Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany Jul. 17, 2024

Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria, Germany

The word you"re looking for is "fairy tale." Welcome to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, or "Red Fortress above the Tauber River," where medieval charm is around every cobbled corner. With origins as a self-ruling city, in the Middle Ages, this walled Bavarian town once flourished with 6,000 inhabitants, making it the Holy Roman Empire"s second-largest city at the time. The growth of Rothenburg ob der Tauber slowed in the 17th century, preserving its original character. Pictured here is Burgtor or the castle gate, which was built after the original Rothenburg Castle was destroyed by an earthquake in 1356.

© kanuman/Getty Images

palette

Today in History

A time-worn medieval marvel
Ride the wave
Jul. 17, 2025Lavender fields in Plateau de Valensole, France
Jul 17, 2026Agriculture in Saskatchewan

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Aug. 8, 2025The Three Musketeers Falls at Iguazú Falls, Argentina
Feb. 9, 2025Alstrom Point, Lake Powell, Utah, United States
Standing on glass 275+ metres in the air
Who’s snoozing?
Jul 3, 2026Fireflies glowing above a stream, Okayama Prefecture, Japan
Oct. 11, 2024Celtic Colours International Festival
Mar. 13, 2025Holi celebration in Jaipur, India
May 2, 2024Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve, Idaho, USA
Oct. 7, 2024World Architecture Day
Oct. 30, 2025Pushkar Camel Fair
Aug. 16, 2025World Honey Bee Day
Jan. 31, 2026International Zebra Day
Jun 10, 2026Hnausapollur crater lake, Fjallabak Nature Reserve, Iceland
Oct. 27, 2024Polar Bear Week
Bungle beehives
Sep 27, 2026Decorator crab on a sea pen, Komodo National Park, Indonesia
Among the cedar and spruce
Oct 15, 2026Market Square from the Witches Bridge, Wroclaw, Poland
Mar. 14, 2026Celebrating Pi Day
Nov. 11, 2024Banff National Park, Alberta
Jan. 15, 2025Lake Superior, Thunder Bay, Ontario
Nov. 6, 2025Celebrating Yi Peng
Sep. 14, 2023Przewalskis horses, Hustai National Park, Mongolia
Nov. 25, 2024Maasai giraffes in Amboseli National Park, Kenya
Feb. 13, 2026Third Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge connecting Laos and Thailand
Jan. 15, 2024Northern Lights
Jun. 12, 2024Big Bend National Park, Texas, USA
An iridescent view
We can all just get along
The sea pool of Penzance