After leaving Nuremburg, we decided to take the back roads to our next destination of Tübingen. We had planned to stop in a city named Rothenburg ab der Taub, but in reviewing the tour book, we concluded that mostly what it had to attract us was it’s being picturesque. We decided to go to Bad Mergentheim instead.

The word “Bad” in German means bath, and this city has Bad in the name because of the natural mineral springs which are supposed to have healing power. It has a castle that was dedicated to the Teutonic Knights, otherwise known as the Knights of Malta (Hospitaller), an order of knights from the Crusades.

The Maltese Cross was their emblem:

The trip there was great! Such beautiful scenery and quaint rural villages that really reminded me of the back roads of Ireland.

 

The castle wasn’t the greatest, and like most castles, we were not allowed to take photos inside. This castle was also somewhat out of the way, and they had very little in the way of English-language explanations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, here is one photo of an amazing spiral staircase taken from the web.

 

 

 

 

 

Other than that, you will have to be content with some pictures I took of the outside, and pictures inside a nearby restaurant, where we had more delicious traditional food.