Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the town of Santa Claus

   Rothenburg ob der Tauber is a town in Bavaria (Germany) with 11 053 inhabitants situated on the river Tauber.

   Millions people from around world visit "The city of Santa Claus" each year. Rothenburg is a wonderfully

well-preserved medieval town in the Franconia region in Bavaria, Germany. And, as it lies on the Romantische Straße (Romantic Road), it is a perfect stop for visitors especially at Christmas time. Those who walk in this city with its old houses, fancy markets, towers, fountains, fortifications, shops and wine cellars are under the impression that time has stopped. While Christmas decorations can be bought all year long in Rothenburg, the holidays are a special time to view the city and the market in its illuminated splendour.. There is also a museum of Santa Claus, a magnificent museum of toys with hundreds of dolls and trains, a Teddy Bear Museum, Teddyland. Wonderful are also its churches, such as The Church of St. Jacob, the largest church in the city, impressive not only because of the its towers, but also its interior with two altars fashioned by the famous wood carver Tilman Riemenschneider, or The Church of St. Wolfgang and Klingentor, artistically decorated. Once home to the Counts of Rothenburg, the earliest recording of the city was in the middle 10th century.