Back Roads Germany (Dk Eyewitness Travel Back Roads)

195

Center left Stunning Marienaltar with

Mary as the central figure, Crelingen

Below Pretty rural landscape, Creglingen

3 Bad Mergentheim
Baden-Württemberg; 97980
Lying in a charming spot on
the Tauber river, Bad Mergentheim
was home to the Teutonic Knights
from 1527 to 1809. First built in
the 12th–13th centuries, the
Deutschordensschloss dominates
this leafy little spa town. The castle
houses a museum (closed Mon) with
staterooms and dis plays relating to

the Knight’s history. Just south of the
town, Pfarrkirche (closed Mon), the
parish church at Stuppach, con tains
a masterpiece, the Stuppacher
Madonna (1519), by German
Renaissance pain ter Matthias
Grünewald. Around 1 mile (2 km)
from the town is the Wildpark Bad
Mergentheim (07931 413 44; http://www.
geopark-ries.de), which is spread over
86 acres (35 ha), and features more
than 75 species in a natural setting.
ª Head east along the B19/
Igersheimer Strasse. From Igersheim,

turn right. Follow signs to Weikersheim.

4 Weikersheim
Baden-Württemberg; 97990
Weikersheim’s neat central square
acts as a picturesque frame for
Schloss Weikersheim (open daily),
transformed in the 16th century,
on the orders of Count Wolfgang II
of Hohenlohe, into one of Germany’s
most beautiful Renaissance palaces.
The highlight of the interior is

the Rittersaal, or knight’s hall, a
vast banqueting hall with a magni fi-
cent fireplace and painted ceiling.
The Baroque palace garden,
Schlossgarten, is graced by many
fountains and more than 50 statues.

DRIVE 18: The Northern Romantic Road

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

The Teutonic Knights

Formed at the end of the 12th

century to protect pilgrims in the

Holy Land, the Order of the Teutonic

Knights of St. Mary’s Hospital in

Jerusalem turned its attention to

Europe after the Crusades. In the

13th century, it took Christianity and

the German language to the Baltic,

creating the German colony of East

Prussia. After the Order’s Grand

Master, Albert of Brandenburg, con-

verted to Lutheranism in 1525, its

seat moved from Königsberg to Bad

Mergentheim. The Order’s distin ctive

black cross has become famous

as the model for the Iron Cross,

Germany’s decoration for gallantry.

EAT AND DRINK

WÜRZBURG

Ratskeller moderate

The menu at this lovely, atmospheric

restaurant is a mix of steaks, salads, and

hearty regional fare, such as liver dump-

ling soup or Franconian bratwurst, all

accompanied by delicious local wines.

Langgasse 1, 97070; 0931 130 21;

http://www.wuerzburger-ratskeller.de

TAUBERBISCHOFSHEIM

Badischer Hof moderate

Regional cooking using seasonal

ingredients typifies the menu at the

Badischer Hof, where dishes such as

pork steak in burgundy sauce with

homemade Spätzle (Swabian noodles)

or marinated venison with cranberry,

potato dumpling and red cabbage are

accompanied by wines from the

surrounding district.

Sonnenplatz, 97941; 09341 98 80;

http://www.hotelbadischerhof.de; closed Fri

WEIKERSHEIM

Restaurant im Gewölbe expensive

A stone-vaulted cellar is the setting for

Jürgen Koch’s gourmet cooking, which

fuses international sophisti cation with

regional ingredients in dishes such as

pike-perch with crisp bacon, verjuice,

red wine reduction, and potato

Maultaschen (Swabian ravioli).

Marktplatz 5, 97990; 07934 910 80;

http://www.hotel-laurentius.de; closed Mon

5 Creglingen

Baden-Württemberg; 97993

Upstream from Weikersheim, on the

Bavarian border, is the small town of

Creglingen. Just south of its half-

tim bered center is the Herrgottskirche

(closed Jan). This unassuming pilgrim-

age church shelters a masterpiece by

sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider.

Carved sometime between 1493

and 1510, the Marienaltar was so

aligned that the central figure of Mary

is illumi nated through the chapel’s

rose window on the Feast of the

Assumption on August 25.

ª Return to Creglingen, turning right

on to the Romantische Strasse

towards Rothenburg ob der Tauber.

ª Continue along the Tauber Valley.

Follow signs to Rottingen taking the

same road to Bieberehren, then drive

south to Creglingen. Herrgottskirche is

south of the junction with Rothenburger

Strasse; there is parking on the side

of the road.

HIKING NEAR THE

ROMANTISCHE STRASSE

A long-distance hiking trail runs parallel

to the Romantic Road, threading

through meadows and forests. Visitors

can contact the nearest local tourist

office (www.romantischestrasse.de)

for more information.