Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Favorite Pick

Rothenburg, the Medieval town, is a lovely step back in time. The fountains, while stately and intricate, remind us of a simpler time when people drew water from here and told the latest news. A legend of the town is about a drinking contest that saved the city from ruin. We were told numerous times that this legend is not true.

But it's an interesting story!

The towers, the squares, the lovely homes... the cobblestone roads lead to enchanting places.

As a walled city, arches are everywhere, connecting everything.

They also lead out the gate to lovely gardens.

We took a 10 day vacation through Bavaria. But Rothenburg was our favorite place for the entire journey.

http://www.rothenburg.de/index.php?get=121

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber

http://www.rothenburg-online.de/

Rothenburg : Gasthaus Greifen

Rothenburg is a historic town. It was in its' heyday in the 1300s when the Mayor Toppler owned this house and used it as a guesthouse. It has been an active hotel since then and is now owned by the same family since the mid 1800s. It was amazing to stay at a hotel that is over 700 years old!

This is the front of the hotel. The view above is the view from our room toward the town square. Our room was the one on the first floor above the door.
This is the great hall outside our doorway. It has amazing antiques dating back centuries.
This is the entry to our room. My tall husband stooped to enter. People were shorter in the Middle Ages.
We asked for a front room on the square when we made reservations because of the travel guide by PBS Travel Guru, Rick Steves. We were not disappointed. The room overlooks the square. It is spacious and full of antiques. We loved the window seats.

The hotel chamber maids wore outfits from the Middle Ages.

We felt like we stepped back in time. It was a magical time to stay here.

On the hotel website, the last button is called "offers." There is a special there for English speaking guests that includes 2 nights for 2 people, a medium sized room, a special meal, breakfast, plus a ticket to the Night Watchman tour, and to the Crime and Punishment museum all for 185 Euros when we went. What a great deal!


The website for the hotel: http://www.gasthof-greifen-rothenburg.de/e_index.php3


My travel review on Trip Advisor under my username lahlumdi http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g187319-d239041-r8661303-Gasthof_Goldener_Greifen-Rothenburg_Romantic_Road_Bavaria.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rothenburg_ob_der_Tauber

Rothenburg : Teddy Bears and more

Our son, Bob loves Teddy Bears. He found one just his size (he's 6'1" tall). We found several stores in Rothenburg that specialize in Teddy Bears. Some were very pricey. These two Medieval warriors were over 100 Euro, as was the Mozart bear and the Luther bear seen below.

We found a wood burning shop that sports a sword taller than my husband.


These pastries are called Snow Balls. They are a specialty of Rothenburg. It is like pie pastry with toppings. They are good, but not a must-taste item.

https://shop.wohlfahrt.com/ This is an awesome Christmas store which operates year round. It has its' home base in Rothenburg, but is all over Germany. There is also a Christmas Museum at their shop. Just walking through their store is a feast for the eyes.

Rothenburg : Still in the Middle Ages

One of the best tours available in Rothenburg is the Night Watchman tour. It is in English every night at 8 PM, starting from the town square. The guide's wonderful sense of humor also points out history. At times it seems you have stepped into another world.

The Night Watchman walked the wall around the town in the Middle Ages to protect it. Rothenburg still has it's historic walls.

Left-The walking path on the wall. Right - worn steps from the passage of time.

A fine example of a half-timbered home.

Horse and carriage is a form of transportation still available. At least for the tourists!

http://www.rothenburg.de/index.php?get=121

Rothenburg : Medeival Crime Museum

The world's largest museum on crime, punishment and torture in the Middle ages. It was on legal practices, civil law, school children's teaching methods, wedding laws, etc. Very interesting.

Bob and I tried our hand at the stocks. It would not be fun for real. Punishments were very practical. On the other hand, for trials, torture was an acceptable practice for a confession.

This church was right next to the museum. The entrance is under the arch. Above, the enclosure was a place to display those who broke the law.

I enjoyed this wooden piece for women who don't get along. They would put the two quarrelling women together and leave them there till they got along. I wonder if the threat of that wouldn't help some women to work together today?

http://www.kriminalmuseum.rothenburg.de/Englisch/engframe.htm