Rothenburg "on the Tauber" River is so named to keep it from being confused with a few other towns of the same name. This is a common technique in Germany. For example, Frankfurt am Main (or "Frankfurt/Main") is so-called to denote the Frankfurt on the Main River and thus different from Frankfurt am Oder, the town of Frankfurt on the Oder River which is on the eastern border facing Poland.
Rothenburg is a tourist trap, plain and simple. In fact, it is a HUGE tourist trap. If you are not interested in such traps avoid the town. It is quaint and unique in some ways, but is not the only semi-preserved medieval town in Germany. If you wish to see such a town without the heavy tourism emphasis, trying Tubingen (in Baden-Wurttemburg) or Nordlingen (in Bavaria), the latter with a completely intact city wall that you can walk along in peace and quiet!
These photos were taken in 2005 and 2007.
Rothenburg is not as well-preserved as the propagandists would like us to believe. A good portion of the town was actually bombed out during WW II, and extensive reconstruction was done. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a quaint city with that medieval charm AND plenty of shops selling things, then by all means check it out! Moreover, if you get a little adventurous and push out of the main tourist areas you can see some interesting things and meet interesting people.
The gate towers are all intact or have been repaired, but are all closed except one (this is not the one that is opened).
The narrow gate entrances make for interesting driving. The town center is small enough that you can park at one of the large parking areas (for a fee of course!) and stroll around. I was told by a local that you could probably get away with not paying for the parking, but that was in 2005. By 2007 and 08 I saw much more parking enforcement than only a few years prior, so I don't recommend this!
The town wall allows you virtually a complete 360 degree tour around the edge of the old city. The wooden railings are all more modern rebuilds, but the rest is reasonably authentic minus the typical maintenance touch ups.
Below, even though rebuilt, roof areas have been reconstructed in authentic fashion with wooden slats and clay roof tiles.
Several views of the wall and the railings. Notice how the walking platform is supported by the wall and by stone feet protruding from the wall.
I noticed an interesting but very subtle change in just two years of visiting the place. In 2005, I saw old houses with that great medieval invention on their roof called a satellite dish! Now, I thought... my gosh, I never knew that medieval peasants and shop owners had satellite TV! Anyhow, all humor aside, when I went back in 2007 I never saw a single dish... NOT ONE. So what happened? Well... I will tell you what I think happened on the next page! Until then, use your analytical skills and think through what happened.
Right, the one tower that is open. For one Euro you can go to the top... you actually climb the tower and pay and older gentleman once there. It is worth the view and some of the photos below were taken from there.
Below, looking down at one of the gates.
Left, a view of the wall showing its layout. As can be surmised, the wall was very vulnerable to any type of artillery or siege weapon, even those prior to gunpowder. The wall's primary purpose was to keep out the marauding rif-raff that wandered without from getting inside and plundering the villagers. There is a simple reason for this. Peasant farmers who owned land usually were land rich but asset poor. Thus, they had very little in the way of movable and easily exchangeable wealth (such as coins). Merchants on the other hand had an extensive amount of moveable wealth and thus were the prime targets. For this reason they congregated within walled areas for protection.
Below, a view to possibly one of the most famous street scenes in Germany, towards the Spitalgasse (to the right), with Plonlein Strasse towards the Koboldzellersteig (center).
