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

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

More Desktop Wallpapers:

Centuries of time in a Delicate Arch
Mar. 18, 2024Elephant Rock, Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia
Apr. 18, 2024International Day for Monuments and Sites
The buffet is open
A light in the coastal darkness
When ice imitates art
Jul. 16, 2025Temple of Philae, Aswan, Egypt
Getting starry-eyed at the moon
The grass looks greener on this side
Oct. 27, 2024Polar Bear Week
Feb. 14, 2025Happy Valentines Day!
Sep. 12, 2024World Dolphin Day
An engineering marvel
May 2, 2025Striated heron on a Victoria water lily, Pantanal, Brazil
Mar. 25, 2024Happy Holi!
Dec. 13, 2025Merced River, Yosemite National Park, California, United States
Jan. 1, 2024Happy New Year!
Nov. 23, 2024Fibonacci Day
Aug. 2, 2025Petroglyphs near Fruita in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, United States
May 7, 2024A duckling swimming in a water meadow, Suffolk, England
Owl be seeing you ... somewhere!
Jul. 31, 2024Hoodoos, Sunset Point, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, USA
Leaf-peeping Southern style
Nov. 21, 2025World Hello Day
Oct. 1, 2023Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, British Columbia
Feb. 26, 2025Castle Stalker, Argyll, Scotland
Jan. 8, 2024Bernina Pass, Graubünden, Switzerland
Feb. 18, 2024World Whale Day
Reflecting its stylish past today
Gateway to Latin America