Marktplatz: Rothenburg ob der Tauber Travel Guide (4.8★)

A square on a slope

Marktplatz tilts gently downhill, so you take it in from the top of Herrngasse. On its west side is the Rathaus, the Town Hall, built in two halves. The Gothic wing at the back dates from the 13th century. The Renaissance front onto the square, with its arcade, was added in the late 16th century after a fire.

On the north side is the Ratstrinkstube, the former Councillors’ Tavern. It has a stepped gable and three clock faces, and its ground floor now holds the tourist information office. In the lower corner stands the Georgsbrunnen. Built in 1608, this fountain once served as the town’s water reserve in case of siege.

The clock and the tower

Two things draw crowds here, and both are easy to time.

• The Meistertrunk clock: windows open on either side of the Ratstrinkstube clock and two figures come out. They are the Catholic general Tilly and the former mayor Nusch. According to legend, Nusch saved the town in 1631, during the Thirty Years’ War, by drinking more than three litres of wine in one go. The figures appear on the hour through the day. Check the schedule at the tourist office.
• The Rathaus tower: a staircase of about 220 steps climbs to a 60-metre platform. The last stretch is steep and narrow and close to a ladder, and only a few people fit at the top. From there you see the red roofs and the full ring of the town wall. Opening times and the entry charge are posted at the foot of the stairs.

Give the square itself 20 minutes. Allow about an hour if you add the tower climb and wait for a clock show.

Using the square like the town does

Marktplatz is the starting point for most things in Rothenburg, so use it as your meeting point.

• Arrive early or late. Coach tours on the Romantic Road usually reach the old town in the middle of the day. At breakfast time or after dinner, you’ll see the facades without a crowd in front of them.
• For the clock, stand back. People pack in under the Ratstrinkstube. You’ll get a better view from the Rathaus steps or near the fountain.
• Join the Night Watchman. The town’s evening night watchman tour, with an English-language version, starts on the square. Confirm the start time at the tourist office.
• Come back for the seasonal events. In Advent the Reiterlesmarkt Christmas market fills the square. At Whitsun, the Meistertrunk festival restages the 1631 legend in costume.
• Order local. Bakeries nearby sell Schneeballen, the town’s balls of fried pastry strips. Card payment is widespread, but some small stalls still prefer cash.

Getting in and walking on

Rothenburg ob der Tauber station is on a regional branch line, usually reached by changing at Steinach. From the station, walk about 15 minutes through the Rödertor gate and along Rödergasse to the square. Traffic is restricted inside the walls, so drivers should use the numbered car parks (P1 to P5) outside the walls and walk in.

From the square, the classic routes are short:

• Plönlein: about five minutes south down Obere Schmiedgasse. This is the narrow, forked street with the half-timbered house.
• St. Jakob’s Church: a couple of minutes north. Inside is Tilman Riemenschneider’s carved Holy Blood Altar.
• Herrngasse to the Burggarten: this wide street of patrician houses runs west past the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas shop. It ends at the castle garden above the Tauber valley.