During the Roman Empire, Rome had scattered settlements in Germania north of the Alps and at several places along the Danube and Rhine Rivers. By the Middle Ages, the inhabitants of this region had settled into walled medieval towns and small villages either ruled by their own duchies or governed by the King of Bavaria. Since the beautiful plains, rolling hills, and charming culture of these historic Bavarian communities were quite similar, Western German tourist officials decided in the 1950s to promote two dozen of these towns as the country’s “Romantic Road.’

The area considered to be part of the Romantic Road begins in Wurzburg, a stately baroque town of 124,000 in the northern part of the state of Bavaria with a prominent university and one of Germany’s largest palaces. The Road then runs in a southerly direction through parts of Bavaria and Baden-Wurttemberg on mostly two-lane roads for 220 miles to Fussen on the border with Austria in the Bavarian Alps. Along the way, there are interesting small cities and villages known for their medieval gates and walls, 14th to 16th century buildings, cobblestone streets, and shops filled with curios and local crafts. Most of them are located within two hours of the cities of Frankfurt and Munich making it easy for travelers to visit them on a day trip or an overnight drive from either city. This article will discuss one of the most popular stops on the Romantic Road in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

MEDIEVAL ROTHENBURG SUFFERED IN WARS BUT PRESERVED ITS HISTORY 

In 970 AD, an East Franconian Earl named Reinger established a parish and built a castle on a promontory above the river Tauber which became the town of Rothenburg. During the next few centuries, a town wall and fortifications were built by succeeding rulers to protect the center of the town which had tripled in size. In 1352 AD, the expanded city gained its independence from the Emperor of Bavaria and became an increasingly important economic power. Throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, many multi-story buildings and stately residences were built in the town along with public improvements ranging from mills to a new Town Hall. With powerful guilds established by the town’s craftsmen and alliances with other cities that promoted commerce, Rothenburg was in its heyday.

Unfortunately, the religious struggles that dominated Europe for much of 1600s left their mark on the city. During the Thirty Years War, the mostly Protestant Rothenburg was victimized by rival troops on several occasions. It was occupied by the troops of Protestant King Gustav Adolf of Sweden, besieged by the Catholic League, and forced to pay reparations to several different adversaries. By the end of the great conflict, the city had lost half of its population to war and epidemics and was greatly diminished in size and influence. It entered a period of long decline that lasted into the 1800s. The only benefit was that the fortress, houses, shops, and infrastructure of Rothenburg remained intact although largely unused. 

The rebirth of Rothenburg started in the late 1800s when train lines made the city more accessible to travelers and a local society concerned with preserving local history coordinated efforts to publicize the town’s medieval buildings and idyllic landscapes. Despite suffering significant damage to buildings from aerial bombardment during World War II, the local German commander arranged the peaceful surrender of the town to American troops. After the war, international donations helped rebuild sections of the town and today 2.5 million people visit each year. There are approximately 11,000 residents living in old town dwellings or in nearby modern quarters outside the walls. 

KEY SITES TO ENJOY IN ROTHENBURG 

The Market Square- For centuries, the market square of the town was the center of commercial and political life for the community. Merchants conducted business in the large square’s open space. Meanwhile, horses and housewives drew water from the ornate St. Geroge’s Fountain, butchers sold their wares from the large Meat and Dance Hall next door, and the impressive brick Town Hall erected in 1578 provided a reminder of the political power that the city commanded in the region. All these buildings have been restored for 21st century guests and create a picturesque setting for visitors to begin exploring the town or relax with a drink in the shaded café there. 

City Councilors’ Tavern and Legend of Der Meistertrunk- The beautiful white building at the top of the Market Square is known as the City Councilors’ Tavern. Like other towns in Central Europe, a legendary event that occurred in Rothenburg on October 31, 1631, during the Thirty Years’ War is commemorated on the clock tower there. When the Catholic League’s forces under Count Von Tilly besieged and captured the city, its residents begged for mercy. They asked him to spare the councilmen from execution and not destroy their homes. Tilley dared someone from the town to down a full tankard of wine in one gulp, and a former mayor of the city accomplished the task, thereby saving the city. Today, the tankard he drank from is on display in the City Museum, and figurines on the building’s clock tower act out the famous scene whenever the clock rings during the day. In addition, the Meistertrunk legend was turned into a play by a local poet in 1881, which is performed annually in the town square on Pentecost day. 

The Ramparts and Fortress Walls of the Town- The Fortress and city walls of Rothenburg are quite impressive. The outer ring wall of the city covers over two miles and was constructed between the 13th and 15th centuries. It is supported and fortified by forty-six different towers which allowed lookouts in good times and soldiers in times of conflict to keep watch over the land around the town. Like China’s Great Wall, the tower outposts were originally placed so that any spot located between two of them could be reached by crossbow and later reached by firearms. Some other defenses used to deter intruders included moats, study gates, and the rocky promontory where the town was located. Some parts of the old walls are now accessible and covered ramparts leading to the Spital Bastion can be walked on for a considerable distance. In these locations you can visualize the daily routine of guards and soldiers watching for hostile forces and keeping an eye out for trouble within the city walls at the same time. 

Exhibitions and Museums-    Rothenburg has three vastly different exhibitions that people can visit. First, a destination that is popular year round is the Kathe Wohlfahrt Christmas Museum located in five connected patrician houses near the market square where more than fifty thousand Christmas items are displayed. The decorations are breathtaking and every kind of ornament, musical clock, light, and other object you can remember from Christmas’ past can be found there throughout the year. You can also learn about the traditions and history of local Christmas celebrations at the German Christmas Museum housed upstairs. The second museum is in a former nunnery that was started to 1258 and later converted in 1936 into the Rothenburg Museum. Here, rooms and objects from the priory are preserved along with furniture, equipment, and tools from prior centuries, and of course, the tankard from Der Meistertrunk. There is also a gallery with paintings of scenes in Rothenburg drawn by a leading artist from the 19th century. The third museum located in the town called the Medieval Crime Museum is in a former seminary. This museum provides insight into the laws and legal practices used in the region from 1000 to 2000 AD. It also emphasizes the corporal and other kinds of punishments that were imposed for civil disputes and criminal offenses. 

Craft Houses-   The skilled builders and other craftsmen that were so important to the community’s growth often built their residences and business offices on the main streets of the town. They displayed their industry through wrought iron signs hanging down towards the street. Some of the original signs have been retained along with modern adaptations showing shoppers what kind of wares they will find inside. 

Festivals- There is no shortage of events going on in Rothenburg throughout the year. Christmastime bring shoppers and visitors to town during November and December, but so do other events like Renaissance Fairs, the Meistertrunk Pageant in late October, the Shepard’s Dance in spring with music and dance to celebrate the end of the plague, and other events.