Well, this is officially the final chapter in our family's trip to Europe this past fall! Our final full day was spent in Rothenburg ob der Tauber exploring and wandering through the medieval city. Such a trial, right? ;-)
(previous installments here- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
(previous installments here- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
Rothenburg occupies a promontory above the Tauber River and was the seat of the counts of Rothenburg since the 1000s. It was a bustling city through the medieval period, but suffered greatly during the Thirty Years' War and the Black Death.
It consequently escaped modernization for a couple centuries until it was discovered by Romanticists in the 19th century. Tourism became a big business and laws were passed protecting the historical nature of the small city. The medieval city is surrounded by a large wall that is mostly restored (and rebuilt from WWII damage).
The damage done in WWII was substantial- the city survived without attack until 1945 when over 300 buildings and 2,000 ft of the wall were destroyed, the rest only saved through negotiations due to Rothenburg's historical charm.
The completely rebuilt buildings blend in nicely with the old- obviously there are some noticeable differences, but the new buildings are still adorable! ;-)
OK, I don't have all that much to add to the photos- so I'll primarily let them speak for themselves! Enjoy!
Our day continued as the rest of the trip- delightful weather! :-) Rothenburg is obviously a popular tourist destination, but we still found plenty of quiet streets to explore.
And cats to pet! This little kitty loved being stroked and even came after us crying for more when we continued on our way!
The wall- some original, some rebuilt, some still awaiting rebuilding. Feels like a step back in time!
I found this little house just outside of the walls very appealing. I don't think I'd mind living there. ;-)
View from the tower- red tiled roofs abound!
Town Hall
It consequently escaped modernization for a couple centuries until it was discovered by Romanticists in the 19th century. Tourism became a big business and laws were passed protecting the historical nature of the small city. The medieval city is surrounded by a large wall that is mostly restored (and rebuilt from WWII damage).
The damage done in WWII was substantial- the city survived without attack until 1945 when over 300 buildings and 2,000 ft of the wall were destroyed, the rest only saved through negotiations due to Rothenburg's historical charm.
The completely rebuilt buildings blend in nicely with the old- obviously there are some noticeable differences, but the new buildings are still adorable! ;-)
OK, I don't have all that much to add to the photos- so I'll primarily let them speak for themselves! Enjoy!
Our day continued as the rest of the trip- delightful weather! :-) Rothenburg is obviously a popular tourist destination, but we still found plenty of quiet streets to explore.
And cats to pet! This little kitty loved being stroked and even came after us crying for more when we continued on our way!
The wall- some original, some rebuilt, some still awaiting rebuilding. Feels like a step back in time!
I found this little house just outside of the walls very appealing. I don't think I'd mind living there. ;-)
View from the tower- red tiled roofs abound!
Town Hall
The charming house we stayed in for a few nights!
I was going to point out all of my favorite buildings, but then I realized this would be a more than usually repetitious post.... so- what was *your* favorite?? ;-)
And there we go- thus concludes the Europe Chronicles! Thanks so much for tuning in and humoring me as I relive the memories. ;-) Back to our regularly scheduled program....
Posts
Thank you so much for sharing your European adventures Lily! I have so enjoyed reading all about them and viewing all the pictures. Rothenburg seems like such a delightful city. I love all the red-tiled roofs. So much more appealing then our modern roofing. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy favorite building would have to be the one with the "hobbit-hole" looking door in the second to last picture, for obvious reasons. :D
Blessings,
Brigid
the Middle Sister and Singer
So glad you enjoyed the posts, Brigid! :-)
DeleteYES, that hobbit door was sooo cute! Couldn't believe it was for real!! :-)
Wow. What can one say? Rothenburg looks like a delightful little city to explore! Thanks for sharing all about your trip.
ReplyDeleteRotherburg looks like a very interesting place to explore.
ReplyDeleteI shall miss reading your posts about your trip to Europe!
Rebecca
Thanks for following along, Rebecca! :-)
DeleteThese pictures are delightful. I spent Christmas 2014 in Rothenburg, and it was the most beautiful day Most things were closed, and tourist numbers were down so we just spent all day walking around the town and the surrounding houses down in the valley
ReplyDeleteKaitlyn, that sounds enchanting! What wonderful memories!! :-)
DeleteWow, this is such a great place! I love the buildings!
ReplyDeleteThere was no "humouring" involved, sweet dear. These posts were an absolute delight and I for one (as an armchair traveler) wholeheartedly appreciate that you took the time to share such a detailed, photo rich account of your travels.
ReplyDelete♥ Jessica
I'm *so* glad you enjoyed the tour, Jessica! :-)
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