Rothenburg thrived between the years 1150 and 1400 as it was a strategic stop on the trade routes between northern and southern Europe. Most of the buildings in the town were here prior to 1400.
Upon our arrival, Wes took us on a walk through the town. We then had the remainder of the day to explore on our own.
Before letting us loose, Wes treated us to a local favorite, the Schneeballen, or Snowball.
Schneeballen can be found in pastry shops in some Bavarian towns, but it is especially popular in Rothenburg.
It is believed that the schneeball originated in Rothenburg and the city's scheeball tradition goes back to the middle ages.
It is created from strips of short-crust pastry that are alternately folded to form a loose ball. this is then deep-fried and dusted with confectioner's sugar.
To eat, just hit the schneeballen against your knee; it will break into pieces. We all agreed that it was not very good tasting, but a fun experience.
Rothenburg's tallest spire is the town hall tower. At 200 feet it stands atop the old Town Hall building. Later in the day we climb that tower. After a fire in 1501 burnt down part of the original building, a new Town Hall was built alongside, in the Renaissance style from 1570/.
Rothenburg had an ingenious water system. Built on a rock, it had one real source of water above the town, which was plumbed to serve a series of fountains; water flowed from high to low through Rothenburg.
Its many fountains had practical functions beyond providing drinking water. Water was used for fighting fires, and because of its plentiful water supply, and its policy of requiring relatively wide lanes between buildings as fire breaks, the town never burned entirely, as so many neighboring villages did.
Some buildings had lofts with warehouse doors and pulleys on top for hoisting. All over town, lofts were filled with grain and corn. A year's supply was required by the city so they could survive any siege.
Every town seems to have a clock tower that puts on a little show.
This one is on the Councilor's Tavern and it re-enacts the Meistertrunk (Master Draught) story: In 1631, in the middle of the Thirty Years' War, the Catholic army was ready to take the Protestant town by siege. The mayor had to give the conquering general a welcoming drink, which he enjoyed. The general then said to the mayor, "If you can drink this entire 3-liter tankard of wine in one gulp, I'll spare your town."
The mayor did that and the town was spared.
St. Jakob's Church was built in the 14th century and has been Lutheran since 1544.
Outside is a statue of St. Jakob with a scallop shell in his hand.
His remains are entombed in the grand cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. A medieval pilgrimage route passed through here on its way to Spain. Pilgrims would wear the scallop shell as a symbol of their destination.
Inside the church, behind the altar, the stained-glass windows are original from the 1330s.
The main altar is from 1466 by Friedrich Herlin.
Below Christ are statues of 6 saints, including St. Jakob with the floppy hat.
Upstairs in the loft behind the organ is perhaps the most wonderful wood carving in all of Germany: the glorious 500-year old, 35-foot high Altar of the Holy Blood.
Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers, carved this from 1499 to 1504 to hold a precious rock-crystal capsule that contains a scrap of tablecloth miraculously stained in the shape of a cross by a drop of communion wine.
In the scene of the Last Supper, everything is portrayed exactly as described in the Bible.
We enjoyed the best view of the town from the top of the Town Hall Tower.
We climbed 214 steep, narrow steps to the top of the 200 foot tower.
On top of the tower we found this sticker....it is of the Left Hand Brewery Company, which is located just down the road from our home in Colorado.
As we headed back to the ship, we had time to browse around Wurzburg, known for lavish baroque and rococo architecture, particularly the 18-century Residenz palace.
Wurzburg is home to numerous wine bars, cellars and wineries. Wurzburg is the center of the Franconian wine country.
With our friend, Nancy, we joined in the local custom of drinking a glass of wine on the bridge.
That evening, aboard the ship, we were entertained by a Bavarian dance group in traditional dress.
And then we set sail....
To continue reading about our travels, scroll up toward the top of this page and click in the right-hand column the entry entitled: "Wertheim, Germany".
Upon our arrival, Wes took us on a walk through the town. We then had the remainder of the day to explore on our own.
Before letting us loose, Wes treated us to a local favorite, the Schneeballen, or Snowball.
Schneeballen can be found in pastry shops in some Bavarian towns, but it is especially popular in Rothenburg.
It is believed that the schneeball originated in Rothenburg and the city's scheeball tradition goes back to the middle ages.
It is created from strips of short-crust pastry that are alternately folded to form a loose ball. this is then deep-fried and dusted with confectioner's sugar.
To eat, just hit the schneeballen against your knee; it will break into pieces. We all agreed that it was not very good tasting, but a fun experience.
Rothenburg's tallest spire is the town hall tower. At 200 feet it stands atop the old Town Hall building. Later in the day we climb that tower. After a fire in 1501 burnt down part of the original building, a new Town Hall was built alongside, in the Renaissance style from 1570/.
Rothenburg had an ingenious water system. Built on a rock, it had one real source of water above the town, which was plumbed to serve a series of fountains; water flowed from high to low through Rothenburg.
Its many fountains had practical functions beyond providing drinking water. Water was used for fighting fires, and because of its plentiful water supply, and its policy of requiring relatively wide lanes between buildings as fire breaks, the town never burned entirely, as so many neighboring villages did.
Some buildings had lofts with warehouse doors and pulleys on top for hoisting. All over town, lofts were filled with grain and corn. A year's supply was required by the city so they could survive any siege.
Every town seems to have a clock tower that puts on a little show.
This one is on the Councilor's Tavern and it re-enacts the Meistertrunk (Master Draught) story: In 1631, in the middle of the Thirty Years' War, the Catholic army was ready to take the Protestant town by siege. The mayor had to give the conquering general a welcoming drink, which he enjoyed. The general then said to the mayor, "If you can drink this entire 3-liter tankard of wine in one gulp, I'll spare your town."
The mayor did that and the town was spared.
St. Jakob's Church was built in the 14th century and has been Lutheran since 1544.
Outside is a statue of St. Jakob with a scallop shell in his hand.
His remains are entombed in the grand cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Spain. A medieval pilgrimage route passed through here on its way to Spain. Pilgrims would wear the scallop shell as a symbol of their destination.
Inside the church, behind the altar, the stained-glass windows are original from the 1330s.
The main altar is from 1466 by Friedrich Herlin.
Upstairs in the loft behind the organ is perhaps the most wonderful wood carving in all of Germany: the glorious 500-year old, 35-foot high Altar of the Holy Blood.
Tilman Riemenschneider, the Michelangelo of German woodcarvers, carved this from 1499 to 1504 to hold a precious rock-crystal capsule that contains a scrap of tablecloth miraculously stained in the shape of a cross by a drop of communion wine.
In the scene of the Last Supper, everything is portrayed exactly as described in the Bible.
We enjoyed the best view of the town from the top of the Town Hall Tower.
We climbed 214 steep, narrow steps to the top of the 200 foot tower.
As we headed back to the ship, we had time to browse around Wurzburg, known for lavish baroque and rococo architecture, particularly the 18-century Residenz palace.
Wurzburg is home to numerous wine bars, cellars and wineries. Wurzburg is the center of the Franconian wine country.
With our friend, Nancy, we joined in the local custom of drinking a glass of wine on the bridge.
And then we set sail....
To continue reading about our travels, scroll up toward the top of this page and click in the right-hand column the entry entitled: "Wertheim, Germany".
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