Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Presented in a uniquely beautiful medieval city closed the city, located high above the Tauber Rothenburg. Virtually unaltered and intact - like a living piece of history in German history - and as in no other city in Germany has maintained its charming and picturesque medieval character to the present the present.
The powerful and fortified bastions, walls, towers and battlements reflect an eloquent testimony to a historic era. The old well of the city, they still are swishing. The narrow streets and alleys, quiet corners and dreamy places, they have remained unchanged. Only the people and vehicles have changed. One might almost think the time has stood still. A breath-consuming romance accompanied us on a walk through the city at every turn. It is an encounter with past centuries, a touch of the Middle Ages.
You reach an enlarged picture representation if you click with a mouse click in the picture!
City View of Rothenburg o. d. T.
In the southern part of Germany, situated on the edge of the Frankish area, there is the small small town of castle Rothen whether the cock pigeon. The city stands full and whole in the sign of the Middle Ages and is marked by a piece of German past.
Rothenburg o. T. seen from the town hall tower
As someone so aptly in a guide: Experience Germany where it is on most German. So it is customary for visitors to Germany to say: Who was in Germany, but has not seen Rothenburg ob der Tauber ...., was not in Germany!
Narrow streets
In the Middle Ages was forced to use space and ground as much as possible in order to create opportunities for a variety of houses and buildings. In the event of a fire a corner but could also be rapidly fatal.
Angled streets in Rothenburg o. T. d.
Yes, they are still the narrow, winding streets and tranquil, with its rare cobble stones.
The western town gate
was considered a very safe and in fact, from this side never made a significant attack, certainly contributed to the steep slopes in the town. You rocked this city gate in such great confidence that not even the tower was staffed by a guard.
The man`s gate
For safety reasons one not always wanted the town gate for singles öffen. Then for this one intended a small door admittance which was let in the größen gate. One called this small door "man's gate".
Coat of arms above the gate
Next to the gate you can still find a crest with a lion's head, go crosswise from its mouth two rafters. You can find this coat of arms repeatedly in the vicinity of Rothenburg partly modified more or less. This coat of arms had his special reason, it is the arms of the Count of Rothenburg.
Night watchman in Rothenburg o. d. Tauber
In 1708 the night watchmen were first mentioned in the history of the city of Rothenburg. For details when the night watchman were introduced are not available. They practiced at that time from a kind of police service. Their task was to light lanterns in the city to ensure peace and order and to give at the outbreak of a fire alarm with the horn.
Middle of the street hung the kerosene lamps that are using a rotary device, which was attached to the house next door stoop, and could go up again. The night watchman was for it to replenish the lamps with kerosene. The crowd filled in just enough until the next morning, so the lights went out by themselves.
For the security service, the city was divided into two districts which were simultaneously committed by one guard for two hours. The other two guards were the detachment, they stayed in the guard room at City Hall. On six set points in the districts of the time the hour was called or sung in verse, but there were for each hour a different songverse.
For the price of 6 penny could wake up also by the night watchman. Above all, business people, artisans such as bakers, who had to get up early in the morning, of which made good use. You could sleep in peace and worry, because the night watchman did their duty. Of course, the night watchman saw during their tours other things and things that eluded the resting and sleeping citizens, but said nothing about it and they kept it as secret.
The reward of a night watchman was low, as is his reputation, to all this was the profession also dangerous, because at night there was only scum on the move. Drinkers or drunks were out of their inn dispute and thus disturb the sleep. There were really only two professions that had a reputation of even slower than that of a night watchman, and the executioner and the executioner and the gravedigger.
For the full year amounted to pay 52 guilders a night watchman, a cord of wood and 50 fret waves. Often, the night watchman was forced on the day still pursue a second profession to its financial situation a little supplement. At the end of the imperial city, the watchman of time were then detached from the city of soldiers or policemen. In 1920, the night watchmen were then abolished.
Night Watchman in Rothenburg ob der Tauber
YES, he is still on the way the night watchman. Tourists to the joy, the city's honor.
Beautiful street in Rothenburg called Plönlein
Should probably be regarded as one of the most beautiful and most charming medieval townscapes in the whole of Germany. Two major access roads form a junction in which the intersection is a small triangular space with a crooked half-timbered house
Wells in the Plönlein
It strikes that there are a lot of wells in the city. This was also necessary, because the water supply was always a problem.
The wall of Rothenburg.
At every step you can feel the medieval past. Thus, the walkway from the year 1481 to today is still intact and it also walkable.
Walkway below the Ross Mill
Of towers and battlements was constructed and constantly reconstructed. The further development of weapons technology and in particular the advent of firearms forced a reinforcement of the walls and defensive gear.
The Stöberleins-Tower below the Ross Mill
Originally, the tower building was used as a hospital, it was customary at that time to locate such a welfare center outside the city walls. In addition to a proper administration of the sick and poor, it was also the responsibility of the institution, travelers, for burglary of darkness were no more admission into the city to take overnight.
The wall of Rothenburg.
In the case of a serious threat not only defended the urban forces, but also every citizen. The roles and responsibilities for the defense were strictly regulated for everyone.
The Stöberleins-Tower below the Ross Mill
Downright charming small bay windows and the graceful towers.
Towers and gates in Rothenburg o. d. Tauber
The towers had for the city of Rothenburg - as long as the military defensive technology was not developed yet so - a great importance. Accordingly the office of the watchman was important and was responsible. By his view height he could far look in the country and see already from wide process and alarm therefore on time. The watch-towers were taken day and night. The watchman had to give signal as soon as approached more than three riders of the town. To the watchmen on the city hall tower were assigned, in addition, as a job a fire station. At night the watchmen had to blow - with it one could control her presence and watchfulness - every hour on the hour according to the horn to register therefore everybody that they were in readiness. They found out the time of the full hours in each case by the stroke of the clock from the city hall. The bell in the city hall tower struck not only the full hours, but was also operated with alarm. Nevertheless, this might happen in such a case only on explicit approval of the mayor.
At sundown all town gates were closed. Then the keys were taken over from a member of the internal advice. In the course of a menace, war danger and the like, a member of the advice, called also key-man, personally the town gates closed. Then the mayor prevailing of the office accepted the aforesaid keys. The town had a total of six town gates, the padlocks right here were exchanged every week.
While opening the town gates a big circumspection was displayed. The watchman of his high tower had to make sure that no danger threatened or was even an enemy in the suit. Only then the door guard might open the gates. The castle gate and also the Kobolzeller gate had no watchmen, here had to take over the door guard even the job and convince itself with a look of the town wall that no danger threatened.
The annual salary of the watchmens was different. While the city hall watchmen (as onlyst with double occupying controlled) was paid with 125 pounds of heller for the first guard, the second guard received 80 pounds of heller, the salary of the remaining watchmen was quite far low. The watchman of the gallows-tower received 55 pounds of heller, while the watchman of the clearer's of land tower received even only 40 pounds of heller. Then once again lower the payment was for the watchman in the Klingen-tower. Though the watchmen received, in addition, another two *malter grain for her activity, however, also here was a gradation, because the guards in the city hall tower received here four Malter grain.
Before the town wall existed, one built the town gates first, to all at the head the castle gate. It is worth therefore also as the oldest one of the town gates. However, just this gate was never provided later with an awake team or a watchman. Simply was sure very much that here no danger existed and the gate was impregnable. Indeed, no appreciable attacks on the town also occurred here. Certainly the exposed situation with her steep slopes contributed here also to it which were cleared, moreover, also - to offer no protection to the opponent.
While looking the town gates strikes that the town gates were provided with a small gate or there where this was not possible with a small recess in the main gate, the so-called man's hole. This were precautions if once after fastenings of the town gates one more travellers wanted to have entree to the town. If this was once the case, came to an agreement the door guard with the tower guard that also no danger existed, only then the narrow admittance was opened. By the internal advice of the town was fixed that the arrival had to pay a certain sum of money - which was not low - for this service. Nevertheless, many travellers preferred to spend the night in the hospital before the town to escape therefore this high "night entry sum".
*malter = is an old german measure of capacity and can rich from 1,25–2,2 hectolitre
Ross Mill
Although the town had many mills, but which were largely outside the city gates. To be independent in any hostilities in this respect be built to the Ross Mill. A powerful capstan work, which was held by sixteen horses in motion, whipped up four grinders.
Barn
Right next to the horse mill was also still a major grain barn, which had the task to include the ground grain.
Wall
Military detention of a closed wall surrounding and equipped with numerous towers, the city was like a defiant fortress extended.
Spital Bastion
In the long history of Rothenburg, it is the bastion enemy attackers never managed to conquer and occupy.
Spital Bastion
Seven gates with event grids, a drawbridge, a powerful bastion with two kennels and a double-Wall, made this gate to an insurmountable bulwark.
Car at the bottom gun in the Spital-Bastion
The Spital-Bastion was the only bastion of defense agency, which could be accessed with guns. Otherwise, the guns were usually ascended from the walls of the moats.
600-year-old Toppler Castle
The small castle was built in 1388 by Mayor Heinrich Toppler castle so to speak, the summer home of the once-powerful mayor of the city of Rothenburg. The attentive viewer, there has hardly been noticed long ago, it must indeed be once been a water castle and so it is. The castle was not always surrounded by water, but a garden was created, but that could be flooded in case of need.
Living room in 600-year-old Toppler Castle
Cozy living room in Toppler Castle.
The Corner of Kummereck
Geographically forced Kummereck met here on the walls to each other at a right angle and that is what has always been a weakness in the defense case. Too easy you could just lean on the corner of a tower ladder and also could not smear the "blind spots" with the firearms. In the background the Ganser-tower should still win the big fateful importance for Rothenburg.
Underground passage on Kummereck
In an underground passage you could get from Kummereck down to the defensive wall on which they had positioned the heavy artillery. They wanted to relieve these guns, the weakness of the driven Kummerecks something.
The Ganser-Tower
Formerly also called the Powder Tower. As the name suggests, this was the gunpowder stored in the defense of the city and everything took its course to the disastrous defeat of the Rothenburger. After the Powder Tower was exploding - "Due to the neglect of a farmer" - as the Chronicle reported the city, we saw no more sense for a further defense and relief surrendered to the white flag.
Tower
The tower served formerly as a penal tower, so prison, however, only for smaller penal offences.
The mayor Heinrich Toppler
The economic boom was the highest town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, under the reign of Henry Toppler. chosen at a young age of 33 year mayor in 1373 - which was a novelty for the time - he led for 32 years, much to the benefit of the city's destiny. According to today's point of view could be called Toppler a player, gamers, speculators and adventurers. Although equipped with an impressive legacy of his father, these funds probably not enough to carry out its such a risky and reckless transactions. Through skillful marriage policy, he married the daughter of the richest merchant of the city Wernitzer Conrad. One can rightly assume that his bold financial transaction were covered mainly and largely from these sources of money. His means that he used to were often unscrupulous. He acquired most assets of persons who were in an acute economic emergency and took over this property for a ridiculous money, or in today's parlance for a nose water. Farm to farm, castle to castle, mill to mill he bought in the vicinity of the town of Rothenburg to acquire land from the period of poverty in rural nobility. He often helped out also that he drove people in a predicament such as the nobles Weiprecht Tanner. Heinrich Toppler was rich for those days as unimaginable and immeasurable. So he included about two hundred mills. So it happened that the town of Rothenburg then over time had a land outside of Rothenburg of nearly 400 sq km.
One wonders: How could it happen that such a deserving man like Henry Toppler that has brought the city of Rothenburg so as to reputation, wealth and fortune, was eventually thrown into prison. Well, this one must go back a little further. With Emperor Wenceslas in Prague Toppler joined a kind of male friendship. Very often, the Regent was in financial difficulties and just as often helped him Toppler from this money crunch. The monarch was regarded by the population as weak and soft and was then toppled from his throne. Toppler was then one of political intrigue and tried to heave the fallen emperor on the throne and to introhnisieren. The imperial troops succeeded in intercepting a courier Henry Topplers. Text and content to convey the message were so clear and unambiguous as well as the author. That same day, Heinrich Toppler captured and thrown into the dungeon. There he languished two months before he died there. An indictment against him was never charged.
Whether Toppler was tortured, it is historically mentioned nothing or deposited, it would be possible. From a historian we can read in the biography Heinrich Topplers that he has beenbeheaded. As serious one cannot probably look at these lines and, actually, these are only other speculations and explain the private opinion of the author. But not also nothing at all is historically provable in this regard. In another biographical elaboration one says that Toppler probably simply thirsty. It belonged with to the medieval cruel methods that also the form of a to die of thirst and the die of hunger was a method of torture. It is not wrong at all that one it was probably afraid to let lend a hand to this man by a sharp judge or torturer. One probably preferred rather the quiet, bloodless death by this kind compared with other hard mehtods. Although the town chronicle embarrassingly exactly in Rothenburg was led, for the aforesaid period of the imprisonment Heinrich Topplers the sides are absent!
During his tenure, Toppler had acquired not only friends but also made many enemies. So it happened that almost no advocate of found him. As part of a collective punishment and his two sons were arrested by Attorney, influential senators dismissed one of the sons out of prison, but with the requirement to leave - the city of Rothenburg within 48 hours, leaving all assets -. The sons moved Topplers still in the same night against Nuremberg, over their fate and their further fate is unknown.
All in all, an unresolved chapter of medieval jurisprudence!
Kobolzell gate from the driveway of view
Very steep is the driveway to Kobolzell gate. For any construction project is not necessarily ideal. Contrary to other arrangements of the gates of the tower here, is not directly over the gate. A ward is preceded it.
Imperial eagle and arms of Rothenburg
Clearly visible over the gate the arms of the town of Rothenburg is seen. In the center of the imperial eagle and the right and left, the emblem as a symbol of the Rothenburg city.Former Free Imperial City of Rothenburg ob der Tauber
Ward before the gate Kobollzell
The builder did not dare because of the steepness of the slope of the tower to ask about the city gate. It solved the problem by prefixed the tower a ward. The floor in the ward was fairly flat or even, presumably to give to the horse and buggy after the ascension a halt and some rest.
The Röder gate
The Röder gate has at first sight a resemblance to the castle gate. Here, too, left and right flanked a customs and guard house. The double wardl secures with a double moat, the bastion.
Röder Street
By passing through the lane we come to the Markus Campanile, which demarcated the oldest part of Rothenburg.
Röder Street with the Markus Campanile
The picture shows the Markus Tower, he was one of those fasteners that arose immediately after the survey to the city. Of course, in the course of the centuries changed image and form.
The Hege-Rider-House
A Hege-Rider dealt nothing with the horse riding. Absolutely he could also ride, but rather an activity was meant here as an estate manager.
What is a Hege-rider?
By Hege-rider one understood an administrative official who was asked to administer the extensive land ownership of the city of Rothenburg. The Hege-land originated in her first beginnings so possibly about 1420.
Primarily, the activity of the Hege-rider was the management of the goods. Of course the official could also ride and this also acted. Meanwhile the land ownership of the city of Rothenburg enclosed a surface of 397 sq. kms and 187 places, hamlet and courts. For the protection of this land ownership one established a 62-km-long military wall. To the military wall is accept that he was piled up in a 3-fold in parallel invested earth elevation and was about 20 m wide. In addition, this wall arrangement was planted in her external walls elevations still with impenetrable undergrowth. The wall invested in the middle, was the top level wall and served the Hege-rider as a bridle path. The wooded mountain range "Frankenhöhe" formed the eastern border and was mainly unfastened, one made use here of the natural geographical situation.
To the care and maintenance of the military wall the citizens were stopped in the single places. However, one can say that it was already a drudgery. Thus there were the also hard punishments for all those which did not follow to this drudgery. In an ministerally decree one also says: "who lashes out in the care or earth Digging away, the hand is chopped". A door guard supervised the maintenance work on the land care and was responsible for it. At last the game keeper was controlled again by care rider.
Several times during the day he rode on the established military wall, called also Hege-wall, the land just has come off too administering area. Overnight stays he, when necessary, in the land-towers. For this the land-towers served him - every now and then one sees these towers even today in villages, how in brook Grossharbach. All together there were 9 land towers. The land-towers which were built up for the security of the breakthroughs to the land were high buildings with a gate way through whose gates with a strong wooden bolt could be barricaded. From the land pileworks one had a wide view in the surroundings and incoming streets. While the land-tower served the Hege-rider exclusively as an overnight stay accommodation, the present watchman had other duties, it was - like in the case of the land tower brook Grossharbach - not only watchman, also at the same time forester and customs officer in a person. The remuneration of the watchmen took place in a kind of free flat, money, grain, firewood as well as usufruct of some properties.
All together there were six Hege-riders. The Hege-rider was always chosen for the duration of one year. While he got a company house put, nevertheless, he had to arise for the costs of his official horse himself. Same was also valid for his weapons. In addition, he still received a remuneration in the form of natural produce. This could be firewood or Malter in grain.
In case of a danger for the Hege-land, the watchman released a signal by a horn-rimmed push or gun salute. As a result all well-fortified men of the village hurried on the marketplace and were sent in her defensive duties. For this defence every halberds had, spits, storm-hat etc. The weapons came from the armament chamber of Rothenburg.
The Hege-land had unambiguously defensive character and one must say that the defensive arrangements were not strengthened very much and have hardly deterred potential attackers. In this respect one can only presume that the so regular Hege-land was laid out more to detain the attackers to strengthening from the town came. Hard load with prey, a baggage train could not search so fast the width.
In the extensive sense, one can see the same way a Hege-rider probably in such a way, like a beach knight on the island Gotland/Sweden, also here it concerned an administrative official who was active for the move of the duty fees for the administration.
Of course there were duty fees also in the care country. Especially hard Jews were loaded here. Here an epitome about duty fees about the year 1650.
Cattle sales:
Every heavy and precious horse: 3 Kreutzer
Every bad plough horse: 2 Kreutzer
Every one-year-old colt: 1 Kreutzer
Every two-year-old colt: 1 1/2 Kreutzer
Every cattle: 1 Kreutzer
Every ox: 2 Kreutzer
1 hundredweight of cheese, books, iron-true, lead, plums, fruit, animal skins, 1 bucket beer: 1 Kreutzer
For Jews:
a Jud on foot: 2 Kreutzer
if he carries or Trading: 4 Kreutzer
from durchreitenden: 4 Kreutzer
if he, besides, Trading: 8 Kreutzer
a dead Jud: 10 Kreutzer
Kreutzer = a old german coin. Because of the double sharp on the front of the coin she soon received the name Kreutzer.
Generally has to go every Jud of all things which he carries out or carries, double duty give.
Then at the end of the imperial freedom of the city of Rothenburg in 1802/03 the end of the Hege-land had also come. However, the rests to available being of the former Hege-land are also visible even today in the scenery.
The Smith-lane
The Smith-lane was a street with many patrician houses. Among other things, there was also the home of Mayor Henry Toppler.
Sign-board in the Smith-lane
Again and again the beautiful ornate figurehead Smith-lane fall in the eye.
The man's lane
The man's lane was the street of the patricians, just of lords of the city.
Meat and dance house
To far the 18-th century the Rothenburger butchers sold here her goods. In the upper floor it was danced.
Medieval Door Lock
Medieval lock in an aristocratic house. (While I photographed this castle, my landlady looked over my shoulder and told me that the castle was once broken and they can have it repaired. Next she said: "Ask me not what it has cost me .... .! It means "Shall we understand less and less still on the old technology and there are only very, very few professionals do so, and which can then pay accordingly.
Courtyard of a patrician house
Jewelry status symbol of the patricians were the beautiful courtyards of these houses. They had more purpose to create in the warm season, an additional living area to relax.
Atrium
The beautiful atrium of the house builders, home of the great architect Leonhard Weidmann you can dismiss it as the most beautiful courtyard of a patrician house in Rothenburg ob der Tauber.
Window basket on a town house
Ornate wrought iron window basket on a patrician family home Staudt. In the Renaissance, such forgings produced very often for windows, which lay on the ground floor.
Patrician image in the Baumeister-House
Something like it could have been, perhaps, be: Leonhard Weidmann at a stone mason work.
Another picture in the Baumeister-House
Leonhard Weidmann was for the city Rothenburg a great builder and very regarded .
Patrician image in the Baumeister-House
A further beautiful mural from the former house of the large building master Leonard Waidmann.
Patrician image in the Baumeister-House
Even today inscriptions testify about the visit by emperors and kings in these houses, but also images of the various noble families that once lived in the house.
Old Monastery Kitchen
The kitchen shown here is the oldest monastery kitchen in Germany. However, it was cooked not only for the inmates of the monastery, but also for the poor and destitute. The dishes were then lowered each time by the window to the needy.
Dishes in the monastery kitchen
It's amazing how cooked in this relatively small kitchen for a variety of humans.
Wall niche in the monastery kitchen
Here in the convent kitchen of the closet was directly embedded into the wall. This created space in the narrow kitchen .
Medieval historian
How well has looked so an official of the upper Council, we can illustrate the Museum "History Vault" shows.
The sharp judge
For the first time the sharp judge was mentioned in the year 1276 in the town Augsburg. The occupation counted to the so-called "dishonest occupations". Social contacts did not exist for a sharp judge tically not at all. Nobody wanted to deal something with him and one avoided his society. The population often not even knew where he lived. This was most on the edge of the town wall or how in many cases also beyond the town. Thus one does not know till this day exactly where, actually, the sharp judge of the city of Rothenburg lived. Surmises pass that it has been the hangman's tower, but is not historical this underpinned. Nevertheless, it happened that often citizens visited the sharp judge to make use of his anatomical and medical knowledge. The sharp judge had medical knowledge which other people did not own, bone had to break, joints dislocate - this could also straighten again - and owned internal organs of executed. There was anyway in this time the superstition that these organs - because they had not went out from the inside out - but from the outside and by force were robbed, a special healing power would own. If once a visit of a citizen took place with the hangman, he did not want to be seen of course in his visit, therefore, these visits mostly happened at night and darkness.
The sharp judge, another name gave it still with the word Hangman, was able to do on account of his social proscription only very hard a woman for life to find. Though he had to marry the right a sentenced to death woman, then it was spared again by the death, but often it seemed that a convicted rather accepted the death, than to enter into the matrimony with the sharp judge. Hence, marriages took place primarily almost only together in the families and members to other sharp judges. Whole sharp judge's dynasties have originated so. The occupation of the sharp judge was predetermined not only to the male gender. Thus there was sign (French revolution) that also women exercised this terrible craft. This took effect in particular when it concerned a conviction of a women's murderer.
The children of a sharp judge also found out the same social proscription, because the flaw of the "dishonest" was also transferred in triebes on the descendants of other hangmens. Because they were children of a man with a "dishonest" professional group, learning a craft remained to them refused. In this respect it seemed that many sons took up later once the same profession of her father and also became sharp judges or exercised the activity of a knacker, however, this professional group was not outlawed less as the occupation of the hangman.
Door to the dungeon
Were they even come in conflict with the authorities and the door to the prison opened, it could only be taken one nor bad.
Torture Chamber
He had been there so his means of torture tools and devices to torture the prisoners and torture. The torturers knew their gruesome trade.
Medieval stretching rack
Downright cruel and notorious was the rack. Using a winch was given to the delinquents "train". In order to withdraw the body from the ground could not, heavy stone weights were chained to the feet.
Prison door to a medieval dungeon
Only very rarely opened again, the prison doors to freedom for prisoners, usually all ended with his death. Heinrich Toppler who earned the Mayor of Rothenburg two months before he languished here - without charge and trial - then died. Whether Henry Toppler was tortured, is not known, but it is already possible. The city chronicle was in Rothenburg led extremely fussy, but just for that period said the pages are missing!
Medieval torture
They had to bring his instruments of torture for any purpose to someone to talk or just to torment him.
The oldest house in the town Rothenburg o. d. T.
The craftsman house is the oldest house in Rothenburg. It dates the house to the year 1270th Today it houses a craft museum.
Old cobbler workshop
As much as we need skilled craftsmen and also was delivered, was not this very prestigious profession. Had a craftsman once the "wrath of the high gods" - the set councilors - drawn, it could mean the ruin and impoverishment for him and his entire family.
Middle Age/Tradional costumes/Garments
Twice per year (in Pentecost and the imperial city days) lives in the city of Rothenburg o. d. T. again the Middle Ages on. Jung and Old are wrapped on the legs and mainly in medieval garments. In custom one wants to remain so near as possible in the events at that time and the customs and uses also revive again. If carrying of medieval weapons belongs to it then also like halberds, lances and swords.
One has discovered medieval national costumes and garments in the history virtually not in a physical continuance. One single finding - the Boksten-Coat in Gotland - is known. Still one can understand on the basis of paintings, reliefs and representations very well the medieval national costumes.
Material knowledge
Mostly were the materials from wool, linen, hemp or flax. Then only much later silk, brocade and velvet came and this even for the prosperous circles. Just it was with fur. One tried by all kinds of mixed fabric to bring in variations to the material choice. This could thereby happen, while one interweaved wool with linen or hemp with flax. There were textile colours in the Middle Ages virtually none.
The Colors
The colours were mostly of the material own colour, possibly knows to straw-yellow for linen, while the woollens were mostly held in darker colours. Indeed, there were colorings, however, they were very expensive and nearly prohibitive, so that it itself only more high and richly state circles could perform. As especially expensive during the production counted the colours Blue and Red. However, there were attempts over and over again to produce colours with parts of plant materials or Earth-coloured.
Decorations
Here were the possibilities what concerns to boards and tapes very slightly. Rather one laid weight on the brooches, braces and lacings. However, there also was already the form of the buttons. Then mostly these were produced of horn or wood. Of course there also was already the trend too all kinds of stylish useless rubbish. With the looms at that time one could weave only approx. 65-cm width. Then in this respect it was used also to every spots in material, because, in addition, woollen and linen was very expensive. Every now and then one could already recognise in "patch work" of the singles to which state he belonged, because the more high circle preferred to process whole roads. Almost a must, was the headgear. A person without headgear in the Middle Ages counted practically badly and not completely drawn. A scarf hood was carried by men as well as women, during bonnets mostly to the women leave were on what it, however, also men of an easy state carried this clothing. Hats were carried by women as well as by men.
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Weapons of the peasants
A bloody chapter was the Peasants' War, the town of Rotenburg was not spared.
Peasants weapon
An inferior weaponry far the armies, the peasants were fighting a losing battle. Only in the marsh areas in which they withdrew often, they were equal of their opponents. On the open plain, but they could not oppose to the well-armed armies.
Old smiths
Till the 60 years still horses were covered here, today there rests the smith's company.
Nice bay windows
Marvellous half-timbered house with a bay window.
House gable
Very often sees in the houses of the town in the gable stand out beams with a rope role. This is due still from a medieval regulation of the councillors which means: every household had to provide for bigger stocks of food, so that with a siege of the town, sufficient provisions existed.
Klingen-lane with Klingentower in the background
The Klingen-lane in a slightly sloping street is leading directly to the form Klingen gate and simultaneously to shepherd the church.
St. Wolfgang-church or shepherd named
The late Gothic church of St. Wolfgang, also known as Shepherd Church, was in the years 1475 - 1493 by a shepherd Brotherhood for their patron saint to St. Wolfgang built. When the building is a fortified church.
Shepherd Cabinet
Noteworthy in this medieval fortified church is that the building still shows up in his unique and original form. The building is a mounted shepherd the Cabinet. .
Bad luck mask
Often one sees about the town gates a thing similar to mask, it is a bad luck mask. From here one often poured on any attackers on the gates all kinds of refuse. The composition of this refuse could often be oil, sulphur, resin and soot. The picture shows the bad luck mask in the Saint Wolfgang-church.
Casemates in the church of St. Wolfgang
In conjunction with the blade and tower together with their underground casemates, the church was fully involved in the defenses of the city.
Town hall in Rothenburg o. d. Tauber
As a large and powerful building dominates the town hall square. The proud building conveys clearly the wealth of the once small but economically well-off city.
Medieval main entrance
The main entrance in the city hall counts as one of the nicest medieval main entrance in the whole German space.
