Rothenburg Nightwatchman's Tour
On the German Romantic Road a Night Walk Through a Medieval Town
In the evening, take the Nightwatchman's tour of Rothenburg ob der Tauber and discover a delightful medieval walled city with a history that comes to life at nightfall.
During the Middle Ages, when Frankfort and Munich didn't exist, Rothenburg was Germany’s second largest city with a population of 6,000. And with most old towns, especially walled ones, it is steeped in history and legend. And it’s in the evening that the ancient walled town, on the German Romantic Road, comes to life. That's when you can take one of the most unusual walking tours on offer – the Nightwatchman’s Tour of the city
Nightwatchman's Tour
This takes place at dusk and lasts approximately ninety minutes. The guide, dressed in authentic medieval nightwatchman’s attire, carrying a lantern, will guide you through the darkened streets and alleyways, to the walls, gates and houses of interest, giving a lively and interesting commentary on the town and its history.
English and German Tours
These tours are available in English and German – check for the tour times that are posted outside the Town Hall in the main square. There must be a minimum number for the tours to take place. As the tour is independently run, you just have to be there to take part, and the charge is very reasonable.
Echoing Footsteps
As you walk slowly along the narrow twisting laneways, with old-fashioned streetlights throwing splashes of yellow on the rounded cobblestones, darkness descends on the valleys below the town. You can hear your footsteps echoing in the deserted alleyways. The houses are crouched defensively behind their shutters, but the solid town walls loom reassuringly.
Ramparts
Follow the guide up to the ramparts, imagining a besieging army in the fields below, or a lone horseman galloping, his cloak billowing behind him, heading for one of the town gates and safety.
Pest Holes
As well as leading you along the dim streets, your guide will impart lots of fascinating facts about the history of the town. For example, you learn, when you come to one of the town gates with an opening above it, that the common German swear word "pest" actually means a noisome concoction of oil, water, rotten food, and everything nasty. It was boiled up into a steaming brew and tipped onto the heads of enemy invaders through "pest holes" set above the town gates!
Meistertrunk
Another story is that of the Meistertrunk, a tale of the Mayor of the town, who, in 1631, to appease an invading army commander, drank nearly a gallon of wine without pause, to save the town from pillage, plunder and rape. The huge mug he is supposed to have used is on display in the town museum.
Kingdom of Bavaria
The end of independence came in 1802, when Rothenburg was incorporated into the Kingdom of Bavaria. During the following Romantic period of German art, the well preserved medieval town became a haven for painters and poets.
Untouched by Bombing
You’ll hear all this, plus stories of the original families and houses of the town. You won’t have time on the night walk to circumnavigate the walls, which were partly destroyed during World War II. That takes an hour and is best done in daylight, when you can enjoy the sights of the medieval city on one side, and views of the peaceful countryside on the other. Luckily, despite the bombing, the historical town centre remained untouched.
Unforgettable Encounter
The Nightwatchman’s walk is an unforgettable encounter with the past, but it's only an introduction to this delightful medieval town – there's also plenty to see and do during the daylight hours. Read about this in Rothenburg, and also visit Augsburg.
