowers, and windows with carved shutters and lace curtains, winding fortifications along the entire perimeter of the city, well-groomed fields and meadows behind them - this is such a beautiful Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
One of the main attractions of Rothenburg is the unique Museum of Christmas Decorations, and in the chambers of the Benedictine convent Today there is a Museum of Local Lore, the main exhibition of which is an exhibition of armor and weapons. In the southern part of the fortress in the Burggarent park there is the ancient chapel of St. Blaise. You can also find many interesting buildings along the fortress walls, and from the walls you can look at the beautiful panorama of the surrounding area and the Tauber River valley. The atmosphere of the Middle Ages is most created by the cozy Plönlein square. However, here every centimeter is imbued with antiquity. Walking along the streets of the city, you involuntarily plunge into the Middle Ages, and at some knock you freeze in anticipation of meeting around the corner knights in armor on horseback or women in ancient costumes and a veil on their faces.
