Rotenberg is a city in Bavaria. Rothenburg ob der Tauber: attractions and location on the map of Germany. Markplatz - Market Square

Any German city that receives at least two and a half tourists a year must have a tourist information center. It is always located in the center of the old city, on the main square - as a rule, in the town hall building or a neighboring, no less historical one (in large cities there are usually also information centers at train stations).

In Rothenburg, the information center is located in the former Inn of the Lord Councilors on the Market Square (Marktplatz, 2). In my opinion, this is one of the most beautiful houses in the city, although on the same square there are two more contenders for this title - Marienapotheke, built in the 15th century on the site of the former embassy court of Frederick Barbarossa and the first city hall (cellars from them have been preserved) and the building of the Trade Warehouses of the Butchers' Guild of the same age.

Work schedule
Tourist Information Center Rothenburg

Monday-Friday: 09:00-18:00

Saturday, Sunday, holidays: 10:00-17:00

Monday-Friday: 09:00-17:00

Saturday: 10:00-15:00

Sunday: day off.

Saturdays and Sundays during Advent (four weeks before Christmas): 10:00-17:00

Easter holidays: 10:00-15:00

Actually, everything you need to see in Rothenburg can be easily found in the information center. There you can also take a tour of the city or buy an excellent detailed guide in Russian (or, when preparing for your trip, order it in advance on Amazon.de) - so I will not talk about all the sights of Rothenburg, but will focus only on a few.

1. Tower of St. Mark (Markusturm).

12th century, one of the oldest towers in the city, dating back to the first city wall, which stood before the expansion of the city in the 14th century. The most photogenic place in Rothenburg!

Next to the tower there is an excellent bakery, Brot und Zeit, where you can drink coffee and buy the symbol of Rothenburg - Schneebällen, snowballs, special spherical cookies reminiscent of our brushwood, topped with creamy or chocolate icing. The taste is nothing unusual, but the snowballs are packaged in very nice cylindrical tin cans. The Christmas decoration is especially beautiful - in short, a wonderful souvenir for your nearest and dearest: here you go, Khariton Evpatievich, schneeballen! This is exactly how this word sounds in Russian.

2. Plainline.

A small picturesque square in the southern part of the city. The second contender for the title of the most photogenic place.

Plönline is also good because you have to go to it along the colorful Schmiedgasse (Forge Street) - and here you have the richly decorated house of a city architect (an architect must demonstrate his skills to potential clients), and my favorite sausage shop, and a dark historical past. Kuznechnaya Street runs rather sharply down from the Market Square, on which, during the Peasants' War in 1525, Margrave Casimir of Ansbach executed 17 people who assisted one of the military detachments of the rebellious peasantry. Their heads were cut off, and their corpses were left to lie in the square until the evening in such a way that the blood flowed down the Schmidgasse, to intimidate the townspeople.

On Kuznechnaya Street I once met a real chimney sweep, and according to the sign, the day turned out to be very successful. However, there is a chance of meeting a chimney sweep on any other street - Rothenburg is full of houses with stove heating.

3. Church of Peter and Paul in Detwang.

Detwang is a small village about twenty minutes walk from the city. The history of Rothenburg began with the construction of this church, I have already written about it. On the walls of the church hang incredibly beautiful wooden sculptures made by an unknown medieval artist. I'm not religious at all, but these sculptures fascinate with their simplicity. It is clear that the models were completely ordinary people, the sculptor’s neighbors, and he did not bother embellishing them in any way, did not try to give them holy grandeur. And from this naturalness they turned out to be unearthly and existing outside of time.

I also think that Mary to the right of the altar looks like my youngest daughter, but I think I’m not the only one who recognizes their loved ones in these images.

It is interesting that the main cathedral of Rothenburg - St. James - is decorated with wooden sculptures by the famous master Tilman Riemenschneider (his works are stored in Berlin, Cologne, Stuttgart, Würzburg, Heidelberg), but for some reason they do not make the same impression on me as those that hanging on the walls of a small village church.

Perhaps this is due to the fact that Riemenschneider was not only an artist, but also an official. For twenty years in a row, the sculptor was a member of the Würzburg city council, and was even elected mayor for four years. His works were in great demand, he managed to get rich from them - he owned several houses in Würzburg and vineyards. During the Peasants' War in 1525, when Würzburg was taken by rebels, most of Riemenschneider's property was confiscated. The sculptor-official died in poverty. It was rediscovered only at the end of the 19th century - during the period of the unification of Germany and the accompanying search for codes of self-identification of a new society.

4. Excursion with a night watchman.

A cool option for exploring the city. The tour is conducted by a night watchman dressed in a black cloak and cocked hat, somewhat similar to Makarevich, but not today, but ten years ago. The watchman has a bunch of huge keys on his belt, a lantern with a candle in his hands - everything looks very natural. Before the excursion, the guard takes pictures with everyone - there are usually a lot of people interested. The watchman speaks in a funny, fairy-tale-howling voice, reflected in the walls of the houses, jokes a lot, but also gives enough information. The tour lasts about an hour and is conducted twice each evening - once in English, once in German. If you understand at least a little one of these languages, it will be interesting. And it will be colorful in any case!

It is noteworthy that you need to pay for the excursion not before, but after - the watchman takes off his hat and collects six euros per person (in total!). I noticed that some of the people are quietly eliminated in the process, but there are not many of them. I wonder if this payment method would work with us?

5. Museum of the History of Vaulted Halls.

He hid in the courtyard of the town hall, in its old part. At first glance, nothing special: some utensils, flags, mannequins depicting scenes of medieval life. The most important and interesting part of the museum is the two-level authentic underground casemates, where especially dangerous or important criminals awaiting trial or death were kept. It was here, according to legend, that the most famous burgomaster of Rothenburg spent his last months.

While you're descending, you're getting the full experience, and when you leave the dungeon, you feel an attack of euphoria - freedom! To celebrate, I senselessly bought replicas of ancient coins that were absolutely unnecessary to me.

6. German Christmas Museum.

A huge collection of Christmas tree decorations and all sorts of Christmas symbols from different times. It is especially good for visiting during the Christmas and New Year holidays - you can write a wish on a special piece of paper, stick it and hang it on the Christmas tree - it will definitely come true (tested).

There is a gift shop at the museum - it is expensive, so all New Year and Christmas souvenirs must be bought in a wonderful shop two houses down on the same street.

7. Medieval crime museum.

Collection of torture devices.

What struck me most was that with ingenious torture they punished not only witches, thieves and murderers, but also for other crimes - for grumpiness, talkativeness, drunkenness, and indecent behavior.

I can’t help myself: the professional deformation that is inevitable in the third decade of working in the travel industry helpfully paints in my imagination fascinating pictures from the turbulent life of Moscow-Hurghada charter passengers.

8. City garden.

On the one hand, there is an ordinary park, and also a small one. On the other hand, it is very cozy here among the old thick trees and, in general, the place is historical: it was here, about a thousand years ago, that a red stone castle was built, which marked the beginning of the history of the city and gave it its name.

In addition, the park offers beautiful views of the Tauber Valley, the small Toppler castle, and the village of Detwang. You can also see a picturesque panorama from here, as if especially for photographers of the elongated southern part of Rothenburg - successful photographs are taken in the afternoon. Well, you go back to the city through the most beautiful and ancient city gates.

9. City wall.

A great way to explore the city during the high tourist season in the middle of the day, when the streets are too crowded with tourists and you want to avoid the crowds. You can walk along the wall around almost the entire city. On the way, you should definitely discover in the Blade Tower the Church of St. Wolfgang, hidden from mass tourism, and a tiny museum of shepherd’s dances.

By the way, in Rothenburg there is an unusual way to donate money for the restoration and maintenance of the city - you can rent part of the wall indefinitely. The minimum lot is one meter and costs 1000 euros. For this money, a copper plate with your name will be mounted into the wall. There are almost no vacant plots left!

10. Balloon flight.

I don’t even know what to add - firstly, this is already out of the ranking, I’m just not able to decide where to put this event. And, secondly - yes, this is a real flight, in a real hot air balloon! In the process, the participants have the opportunity to feel like not just rotten passengers who can hardly restrain the urge to urinate, but real balloonists - we, together with the captain and his assistants, prepared the balloon for launch - straightened it, filled it with gas, and so on, at the end of the flight - deflated it and rolled off, continuing to feel the feeling of freedom and admiration experienced during the flight. Then we were initiated into aeronauts. Then we drank champagne. Then we drove back to the city, full of impressions and all sorts of experiences. Then we talked about it all day. And another day. And further.

And then everything gradually smoothed out, was drowned out by everyday life, and we again turned into those born to crawl. But it was - the fabulously beautiful city that let you go for a while, and you, welcoming a new day in the sky above it.

Rothenburg from A to Z: map, hotels, attractions, restaurants, entertainment. Shopping, shops. Photos, videos and reviews about Rothenburg.

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Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a rare beauty gem in the “crown” of Germany, one of the most striking sights of the famous Romantic Road. It has everything that a lover of history and antiquity craves: a web of streets, closely huddled together and very cute houses with geraniums on the windows, signs above craft shops and workshops, city walls and the town hall, a majestic cathedral and even a “Christmas village” open all year round. " Rothenburg is a fairy tale for lovers of medieval European cities. In a word, this city cannot but enchant.

History paragraph

The first mention of a settlement on the Tauber River dates back to 960. In 1142, King Conrad the Third built a fortress here, and later a settlement appeared near it, called Rothenburg. Thanks to its extremely advantageous geographical position, the city becomes a center of trade, expands and prospers. Under the Habsburgs it received the status of a “free imperial city”. The “golden” era of Rothenburg dates back to the beginning of the fifteenth century, when its population exceeded six thousand inhabitants.

It is difficult to imagine that now quiet and cozy Rothenburg in those distant times was one of the largest cities of the Holy Roman Empire.

The era of decline occurred at the beginning of the peasant wars and the Reformation. During the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648), the city was occupied several times. At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Rothenburg became part of the Kingdom of Bavaria. After the emergence of a united Germany, it became a popular tourist destination. During World War II, part of it was destroyed, but the center was not damaged. The now destroyed areas of the city have been completely restored.

How to get there

You can get there by fairly frequent trains from Würzburg (about one hour on the road) or from Munich (about three hours). For those with a car: follow the A7 highway.

Tours for individual tourists with Russian-speaking guides are also often organized from Prague and Munich; such trips can be booked in advance via the Internet.

Search for air tickets to Munich (the nearest airport to Rothenburg)

Unlike many other cities with a glorious and long history, in Rothenburg you don’t need to have even the slightest imagination to feel like you are several hundred years ago.

Parking and bike rental

Rothenburg has five parking zones just outside the old town walls. Parking lot P5 and the lower part of parking lot P4, both located in the northeast of the city, are free. The city center is closed to cars (unless you are a local resident) from 11am to 4pm and 7pm to 5am on weekdays, and all day on weekends. These restrictions do not apply to hotel guests - entry is free for them.

Some hotels have their own rental offices where you can rent bicycles. For complete immersion in antiquity and for lovers of authenticity, you can ride a horse-drawn cart.

Guides in Rothenburg

Popular hotels in Rothenburg

Weather in Rothenburg

Entertainment and attractions of Rothenburg

Unlike many other cities with a glorious and long history, in Rothenburg you don’t need to have even the slightest imagination to feel like you are several hundred years ago. There is not the slightest hint of high-rise buildings or eye-catching advertising. The atmosphere of the ancient German city is incredibly accurately preserved. In addition to all the beauties described above in the form of narrow streets and craft shops, in Rothenburg there is even an almost real city guard, who every evening, as for many centuries, bypasses the boundaries of the old city. In general, the residents of Rothenburg treat the glorious history of their native land with great respect and love and do their best to support its historical appearance.

Rothenburg Town Hall

As in all medieval cities, one of the main buildings here is the town hall, which is located on the Market Square. The Rothenburg Town Hall took a long time to build (which is not at all surprising for a city in which time has stood still) and was periodically completed. As a result, the architectural appearance of the administrative building contains both Gothic and Baroque elements.

The most interesting thing, besides the appearance of the building, is the observation deck on the town hall, which offers a breathtaking and beautiful panorama of the city and its surroundings.

But in order to get to the desired view, you will need to climb a narrow and steep staircase. In the courtyard you can get acquainted with the measures of weight and length that were in use in the city in the Middle Ages.

Residents of Rothenburg treat the glorious history of their native city with great respect and love and do their best to support its historical appearance.

Christmas Museum

As the name implies, the atmosphere of the main winter holiday is felt in the Christmas Museum all year round. The museum is housed in five houses, made in traditional Bavarian style. What's missing here! Lots of glass, porcelain, felt, wooden Santa Clauses and reindeers, Christmas trees and Nutcrackers, a huge number of Christmas candles, stars and other Christmas tree decorations of different eras and types, as well as many old Christmas cards. Opposite the houses stands one of the main festive attributes of Christmas - a five-meter spruce.

Old Rotenburg House

In the Old Rotenburg House it will be interesting to get acquainted with the life of ordinary townspeople-craftsmen who lived here in the Middle Ages. In the old days, masters of various crafts lived in this house (built, by the way, back in 1270) - weavers, dyers, coopers, shoemakers. The house has 11 rooms, which colorfully and clearly show the life and environment of an ordinary medieval worker.

Rothenburg

Rothenburg parks

On the site of the former fortress there is now a beautiful park where there is a memorial to those killed in two world wars. The gates of the park have been preserved; a ladle can be seen on them, from which, in harsh times, hot tar was poured onto the enemy besieging the fortress. Notable is the well of St. George, which played a vital role in the water supply of Rothenburg in the Middle Ages.

Another magnificent (and also the largest in the country) park is located near the Altmühl River. Many folk concerts, historical festivals and exhibitions are held here. For those who like to experience the culture of the country by tasting local cuisine, it will be interesting to try the famous Bavarian beer and equally famous sausages, as well as other native Bavarian dishes. The Museum of Mineral Resources located here is also interesting.

Church of St. James

The Gothic Church of St. James (built from 1311 to 1485) is famous for the work of the famous woodcarver Tilman Riemenschneider, who created an altar to store a drop of Christ's blood, brought here during the Crusades. The tall lancet windows with stained glass windows, rising to a height of eighteen meters, are admirable.

Today Rothenburg is one of the most beautiful cities in 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 was considered one of the 20 largest cities of the 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 the railway was built to the city, it began to be revived again due to tourism. The beauty of the small provincial town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber (photos 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 the federal state of Bavaria, is located in the center of the "Romantic Road of Germany" - the most popular tourist route in Germany. It stretches from 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.

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 features. 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 the administrative district of 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.

The closest major cities to Rothenburg 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 granted city status in 1172. It became a very significant settlement in medieval Franconia, but never turned into a metropolis. In the 13th century, Rothenburg ob der Tauber became a 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 a tourist center in northwestern Bavaria, which is visited with pleasure by various 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 the central square, called the Market Square, 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 there is an observation deck at its top, from where a view of Rothenburg opens.

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 atmosphere of the village is stylized as winter holidays: a richly decorated spruce tree rises, artificial snow lies around, stars shine and festive 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. The city railway 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.

Bus routes are organized here. 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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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: the number of organized tourists and the animation business here is simply 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". German experts 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 approach to the eastern gate we 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.