Overview
Located in Northern Bavaria; about 2.5 hours North of Munich; 2.5 hours West of Nuremberg
City tourism website: https://www.rothenburg-tourismus.de/en/
History
A well preserved medieval old town located in the Northern part of Bavaria; Rothenburg is a must tourist stop for many from around the world.
The city has been inhabited since 1 AD. The city remained a free imperial city till 1803.
World War 2
During World War 2, John McCloy (Secretary of War) was familiar with the historic importance and beauty of the city. He asked that the city not be shelled. US General Jacob Devers sent in six soldiers to get an agreement from the Germans to handover the town without a fight to save the city. German leadership complied and most of the city was saved. About 40% of the Eastern portion of the city was damaged due to bombings prior to handover.
Sights
The city hosts a number of museums but perhaps the most known of them is the Christmas Museum.
Additionally the town’s Town Hall is a notable renaissance building. The design of the building falls into different eras of design. The back part of the building is in Gothic design and dates back to 1250. The front part of the building has Renaissance design and was built in 1572.
The city wall, is only one of three in all of Germany, that remains intact to this day.
Plönlein – Perhaps one of the most photos of Rothenburg is Plönlein. And many believe that it references the crooked yellow building. However, the definition is small square at a fountain. Which happens to house our beloved house.
Cultural References
The city was the inspiration for the village in the 1940 Walt Disney movie Pinocchio.
Medal of Honor and Medal video games also provide a level where the player must fight their way through the town.
Visting
Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a magical city to visit. And while you can visit it during summer and enjoy the beauty of the city and and its sites, the place is just as magical during winter.
Between November 25th and December 23rd, Rothenburg transforms into a fairy tail winter wonderland.
When visiting this magical city, we recommend booking a private walking tour to see all that this city has to offer and learn more about its history.
My all time favorite town.