Plönlein
A small triangular square where a yellow half-timbered house sits between two gate towers at a Y-shaped junction, the iconic image of Rothenburg and of Germany's medieval towns.
The Plönlein (meaning 'little square') is a triangular square in the southern part of the old town. In the middle stand a narrow yellow half-timbered house and a small fountain. The road on the left climbs to the Siebersturm, while the road on the right descends through the Kobolzeller Tor towards the Tauber valley. The stacked towers and gabled roofs form a classic composition that appears again and again on postcards and in animated films. It is about a 5-minute walk south from the Marktplatz along Obere Schmiedgasse. It is free and open all day. Tour groups gather in the daytime, so photos mean queuing, and it is best to come early in the morning or in the evening. From here you can continue south to the Hospital Gate (Spitaltor), or walk downhill to the Tauber valley to see the Doppelbrücke, the double bridge.
Opening hours
All day
Nearby sights
- Medieval Crime and Justice Museum
- Reiterlesmarkt Christmas Market
- German Christmas Museum (Käthe Wohlfahrt)
- Marktplatz & Town Hall Tower
- Night Watchman's Tour
- Ratstrinkstube Clock (Meistertrunk)
- Spitaltor Bastion
- Tauber Valley & Double Bridge