Dinkelsbühl

On our way back home from Austria, we made a stop in Dinkelsbühl. From the Wohnmobillstellplatz we could already see the impressive 14th century built Nördlinger Tor inviting us to jump into the completely walled old city center to explore the city. Kurt Hielscher published five photos from here, so I could eat my heart out, and I did. Dinkelsbühl indeed is a lovely walkable town inhabited by nearly 12 thousand souls.

The Stadtmühle, here on the right, today houses the 3D museum and when you pass by you'll be stared at by a blue dragon. Though for sure it stands still, it will keep an eye on you no matter what way you'll go. I felt completely fooled, since you can not check how it works from a distance and a fence in between. During a fire in 1923 the Stadtmühle got severely damaged so the construction of the roof was renewed later, so that might have been after Kurt Hielscher visited Dinkelsühl. I know he published his photo for the first time in a book in 1924, but it could have been the case that he made photo earlier. 

Me (and one of my kids on a bench) in front of the Löwenbrunnen and the colourful and impressive Wörnitztor where Kurt Hielscher made another photo, but I will share that one later. On this square, the Altrathausplatz, one can also find the Tourist Information with the prison and torture chambers in cellars for witches below it. 

View on Dinkelsbühl from near the Kapuzinerkirche.

Löwenbrunnen and the colourful and impressive Wörnitztor. 

Strolling around Dinkelsbühl

The Rothenburger Tor, the northernmost tower, situated at the edge of the city center in the midst of the Dr.-Martin-Luther-Straße that feels like a bridge, but the water of the "Rothenburger Weiher" is only on one side, dates back to 1390 AD. As we came in from the south, we left the old city center through the gate under the tower, and then, when you look back from the park to the city, you realize how many beauty there is hidden behind these city walls. The view from here, though there is a lot of backlight, is stunning anyway.

At the end of the Segringer Strasse, I found the Dreikönigskapelle with some help from a local. I kept looking around along Kapuzinerweg at the Kapuzinerkirche since Kurt Hielscher's description below the photo in his book was "An der Kapuzinerkapelle". Next the Capuchin Church there's another chapel so I was a little confused and I almost gave up when I thought the photo must have been made somewhere from behind the monastery walls where I did not find access to.

Unfortunately I couldn't get exactly into Kurt Hielscher's footsteps here, because the entrance to the Segringer Tor was closed, but I could get on the stairs towards it and I made one of my photos from there. I'll put a photo in the comment section below from where Kurt Hielscher made his photo and from where I made mines.

The chapel is first mentioned in 1378. In the 19th century the tower was demolished down to the ground floor and fitted with a hipped roof. Today there is a memorial with a plaque for the victims of the Nazi regime.

Positions of Kurt Hielscher (KH in 1924) and mine 99 years later (and my boys) at the Segringer Tor.

More towers!

The Wörnitztor is the oldest of the four city gates here in Dinkelsbühl situated on a nice little square: the Alrathausplatz. At the end of the 14th century the tower was raised. The Renaissance gable with the bell tower dates from the 16th century. We stayed for a while on the square and also went in to the opposite tourist information and the cellars below. We read the horrifying stories of the witch hunts in between the 14th and the 17th centuries, a period characterized by economic despair and disasters like the plague. Today the atmosphere was really peaceful and not too cold on a January morning and early afternoon.

Below: Beautiful view on the Rothenburger Tor with the city walls in Dinkelsbühl enlightened by a wintersun.