One day in Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Feel the Middle Ages in the medieval Old Town of Rothenburg in Germany

Rothenburg ob der Tauber - that beautiful little town on the Romantic Road is for tourists the epitome of German cities. The Altstadt (Old Town) is a patchwork of winding cobbled lanes lined with picturesque half timbered houses.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber, City Wall

City Wall of Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Massive towers like Röderturm and the intact city walls form a ring around the Old Town and you can walk on top of it to get great views over the city and the Tauber valley.

No other town in Germany brings you closer to the spirit of the Middle Ages - especially the medieval festivals like the so called "Master's draught" let you truly get in touch with its moving history. If you like to get some impressions of this festival "Master's draught", start the slideshow on the right side.

What makes Rothenburg ob der Tauber even more exciting is its reputation as town of eternal Christmas. All year round lots of shops offer beautiful handcrafted Christmas gifts and souveniers. In December the town gets realy crowded, because nobody wants to miss the famous Christmas Market, one of the most romantic ones in Germany.
Rothenburg ob der Tauber - ideas for day trips and attractions of Rothenburg Germany
Plönlein Rothenburg Germany

One of the most taken pictures of Rothenburg Germany is the Plönlein fork, a famous landmark.

Pass the Plönlein, that scenic fork in the road is the landmark of the town. Head for the market place and climb the platform of the nice Town Hall to get impressive views. Then you shouldn't miss the idyllic Burggarten (Rothenburg castle garden).
A major pilgrimage site is the gothic church St.Jacob. Its main attraction is the Heilige Blut Altar (Holy Blood Altar) carved by Tilman Riemenschneider, said to contain a drop of Christ's blood.
attractions Rothenburg, Meistertrunk

Famous events: the historic festival "Meistertrunk" takes you back in the Middle Ages with parades in traditional costumes.
Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village: Countless handcrafted Christmas decorations and ornaments of wood and glass, twinkling lights and nutcrackers as well as many other souvenirs can be bought. But be careful, prices are accordingly high!
Great attractions of Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Dive into the time of Thirty Year's War by visiting the historical vaults of the Town Hall with dark dungeons and exhibitions or go to the Crime Museum, which shows the Middle Ages from the dark side with instruments of torture, execution items, weapons etc.
The historic festival "Meistertrunk" (on Whitsuntide) takes you back in the Middle Ages with parades in traditional costumes, a medieval market and a field camp. They celebrate the event from 1631, when the city council rescued the town by taking the challenge to empty 3 1/4 liter of wine in one gulp!

Film by Hans Heim 2015