Experience culture

Considering its size of about just 11,000 residents, Rothenburg ob der Tauber features an impressive variety of cultural offers. Classical concerts at Reichsstadthalle or on the Marktplatz, the concert venue KunstKulturKorn, the congress center at the Wildbad, the open-air theater at the RothenburgMuseum (Toppler Theater) in summer, the special exhibitions at the city’s museums or the Taubertal Festival in August – Rothenburg has much to offer. There are also annual highlights like the History Festivals on Whitsun (Meistertrunk) and in September (Imperial City Festival) as well as the Wine Festival and the Fairy Tale Enchantment event. The regular annual themes, such as the current “Picturesque – Rothenburg as Landscape Gardens”, provide the motif for special tours, exhibitions and concerts.

The Medieval old city of Rothenburg ob der Tauber is considered a special gem for painters and other artists. Around the turn of the 19th century, romantic painters from the United States, England and Germany put the city into perspective. In works by Arthur Wasse, Elias Bancroft and others, Rothenburg appears timeless. Their paintings can be seen at the RothenburgMuseum and in a special tour of “Picturesque Rothenburg”. Regina Däschner, Jutta Rohn and Antonia Nakamura exhibit large-format copies of the motifs at the original locations in the city, provide background information and show the changes. The special tour “Picturesque Rothenburg” is part of the culturally themed years “Picturesque – Rothenburg as Landscape Gardens”, which focus on the city’s painterly side. Not only painters but also architects from the United Kingdom discovered the special architectural details in Rothenburg. Barry Parker and Raymond Unwin picked up on these in the planning of London’s famous garden city, the Hampstead Garden Suburb. That’s why “Rothenburg in London” is one of the special exhibits at the RothenburgMuseum, which is focusing on the theme from 2020 to 2021.

KunstKulturKorn offers an annual music and cabaret program in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Be sure to visit not only the event hall but also check the program of the Wildbad, which offers free concerts during your cafe visits on Sunday afternoons. The Wildbad is also the event venue for the Sundowner electronic festival by Grenzkunst e.V. With Eulenflug and Klangtal, the association offers two more events for friends of electronic music. Those who like authentic rock are welcome to join the 20,000 guests drawn to the Taubertal Festival each year, which is held on the Eiswiese below the old city. This festival doesn’t just present top acts in national and international rock’n’roll, it also stands out with its informal atmosphere and view of the old city. The Kneipenfestival is held on a smaller scale in and around Rothenburg’s old city.

The Meisterkonzert in December (every two years) and the New Year’s Concert are among the cultural and social highlights in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. The Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra and Ansbacher Chamber Orchestra perform with renowned soloists at the Reichsstadthalle in Spital quarter. In summer, you can relax and enjoy concerts of Fränkischer Sommer in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. In addition to the Reichsstadthalle, Wildbad and Kaisersaal are fine concert venues. The Ambassadors of Music perform their series outdoors in the summer. The groups of high-school musicians from the United States come to the Marktplatz and churches in the city to offer free concerts. A variety of music events takes place all year in Rothenburg’s churches. You can find the church music program on flyers at the Rothenburg Tourism Service.

Every summer, the Toppler Theater presents two in-house productions (in German language) and numerous guest performances. The open-air stage at the old town wall hosts delightful entertainment in a wonderful setting. Recent years focused on relaxing musical works to enjoy on pleasant summer evenings. You can also experience theater at Städtischer Musiksaal (German language only), where the neighbors from the Dinkelsbühler Landestheater regularly appear with their plays – you’ll be sure to find high-quality entertainment with a diverse program.