Rothenburg ob der Tauber

So I can't believe it's already been a week since I've been to Rothenburg! Sorry I feel behind on my posting--it was a mix of getting sick and having my 'final' for you language class...I've definitely been super busy!

Well, first thing we did when we got to Rothenburg actually was walk through town to a restaurant and eat. I had this dish with fried/breaded potato outside filled with herbs and cheese. It was really good! Afterwards we walked around for a bit, and then we had a choice between two museums--the Christmas museum and the medieval torture one. I went to the torture one...where I got a nice poster of Rothenburg for e1,80 lol.

















Rothenburg is the quintessential old German town, and they work to keep it that way. Rothenburg had been an "imperial city" which means that it hadn't had dukes and counts that it had had to pay taxes to--just the king, so it had been an extremely wealthy city. It had been a law for citizens to keep two years worth of grain in their houses so that in case of attack they could withstand siege.

However, when they were attacked, they only last for 2 days before someone had taken a torch with him into the munitions room, and it sparked the gunpowder and destroyed part of the wall. So there goes the fact that they had an extremely good wall and lots of food.

Since they were such a wealthy city (and they had food) they were able to pay off the invaders...whoever they might be. Since this was rather expensive, they didn't have much money to create new architecture, which is why the town isn't a mix of old and new. And now they work had to keep it like it was; there are less than 16,000 residents, and in the middle ages there was only a bit more than 6,000 (making Rothenburg the 2nd largest city in the area!), but no big expansion since.

That's why all the shops have the old iron signs hanging from the doorways--no plastic signs here! Also, the roofs of the houses are all the circular shingles...I would hate to imagine dealing with the code enforcement department here!

This looks like a fun hotel!

These are some pictures of the city and city hall.











No one really knows why they built it so large--maybe because they had the money and were a bit self-important. But the Rathaus was last added onto 300 years ago, so at least they haven't continued expanding!

There are a lot of little tourist and Christmas shops, along with a lot of bakeries. The special thing in Rothenburg is called "schneeball." (I actually bought a Schoko-schneeball...schneeball covered with chocolate). Schneeballs are basically are biscotti-type lattice-work balls, all woven in and out, dusted with powdered sugar. They were good!








We went to the torture museum--doesn't look like much from the outside, but it was fun! I definitely could have spent a lot longer in there, reading all the placards on everything! They had everything from old torture devices, to old seals, to old artwork.

And of course, you can hang out in the stocks before going in! :)

And every torture museum needs a  shovel...I just couldn't find the duct tape, lol

We do have some awesome seals here

Here's one old time device...apparently used on gossipy women and bakers who baked their bread too small. There actually were a lot of punishments for bakers who baked their bread too small...that crap just wasn't tolerated!

Entryway into the museum

They started off old and got newer...first the rack, etc

Just some good ole books on the right way to torture people

The wheel

Some wonderful old iron work....very inspiring

This made my spine hurt just looking at it...it was a chair with a band for the neck and a screw that pressed into the back of the spine...ick

If you were caught cheating at cards...it was more about the shame

One of the interesting things I learned is that in Germany you can only gamble away what you have. Even today, you are not held liable for gambling debts.

There were actually a lot of these "Shame masks". It was interesting because each one symbolized different flaws--gossipy tongue, big eyes, even having a faithless spouse.

But one of the most interesting things was all the seals. I believe this was a document for an alcohol tax. Apparently the reason most of the seals weren't wax were because the weather was warmer and those could melt--but these lead seals would be perfectly fine...although clerks probably got lead poisoning.

Every town needs a good drunk tank!

And just when you think it's all torture..a beautiful crown and septer

And then we were out of the museum (and back on the streets).

 This building is the tourism building I believe. Every hour the shutters on the windows open and the mannequin of an old mayor and a friend drink their drafts.

We actually had a pretty amazing tour guide for our walking tour. He was really interesting, and even though this church wasn't a scheduled stop, he took us around anyways...and he knew all about it, so it made it ten times more interesting.

The church--now Lutheran, it was originally Catholic (changed over in the Protestant reformation) which is why there was a 50cent entrance fee...but it was worth it!

The church was built by donations from its citizens, so that is probably the reason it escaped unscathed...it was their money and all.

The church was built in three main sections...had to wait to have enough money and stone, ya'know. However, by the time they finished the second section (140 years I believe) they had run out of space. This was the major road through the city, but it didn't stop them. They just built over it instead!

The middle stained glass panel was from the 1350s, and the other two are slightly younger, 1400s I believe. During the wars they removed the stained glass (and altar), so even though this side of the church was damaged, the glass wasn't.

Organ...the part built over the street

seating for the monks

What is interesting is that during the 13-1400s the altars were created to be closed. On the other side of the doors are painting just as beautiful as the ones on this side.

The artist didn't care about historical integrity...glasses were a new thing, he liked them, so he painted St. Peter with them. Enough said. There are also pretzels falling from the sky in the stained glass, because the artist could not imagine manna being any better than pretzels...

back side of the altar

a blown up view of the pretzels in the stained glass

The other side of the church has another altar, slightly younger (1470s), all carved from wood. This one even has a removable Judas! He's slid out every Eastertime.

It really had incredible detail!

But we finished up our city tour (the walls have these tapered slots so people could use cross bows to defend them) and I definitely would go back. :)

Door you could use to get into the city when it was closed for the night...although it would cost you an average of 2 months of a working man's salary to open the door.

View from the city wall...cold, but beautiful!