Rothenburg Ob der Tauber: The Joy of Germany
Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is a town in the Mittelfranken region of Germany. It is located in the Ansbach district, in the Mittelfranken administration region of Bavaria, Germany. The town is famous for preserving the old world charm till date. The river Tauber adds to the charm of this town. Rothenburg Ob der Tauber has well preserved its medieval history in terms of the medieval buildings.
Location
Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is sited in the district of Ansbach, in the Mittelfranken region of Bavaria, Germany.
Weather
Rothenburg Ob der Tauber has a warm and temperate climate. The town receives a good amount of rainfall. The average temperature all year round in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is around 8.3° Celcius. The warmest month in the town is July, and January is the coldest month. In summers, the temperature may rise to 22 degree Celsius and during winters the temperature may drop to as low as -1.1 degree Celsius.
History
The town of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is as old as the year 950. The castle garden of this town was built in this year by the then Count of the town. In the year 1070, the Rothenburg Castle was built on the plateau above the Tauber River. In the year 1142, Stauffer Castle was built in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber.
The center of the town was the market area. The fortification walls were built along with the brewery and markets during this time for protection from wars and foreign invasions. During the time between 1194 and 1254, the Staufer Dynasty people ruled the town and during the same time several new Church orders were found.
In the year 1274, Rothenburg was declared as a free Imperial City by King Rudolf. The St. James’ Church was built during this time by the German Order. The earthquake of 1356 destroyed the Staufer Castle.
The Thirty Years’ War began soon between the Catholics and the Protestant Lutherans. The Catholic Count of Tilly attacked the town. Rothenburg Ob der Tauber put up a brave fight. The Catholics took control of the town. After some time the Count of Tilly lost interest in the town and left. During their stay in the town, they emptied the coffers of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber, leaving it impoverished. Due to lack of finances, the development of the town stopped, and no new buildings were constructed. This is the chief reason behind the preserved medieval charm in the town as it was unadulterated by the construction of modern age buildings.
In the year 1803, the town was included in the administration areas of Bavaria. In 1877, the eminent German painter ‘Eugene Bracht’ visited the town and left a great impression. In the modern times, the town Rothenburg holds great significance for Nazi ideologists as it is the epitome of the German ‘Home Town.’ In the year 1938, all its Jewish residents were expelled from the town despite the staunch protest of the residents. It slowly built the Nazi ideology. This town has been witness to the world wars. During the time of World War II armies were stationed in this town.
The town is now under the administration of city mayors. Walter Hartl is the mayor of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber since 2006.
Traveling in the city
The best thing about the town of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is the old world charm this place has. If you love the middle ages, you will enjoy sightseeing the Town Hall which is known as ‘The Rathausturm.’ It is a Renaissance Building. It is a prime attraction of Rothenburg Ob derTauber. It is built partly in Gothic Style and partly in the Renaissance style. Among all the towers in the town, only one is accessible, and it lies in the Town Hall. One should surely try the Schneeball, which is a famous deep fried chocolate covered native German sweet.
Renaissance is an integral part of the European Culture, and the buildings of this town reflect it. The buildings are all well preserved and serve as a feast to the eyes of the history loving people. The town has special traffic regulating rules to ensure total safety to residents and the tourists.
Why visit?
If you wish to live a fairy tale life full of castles, you must visit this medieval town. The best part about visiting the town of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber is that you would feel as though you have been transported back to the middle ages. This town has so many original buildings of the medieval period that one could relive the old medieval life. The town is so well preserved that you would feel that you have traveled back in time. Stroll along the lanes of the town or spend time admiring the architecture of the medieval times. You could also choose to sit in the quiet corners of RothenburgOb der Tauber appreciating the beauty of the fountains and gates.
This city is an amalgamation of art, culture, and history with amazingly friendly locals. All this make it an interesting place to visit. The city offers a varied range of accommodation and restaurants and cafes which fit every type of budget – from moderate to splurging. The city has got something to offer to every age group.
Major Attractions
The Town Hall: The Town Hall is the most inviting building of Rothenburg Ob de Tauber. It is also known as ‘Rathausturm’ in the native language. The architecture style of the Town Hall is an amalgamation of the Gothic and the Renaissance. It also provides one with a breathtaking view of the surrounding Tauber Valley which is a treat for the nature lovers.
The Criminal Museum: This museum showcases the several punishments given by judiciary as long as 1000 years ago, and it also houses the instruments used for giving punishments. It also has the medieval legal texts on display.
Imperial City Museum: This museum showcases the long history of the town Rothenburg Ob der Tauber. A special focus is laid on the Thirty Year’ War in this museum as it displays several weapons used in the war. The Imperial City Museum is known as ‘Reichsstadtmuseum’ in The German language.
Doll and Toy Museum: As the name suggests, this museum showcases dolls and toys. It has an extensive collection of old handmade dolls on display. It exhibits antique doll houses, carousels, doll shops, doll classrooms, kitchens, bedrooms, music rooms, theaters, tea sets, stuffed toys, trains, tin soldiers, and wooden toys. The owner of the museum is Katharina Engels. Doll and Toy Museum is known as ‘Puppen- und Spielzeugmuseum’ in The German language. It is one of the most visited places in the region.
Christmas Museum: A German company, Käthe Wohlfahrt, sells Christmas decorations and articles have its head office is in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber. In the Head Office, there is a Christmas Museum which boasts the largest selection of traditional German Christmas ornaments like Christmas candles, Christmas tree decorations, and nutcrackers, etc., in the whole world.
Craft House: The Craft House Museum has several rooms which showcase the lives of the craftsmen families of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber. It exhibits the everyday life activities of the craftsmen.
Historical vaulting and state Dungeon: This museum displays the life experienced by the prisoners three centuries ago. They lived in the vaulted dungeons as a punishment. The place gives an insight into the difficult life of the prisoners. This State dungeon is situated below the Town Hall.
St. James Church: This is a historical church of the Lutheran branch of Protestant Christianity in the town of Rothenburg Ob derTauber. It is the part of the revered pilgrimage route to a Church in Santiago de Compostela in Spain. The church has two towers – North Tower and South Tower.
St. Wolfgang’s Church: It is situated near the Klingentor gate in the town of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber gate. It is a fortified church which means it was constructed to be used as a defense mechanism during the wars. It had thick walls built with the view of wars Toppler Castle in the Tauber Valley. Thousands of tourists flock to this place all throughout the year.
Double Bridge: It is a historic bridge that is built over the Tauber valley in Rothenburg Ob der Tauber. It is also known as ‘The Tauber Bridge.’ The bridge connects the Tauber Valley way and Leuzenbronn. It is 4 meter in width and also has a 1.0-metre pedestrian path.
Altes Brauhaus: It is a historic building which is situated in the center of the Rothenburg Ob der Tauber. This building was a Brewery in the past. It was built in the year 1698. It is a well preserved medieval period building.
Franciscan Church: It is also known as ‘The Franciscan Friary of Rothenburg Ob der Tauber.’ In the German language, it is called as ‘Franziskanerkloster Rothenburg o.d. Tauber‘. It was built in the year 1298. It was a friary in the part. It is now an Evangelical Church.
What else is around?
- Shepherds’ Dance Museum
- Historic town hall with Meistertrunk clock and clock tower
- Great hall of the castle at the St. Blasius’ Chapel
- Old Town Hall
- Monastery
- Town Wall
- Toppler Castle in the Tauber Valley
With so much to explore and see around, this place is no less than your perfect holiday vacation spot. So, go ahead and plan a visit to this fantastic place with your family and friends and make the most of your quality time. It is one place which you should definitely visit!