# Walk along the Town Wall and the Tower Trail

About 4 km of wall with a covered wall walk and more than forty towers around the old town; walked free at any time in about 2 h 30.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/germany/bavaria/rothenburg-ob-der-tauber/things-to-do/town-wall-walk · Revisado: 2026-11-11

Dónde: Rothenburg ob der Tauber

### What it is

Rothenburg's town wall surrounds the old town for about 4 km, with six main gates, several small gates for pedestrians and more than forty towers. It grew in stages: the first enclosure measured about 1,400 m; with the extension of 1204 it reached about 2,400 m, and with the inclusion of the Hospital quarter, at the beginning of the fourteenth century, about 3,360 m. The last work, the Spitaltor bastion, was finished in 1537.

For much of it you walk along the top, on the covered wall walk, between timber beams, with the red roofs on one side and the countryside on the other. You can walk it at any time and it is free. Along the way you will see stones with names and cities engraved: they are the donors who helped to rebuild the wall after the bombing of 31 March 1945, many of them American. The town still accepts donations with an engraved stone.

### The tower trail

The Rothenburger Turmweg is the signposted route that follows the wall. It has panels at each tower and gate, and where the wall walk is interrupted, it continues along the street. The town estimates about 2 hours 30 minutes for the full route. The Turmweg leaflet, in German and English, is available from the tourist office at Marktplatz 2.

### The towers you can climb

Röderturm: 103 steps to the tower room, with an exhibition on the intermediate floors. Open from 11:00 to 14:00 at weekends and public holidays in April, May, September and October, and daily from June to August; in winter, depending on the weather (call ahead on +49 9861 9760636). When it is open, flags hang from the window. It costs €3 and €1.50 up to age 18, cash only.

Town Hall tower: 220 steps above the Marktplatz, the highest view of the old town.

### How to get there and park

By car, leave the car in the large car parks outside the wall (P1 to P5), signposted; in the core of the old town you cannot drive from 19:00 to 6:00, though you can reach hotels and businesses by car at any time. From any car park you enter through one of the gates, and from there climb to the wall walk.

### When to go

All year. Early in the morning and in the late afternoon there are fewer people and the light comes in between the beams. In December, with the Reiterlesmarkt, the centre fills up: the wall walk is a good way to see it from above. In rain the covered wall walk protects you; in ice, be careful on the stairs up.

### With children and pushchairs

Children like it a lot: they go along the top, peeping through the arrow slits. Keep an eye on small ones at the gaps. You cannot take a pushchair onto the wall walk, which has stairs and uneven ground; the Turmweg can also be followed outside, at street level.

## Paso a paso

### Start · Röderturm
The town suggests starting at the Röder tower, in the east. In season you can climb it: 103 steps and an exhibition on the defences.

### Towards the north · Würzburger Tor
Along the wall walk you pass the Würzburger Tor (or Galgentor) and reach the Kummereck and the Schrannenplatz.

### Wolfgangskirche and Burgtor
St Wolfgang's Church forms part of the wall and holds the casemates. Continue past the Strafturm and the RothenburgMuseum to the Burgtor.

### Break · Burggarten
A shaded garden with viewpoints over the Tauber valley.

### Finish · Plönlein and Spitaltor
Down Burggasse you reach the Plönlein and the Kobolzeller Tor, enter the Hospital quarter and finish at the Spitaltor bastion, from 1537.

## Qué llevar

- Comfortable shoes: there are stairs and uneven ground

- Coins for the Röderturm: cash only

- Water

## Consejos

### Ask for the Turmweg leaflet
It explains each tower and gate along the way; they give it to you at the tourist office on the Marktplatz.

### Go early
Early in the morning the wall walk is almost empty and the light is good.

### Look for the donors' stones
They are along the wall walk: names from all over the world who paid for the reconstruction.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does it cost to climb the wall?
Nothing. The wall walk is free to enter at any time. You only pay for the towers you climb, such as the Röderturm (€3).

### How long does it take to walk?
The town estimates about 2 hours 30 minutes for the full Turmweg, along about 4 km of wall.

### Can you walk the whole thing along the top?
Not all of it: there are sections where the path drops to the street. The Turmweg links them.