Castle Gate

Photo by Stephen Bohn

Rothenburg ob der Tauber's castle gate (Burgtor) was built in the 1300s after the castle was destroyed in an earthquake in 1356. This is the closest gate to the beautiful Tauber Valley.

Open for Business

The Historik Hotel Gotisches Haus in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

Golden Swan

Another guesthouse not far from the Rothenburg's marketplace is this one bearing a sign showing a golden swan and rooster's head. Unfortunately, I can't verify the exact name.

Market Square, Rothenburg

St. George slays the dragon atop a column rising from the fountain in front of Rothenburg's historic town hall in the market square.

Golden Griffin

An inn since 1374, this historic guesthouse with its distinctive griffin signage and diagonally striped shutters, is located near the marketplace in Rothenburg, Germany.

Town Gate, Rothenburg

The western town gate of medieval Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Travelers entering the town from the valley would have to pay a toll as they passed through this gate.
Texture by Stephanie in Love

Iron Gate

This lovely wrought iron gate in a quiet lane in Rothenburg, Germany offered a mere glimpse of the private courtyard beyond.
Textures by Shadowhouse Creations.

Rothenburg at Dusk

Dusk paints the sky with colorful pastels over this cobbled street in medieval Rothenburg, Germany.

To Hell and Back

It's not every day that you find a restaurant named "To Hell" or one that dates back to the 900s. This medieval tavern is located in the oldest house in Rothenburg and travel partner and I sampled their tasty fare during our visit.

The texture I've used was created by Nasos 3.

Hernnbrunnen, Rothenburg ob der Tauber

This historic fountain is located near the Plonlein in Rothenburg. I wish I could find more information about the  fountain and what it represents, but several Internet searches have been unsuccessful.

I've added textures by joes sistah and Shadowhouse Creations.

Christmas Truck

During our stay in Rothenburg, our hotel, the Eisenhut, was located right next to Kathe Wohlfahrt's Christmas store and its darling red truck topped by brightly colored packages. The store itself is indeed magical, with every sort of toy that a child could wish for, including my childhood favorite: cuddly stuffed animals.

Rothenburg Market Place

Rothenburg Marktplatz

The Market Place is the bustling center of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and the site of the Rathaus (town hall) as well as numerous shops and cafes. The soft pastel buildings and plentiful flower boxes are a delight to the eye.

I've enhanced my photo with a texture by Emma Cox on the Flickr texture group.

Rothenburg Toy Shop

I saw these little girls playing with stuffed toys outside a toy shop in Rothenburg and took their photo unobserved by them. They were dressed in costume as part of a Medieval fair that was being held in town that day.

Two textures from Shadowhouse Creations have been added.

Lost in Time - Rothenburg

Rothenburg, Germany is a magical town. Although it can be touristy at times, if you venture out very early or very late, you can still find quiet corners of the town and vistas which transport you back through centuries. Here I've added a subtle canvas texture to a photo I took from the town wall on a crisp fall morning.

For a version of this photo with a frame, click the 'Read more' link below.