See Pretty Half-Timbered and Baroque Towns in the Tauber Valley

Tauberbischofsheim and Lauda-Königshofen are two small but pretty towns in the Tauber Valley in Germany with half-timbered houses as well as some Baroque façades.

photo credit: iLoveButter

Around 735, St Boniface founded a nunnery in Tauberbischofsheim that became important enough to warrant imperial visits in the early years of the Holy Roman Empire. Early in the 13th century, Tauberbischofsheim became part of the Archbishopric of Mainz. Following secularization, it briefly fell to the House of Leiningen before becoming part of the Archduchy of Baden and eventually the federal state of Baden-Württemberg.

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The Romantic Road in the Lovely Sweet Tauber Valley Region

Part of Germany’s Romantic Road runs through the Tauber Valley and includes stops at Tauberbischofsheim, Lauda-Königshofen, Bad Mergentheim, Stuppach, Weikersheim, Röttingen, and Creglingen.

photo credit: *kaetzchen

Liebliches Taubertal (Sweet Tauber Valley) is mostly the area between Wertheim on the Main and Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This area includes the first 100 km/60 miles of Germany’s famous Romantic Road, which starts in Würzburg and joins the Tauber River at Tauberbischofsheim.

Most of this region is in the German federal state Baden-Württemberg and not in Bavaria because of political boundaries drawn at the Congress of Vienna (1814). However, the Tauber Valley’s history and culture are closely associated with Bavarian Franken.

Most towns in the Tauber Valley area are small with the romantic townscape often the main attraction. Famous sights include the Deutschordenschloss and Mattias Grünewald’s Suppacher Madonna in Bad Mergentheim, the Renaissance Hohenlohenschloss in Weikersheim, and the Tilman Riemenschneider altar in the Herrgottkirche in Creglingen.

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Spa, Teutonic Order Castle & Stuppacher Madonna in the Tauber Valley

Bad Mergentheim in the Taubertal, Germany is famous for its spa, the Teutonic Order (Deutschorden) Castle and Museum, and the Stuppacher Madonna by Matthias Grünewald.

Photo: PetrusSilesius / Wikimedia Commons

Bad Mergentheim in Germany is a prosperous town of close to 23,000 inhabitants. For tourists, it has a dual role as spa resort on the right bank of the Tauber and the historical center on the left bank.

During the 13th century, the counts of Hohenlohe gave much of Mergentheim to the newly established Teutonic Order. (The Dominicans and Order of St John also had a presence in town.) It was only in 1525 that the order really took control of the town when they established their new head quarters here. The wealthy order was responsible for most of the historical sights in town.

After the forced disbandment of the Teutonic Order in 1809, Mergentheim seemed destined to follow the route of so many others in the region into gentle decline. However, in 1826, the chance discovery of Europe’s strongest sodium sulfate and bitter-water springs in the town saw “Bad” (Spa) added to the town name and enduring prosperity assured. »»»Continue reading…

Visit the Teutonic Order Castle in the Tauber Valley, Germany

The Teutonic Order had its head offices in the Deutschordenschloss in Bad Mergentheim in the Tauber Valley in Germany from 1525 to 1809.

Deutschordenschloss in Bad Mergentheim (Photo: Schorle / Wikimedia Commons)

The main sight in Bad Mergentheim is the Deutschordenschloss (Teutonic Order Castle), which dominates the eastern part of the old town. The original 12th-century moated castle was extended in the 16th century to serve as head quarters of the Teutonic Order from 1525 until the forced abolition of the order in 1809.

The Rococo Schlosskirche (Castle Church) of the Teutonic Order was erected between 1730 and 1735 with some assistance by Balthasar Neumann, who designed the towers, and Francois Cuvilliés, who designed the stuccowork.

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See the Renaissance Castle, Baroque Palaces, Medieval Walls & Watchtowers

Weikersheim is famous for its Renaissance Schloss, Baroque structures, and the Goethe connection. Röttingen has medieval town walls and watchtowers.

photo credit: jorbasa

Weikersheim was first mentioned in 837 when the area was given to the abbot of Fulda. During the 12th century, it came under the control of the counts of Hohenlohe, who would rule until the family died out in 1756. It became part of Württemberg in 1806.

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See the Herrgottskirche, Fingerhutmuseum (Thimble Museum) & Lindleinturm

Creglingen in Germany’s Tauber Valley is famous for its Tilman Riemenschneider Marienaltar in the Herrgottskirche, the Fingerhutmuseum (Thimble Museum) and the odd Lindleinturm.

photo credit: iLoveButter

Tilman Riemenscheider’s famous Virgin Mary altar in Creglingen is world famous and the main region to visit this small Tauber Valley town. The small Thimble Museum with a large collection may the only of its kind in the world. The Lindleimturm is an offbeat sights in Creglingen and a must for lovers of the odd and bizarre.

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Taubertal Festivals, Concerts, Hiking, Cycling, Boating & Spas

Germany’s Tauber Valley has outdoor activities including hiking, cycling, and boating balanced by cultural events, concerts, festivals, and Bad Mergentheim’s spas.

photo credit: iLoveButter

The Tauber Valley is popular with hikers and cyclist while much of the Tauber River can also be used for canoeing in and kayaking. Cultural events are frequently arranged with several towns hosting cultural festivals in summer. The spa facilities in Bad Mergentheim offers more relaxing options.

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Where to Stay & Eat in Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim, and Lauda-Königshofen

Hotels and restaurants in Tauber Valley towns Bad Mergentheim, Weikersheim, and Lauda-Königshofen offer great value compared to nearby popular Romantic Road town Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

photo credit: iLoveButter

Fewer tourists spent the night in towns in this region and as a result cheap deals are often available in family-owned hotels.

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The Bavarian Altmühl Lake & Great Fossils and Lithography Museum

Gunzenhausen in Bavaria has an excellent Fossils and Lithography Museum while the nearby Altmühlsee (Lake) is popular with nature and water sports lovers.

Franconia / Wikimedia Commons

The main attraction of Gunzenhausen is its excellent fossils and lithography museum, one of the best of its kind in Germany. The Altmühltal is famous for fossils and the local museum in Gunzenhausen has an excellent collection.

Although Gunzenhausen once had a Roman fort and sports a written history going back to 823, the town itself is less interesting than its population of 17,000 would suggest. From the 14th century, Gunzenhausen belonged to the burgraves of Nürnberg (Nuremberg), who gave it some Baroque buildings, but nothing that compares with the Baroque splendor of nearby Ansbach or Eichstätt.

However, it is worth stopping in Gunzenhausen for the museums. A further draw for tourists is the nearby Altmühl Lake. The completion of the Altmühlsee (Altmühl Lake) in the 1980s gave Gunzenhaseun a growth spurt, as it became a popular starting point for water sport on the lake and in the valley.

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Visit a Romantic Small, Wall-Enclosed Town in Bavaria

Bavarian Wolframs-Eschenbach is a romantic small Bavarian town completely encircled by its town wall. Troubadour Wolfram von Eschenbach, writer of Parsifal, lived here.

© Die Burgenstraße

The Bavarian town Wolframs-Eschenbach is mostly visited to see its old town walls and to visit sights associated with German medieval troubadour Wolfram von Eschenbach, who lived here from 1170 to 1220. In 1917, to honor him, “Wolframs” was added to the town name by royal decree.

Eschenbach’s history goes back to the mid-8th century but its golden age was the late Middle Ages when Eschenbach was half the size of Ansbach but twice the size of nearby Gunzenhausen. Its history was determined for six centuries by the Teutonic Order, which controlled the town up to the late 18th century.

Wolframs-Eschenbach is a lovely small town of less than 3,000. The old town is fully encircled by its original defensive wall and worth the slight detour from the Altmühl Valley. Wolframs-Eschenbach, 20 km/12 miles south of Ansbach and 10 km/6 miles north of Gunzenhausen, is best reached by private transportation.

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