Rothenburg: The Best Preserved Medieval Town in Germany

If you desire to step back into the Middle Ages with a modern flare, Rothenburg ob der Tauber will quench your desire. Rothenburg is along the Romantische Strasse, (romantic road) which is one of many towns along a scenic route that illustrates the romanticism of that era.

Surrounded by a wall that was use for defending the town, Rothenburg was built on top of a mount. When you walk to the top of the town, you can enjoy a panoramic view of red roofs overlooking the Tauber River. This was indicative of the town's name. In German, "Roten" means red and "Burg" means medieval fortified town. As you walk along the wall, you can see the clear openings of where the cannons would have been placed to help in defending the town during a siege.

There are many sights to see after your tour around the wall. You can go to the history museum (Historiengewolb) to experience what life was like in the medieval period or go to the medieval prison museum (Mittelalterisches Kriminalmuseum) to see how prisoners were punished using grisly tortures. It is considered the best kind of torture museum in Europe.

Hourly, between 11am to 3am and 8pm to 10pm, the bell will ring in the bell tower of the Ratstrinkstube located in the main square. You observe windows open and a glockenspiel type of enactment on how the town was spared from the Imperial forces of Count Tilly. The fascinating story goes that Count Tilly told the city that he would spare them if anyone could drink a tankard containing about six pints of wine in one draught. The Mayor accepted the difficult challenge and was successful. Hence the city was saved. The completion of the enactment is when the rooster crows.

There is loads of shopping you can enjoy. A popular site by travellers is Kathe Wolfharts Christmas store. You will walk into an enchanting store of handmade wooden ornaments, from nutcrackers to wooden pyramids. You can shop even at her website. The ornaments are timeless artwork.

The last time we went to Rothenburg, we stayed at the Gasthof Goldener Greifen. http://www.gasthof-greifen.rothenburg.de/ The landlord is the fifth generation owner and has lovely traditional style German rooms and a restaurant. You have a wonderful mix of old traditions with the cheerful comforts of modern living. The rooms were all in pine wood. The rates are reasonable and the service is friendly. You won't be disappointed.

Unfortunately, many other people enjoy Rothenburg as much as I do. It has become very touristy over the years, but still worthwhile to experience.

You can make your accommodations yourself by searching for the over 100 hotels and sleeping rooms from the below website. http://neuschwanstein-country.net/romantic-road/hotels-rothenburg.htm

Or, you can book it when you get there at the tourist office. During the busy season, it is always best to make reservations ahead of time. You can just email the landlords. They all understand English. Just make sure you understand their cancellation policy. Typically, you need a credit card to hold the reservation. Sometimes they charge a deposit. Most, however, do not. If you want to experience what a typical old German town was like, Rothenburg is for you.