View from the city tower
In addition to its medieval charm, permanently ingrained into my mind when I recollect on my time in Rotenberg will be some of the horrific figures I saw at the Medieval Crime Museum. Complete with the rack, thumb screws, shame masks, execution swords, and even a witch catcher this museum served as a reminder of abusive justice in a bi-gone age. From this experience, I realized that justice as I know it as a more modern, American idea. In Medieval European culture, the mentality of justice was not to enforce the law, but rule with an iron fist in order to scare potential perpetrators and inflict as much damage has had been done to society.
"The Rack"
In addition, the tourist trap that is Rotenberg made me question how I look as a tourist, especially with respect to my beloved camera. While snapping a few pictures of such a historically gem is acceptable, what about 300? Sure, some of them I retook because at first it was blurry, but I wonder if I also hit the overkill button when I pressed shoot. During those brief few moments that I restrained myself, I found that I seemed to have a much greater appreciation for the sights that I was seeing. In response, I found myself buying a tourist booklet with pictures in it—pictures admittedly better than my own. I guess the take-home lesson is not to be the like the hordes of travelling masses, but instead to take time to savor and enjoy the moment.
Inside Rothenburg Cathedral
Finally, the most exhilarating and artistically relevant part of my day’s journey was the Rotenberg Cathedral. In stunning late Baroque style the cathedral seems long and very open with few arches, impressive stained glass windows, and high vaulted ceilings. In addition, like similar Northern European cathedrals built during this time, a great number of decorations including realistic statues, spectacular altar carvings, and high vaulted ceilings are spread throughout.
Tillman Remenschneider Altar Sculpture
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