The city wall of Dinkelsbühl is one of three well-preserved medieval city fortification walls in…read morethe area that encircle the entire old towns; incidentally, other two towns are Nördlingen and Rothenburg o. d. Tauber. It's always so much fun to walk around these medieval towns imagining how the life might have been lived within these walls. A circular hiking trail (about 2.6 km) leads around the entire medieval city wall of Dinkelsbühl, mostly right along the wall. The western part of the fortification is particularly impressive. Due to the hillside location, the double wall built on the deep moat has a staggered height. We have King Ludwig I of Bavaria to thank for our pleasures of walking on the entire city wall around this fantastic medieval town since he placed the wall under his protection and prohibited for demolition in 1826. It's a must stop when you are visiting this area. There is a free parking lot available outside the city wall at every town gate for your convenience. To this day, all road traffic in and out of the city only goes through the four medieval city gates. Of course, you always have to watch out for oncoming traffic. This is probably one of the reasons why large parking lots were built for visitors and tourists in front of each gate. This is very practical, especially since you can park right in front of the first attractions you see as you enter the old town. The Segringertor already existed in 1384. During renovations in the 17th century, the gate tower was given its current baroque dome. There is a small, at first glance somewhat inconspicuous, Chapel of the Three Kings built in 1378 near the gate tower. Today the church houses a memorial for the victims of the Nazi regime. The Rothenburgertor was built around 1390 and has its original appearance to this day, which is why this gate can only be passed in one direction by car. The Wörnitztor with humpback blocks from the Staufer period is the oldest of the four city gates. The tower was raised at the end of the 14th century. The renaissance gable with bell tower dates from the 16th century. On the outside, as on all four city gates, there is the coat of arms of the imperial city of Dinkelsbühl - three golden ears of dinkel (wheat) on three hills. In addition, the imperial eagle is shown as a symbol of imperial involvement. The Nördlingertor (around 1400) is adorned with a stepped gable with half-shells (16th century). This town appears to be a lot less commercialized (it almost seems the town keeps it that way to discourage herd of tourists pouring in to this town) especially compared to Rothenburg. You will enjoy quietness of this town as you wander in and out of the city wall. If you had one to one and half hour of your time, you can enjoy a very leisurely stroll around this town.

The Wörnitztor is the eastern city gate tower of Dinkelsbühl. The Wörnitztor with its humpback…read moresquares from the Staufer period (partly plastered, with a gable roof and pointed arch gate, flanking wall parts with passages and former gate kennel) is the oldest of the four city gate towers built around 1230. At the end of the 14th century, the tower was raised. The renaissance gable with bell tower dates from the 16th century. On the outside, as on all four city gates, is the coat of arms of the imperial city of Dinkelsbühl - three golden ears of spelt on three hills. The imperial eagle is also shown as a symbol of imperial immediacy (a status enjoyed by natural and legal persons and corporations that were not subject to the territorial sovereignty of another ruler in the Holy Roman Empire. This unique legal status in a European context took the form of immediate subordination to the emperor and empire, in contrast to belonging to a particular territory). It's definitely a very good looking tower--especially with the pinkish (or sometimes orangish depending on the lighting)-color plaster.

The city walls in Dinkelsbuhl are some of the most complete Medieval walls in all of Germany. These…read morewell-maintained, ivy covered walls reinforce the Medieval, fairy-tale atmosphere of Dinkelsbuhl. Stopping here was somewhat of a last minute decision, but it was by far one of our favorite stops in all of Germany! Quiet, quaint, and covered in original buildings, it is everything I wanted from Germany.

Rothenburgertor, one of the four City Gate Towers in Nördlingen, was built around 1390. It is the…read moreNorthern city gate, five-story, partially un-plastered, with ashlar gate built in 1372, with a late 16th-century gable, front gate with diagonally placed corner core and hipped roof, the city side has the stepped gable decorated with pilaster strips. The pitch holes in the gateway and the porch, a so-called barbican (a fortified outpost or gate, like an outer defense to a city or castle, or any tower that overlooks a gate or bridge that was used for defensive purposes), with its oriels testify to the defensive strength of Dinkelsbühl. On the second floor there are former prison rooms and a torture chamber. The exhibition is on the persecution of witches in Dinkelsbühl, which was previously housed in the barbican, can now be viewed after the redesign in the "House of Dinkelsbühl History - Of War and Peace." A lot of history is in this city gate tower.