Our last stop on our tour was Rothenburg ob der Tauber (or the Red Fortress on the River Tauber). It is another historical city that has existed for hundreds of years. It sits as a walled fortress high above the meandering Tauber. The hillsides surrounding have deep green forests, I can see why people settled there.
The city has been the site of many wars because of the strategic location. It survived those wars and the plague and many other ailments. This included the devastating bombing by the Allied Forces working their way through Germany during WWII. The city was spared complete destruction when American forces sent in emissaries to negotiate a peaceful surrender of the city. The Nazi leader surrendered the city in direct disobedience to Hitler's order to fight to the end. Thus saving the city and all the people in it.
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| The wall around the city that has protected for years. |
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| She wants to do what her brother does |
Like many of the places we visited on this trip, there have been massive reconstruction of the city. The result is beautiful. Truly a romantic stop in Europe. It actually is on the Romantic Road. The Medieval wall and some of the fort buildings still stand. Then the colorful Middle Ages styled homes line the narrow cobblestone streets. They are complete with warped walls and linked timber. You can see the signs of additions and the years progressed.
We enjoyed walking the streets and exploring the small hotels, gardens, fountains and landscape as we went. Known for the nearby stuffed animals factories and Christmas shoppes it is a popular tourist destination. It is a beautiful place and one that we were glad we ended with for our trip. It will be a place we could revisit on other trips.
