Rothenburg o.d.T. is unique in Germany.
As in a historical film set, the fairytale silhouette of the former Free Imperial City towers high above the picturesque Tauber Valley. However, if you expect to enter a museum, you are completely wrong. Rothenburg o.d.T. is a lively city in a historic guise. Individual shops and a large number of hotels, restaurants and cafés have moved into the historic buildings. A tour of the city wall with wonderful views of the valley and a stroll through picturesque squares and alleys lets you forget the present for a few romantic hours. Cultural highlights such as museums and theater performances offer incomparable experiences for art lovers in one of the most beautiful cities in Germany.
Rothenburg o.d.T. is still surrounded by a medieval city wall from the 14th century. Numerous towers and gates crown the battlement, which is accessible over a length of 2.5 kilometers.
The spacious, historic market square with the magnificent town hall forms the center of the city. The town hall with its staircase and Renaissance facade is an imposing building. Locals and tourists from all over the world make themselves comfortable on the stairs and watch the hustle and bustle on this impressive square. Admittedly, climbing the 220 steps of the town hall tower is a bit exhausting. The climbing tour is rewarded with a magnificent view over the city, across to the Tauber Valley and the Frankenhöhe. St. George’s fountain in front of the historic half-timbered building of the Marie pharmacy is picturesque and always worth a snapshot.
Parish Church of St. George
The Gothic parish church of St. George, built from 1311-1472, impresses with its mighty towers and high interior. The Holy Blood altar by Tilman Riemenschneider (1501-04) with the Last Supper scene is one of the most important works of art from the late Middle Ages.
The Plönlein
One of the picturesque corners of Rothenburg is the Plönlein. It is a must for every visitor and in times of Instagram one of the most photographed motifs on the Romantic Road.
Rothenburg Castle Garden
The park was laid out in the 19th century on the spot where the Stauferburg once stood. According to legend, this was destroyed by an earthquake in 1356. Today it is the mighty linden and beech trees and the lushly planted flower beds that give the castle garden its colorful character. A very special eye-catcher are the sandstone figures, which symbolize the seasons and the four elements. The fantastic view of the city and down into the Tauber Valley make a stroll through the garden a very special pleasure.
Rothenburg snowballs
The Rothenburg snowballs are a culinary specialty. They have been known primarily in the Franconian language for at least 300 years.
This sweet temptation is produced by numerous bakeries in the city. A snowball is a pastry made from shortcrust pastry. It owes its name to its spherical shape and the traditional decoration with powdered sugar. The snowball has a diameter of about eight to ten centimeters. It is baked in special snowball irons.
