Rothenburg ob der Tauber

We decided to finally check out Rothenburg over Thanksgiving Break since several people had mentioned it as a must see.  Besides we were anxious to get a jump start on the Famous Christmas Markets in Germany.  Thanksgiving Weekend is usually when they open. 
Rothenburg ob der Tauber means “Red Fortress above the Tauber”.  Rothenburg is built on a plateau above the Tauber River.  (Rot) means Red in German and (Burg) means medievel fortified town.  Also in my research I learned that this little town has been in several movies.  It was the inspiration for the village in Walt Disney’s Pinnochio back in 1940.  As well as scenes from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2, were filmed here.  (now I have to go watch those again!) 


Rothenburg comes alive at Christmas time.  The largest Kathe Wohlfahrt store in all of Germany is located here.  There is also a Weinacht Museum by Kathe Wohlfahrt here.  You could spend hours going through these shops.  They carry every smoker, Schwibbogen, Pyramid Tree, ornament, and Nutcracker ever conceived in Germany.  Its pretty amazing!  It is such a great Christmas City….besides having a really nice Christmas Market, all the stores decorate inside and outside along their store fronts.  Its like a German Porcelain Christmas Village, except that it is life size. 

This Kathe Wolfahrt truck sits just outside the store and Christmas Museum.

We happened to get to see the Johnsons there this weekend since they were entertaining their visiting Grandparents and wanted to take them to a Christmas Market.  We tried to do some shops together, but it was a bit difficult with 11 kids, 4 parents, and 2 grandparents:)   Cole was sad that he couldn’t keep up with the keep away game the big boys were playing.
This is the sign that leads you into the Christmas Market area.  It reads:  Old Rothenburg Christmas Market
So this was our first experience with the Christmas Market thing.  Basically I think we got it figured out:  Eat, buy cool stuff, eat more buy more cool stuff.  Mostly for food they have Bratwursts, crepes, dampfnudeln, baked cheesy breads, chocolate covered fruit on a stick, and potato pancakes (giant patato patties).  To drink they have lots of beer and Gluwein.  It is a spicy cranberry drink that is red.  We have to get the kinder punch so that it doesn’t have any alcohol.  They serve it in mugs that you can return to get your deposit back or keep and collect since they have the city’s logo for the season on it.  AS for what they are selling…..hats, scarves, wooden trinkets, 3-D lighted stars to hang from your ceiling, a few nutcrackers, some metal twirly ornaments, carved signs for houses etc.  We didn’t buy anything other than food.  We were just trying to take it all in.  The kids rode this carasoul several times.  There are usually a few small rides for children, but nothing big or scary. 
A lot of the main part of the Market was right here on the Town Square by the Rathaus or City Hall.  As it got dark they had a band perform and everyone gathered to hear. 
We stayed over night in a Gasthaus called Pension Becker.  It was perfect for our family.  The one family room could have slept us all, but we weren’t sure so we booked two rooms.  It was a cute, clean, and friendly place.  I would definitely stay there again.  They had a nice complimentary breakfast too!  The family room had like four beds in it so we could all hang out together.    
It just happened that our neighbors the Turners had made plans to come to Rothenburg too!  So in the morning we started walking the wall until we got a hold of them and met them in the middle of the city.  What a great looking bunch.  They did the Night Watchmen’s Tour the night before.  We had wanted to join them, but we were feeling a little afraid of how cold it was going to be.  We are still trying to adjust to the colder winter.  The tour is supposed to be really neat so we plan to come back in the summer and do it!  
Since the Turners had already walked the wall before, we let them lead the way and show us the way around the city.  It’s a really neat walk around the city and wall…..its hard to believe that you use to have to “Wall”  your city and have night Watchmen to walk around and make sure everything was safe each night. 

This is the West Gate entrance to the city.  This courtyard and area just outside the wall was really fun!  A ton of Asian tourists came up and started taking all our kids photo.  The kids were kind of taken aback by it….but not me….who could find cuter kids??

This town has a criminal museum containing several punishment and torturing devices used during the middle ages.  Some included Chastity Belts and Iron Maidens as well as funny masks that you would have to wear to show everyone you were a sinner. 
 

What a neat wall…. so fun to walk around!

One day when it isn’t so cold, we will have to go for a ride on the horse drawn carriage under all the neat bridges and archways in Rothenburg! 
We swung by the Christmas Market one more time before leaving for home so that Carter could by a smoker that he really liked at one of the stores.  It’s a red mushroom!  They symbolize good luck and are everywhere in Germany.  All the stores sell red mushrooms.  Who knew they were lucky?  I think I love Rothenburg!