Wertheim, Germany

By Glen Bruels
This is part of a series called Viking Grand European Tour
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This morning we made a brief stop in Wertheim, Germany. It is built on mud flats at the confluence of the Tauber and Main Rivers. That has been both a blessing and a curse – the former because of a great trading/transport location and the latter because it has suffered devastating floods. What is amazing is that the city has learned to accommodate the flooding – in fact, in order to preserve Wertheim, they have to let it flood – rather than trying to hold the waters out. They have a process and support system that can handle up to 5 meters of flooding without much negative impact. That’s what I call resiliency! The city has generally been prosperous and well preserved, although they did suffer a lot of damage during the Thirty Years War. Wertheim is dominated by the Wertheim Castle, the home of the Counts of Wertheim from the 15th through 17th centuries. Unfortunately, it was severely damaged in 1618 when a guard who was watching over the powder magazine fell asleep and a candle caused a fire – detonating over 400 pounds of powder (oops!). The castle was never fully refurbished, but it makes a great place to look out over the town, rivers, and Odenwald Forest. One of the amazing things relates to one of their primary industries – glass. This is a relatively new industry. It turns out that after WWII, most of the talented glassmakers lived in what would become East Germany. Seeing what life under the Soviet system was going to be like, they migrated to Wertheim – it had a good river for transport (Main), another for power generation (Tauber), and an American Army presence that would make sure those pesky Ruskies wouldn’t interfere. Anyway, a great place to visit!

The Gothic Stiftskirche, built in 1383. If the tower looks like it's leaning, it is. It costs them a lot to keep it from falling over.
The Gothic Stiftskirche, built in 1383. If the tower looks like it’s leaning, it is. It costs them a lot to keep it from falling over.
Heading towards the market square
Heading towards the market square
So here's an idea. In this part of Germany, you pay property taxes based on the footprint of the ground floor. Solution -- expand as you get higher!
So here’s an idea. In this part of Germany, you pay property taxes based on the footprint of the ground floor. Solution — expand as you get higher!
Lots of half-timbered houses made of oak and protected with stucco. Some very elaborate design and carving.
Lots of half-timbered houses made of oak and protected with stucco. Some very elaborate design and carving.
Houses along the Tauber River. They used to use this river to bring supplies into the city but, after a massive flood that flooded the houses you see here up to the 4th floor level, they abandoned using the river for other than power generation.
Houses along the Tauber River. They used to use this river to bring supplies into the city but, after a massive flood that flooded the houses you see here up to the 4th floor level, they abandoned using the river for other than power generation.
And speaking of floods, check out these flood levels.
And speaking of floods, check out these flood levels.
Photos from one of the planned floods. People just move their stuff to upper floors or outside of town and they let it flood. The secret is to clean up immediately after the waters recede or you have a hardened mud mess.
Photos from one of the planned floods. People just move their stuff to upper floors or outside of town and they let it flood. The secret is to clean up immediately after the waters recede or you have a hardened mud mess.
You also have to learn to walk on elevated bridges. I remember doing something like this in the Plaza San Marco in Venice!
You also have to learn to walk on elevated bridges. I remember doing something like this in the Plaza San Marco in Venice!
The Glass Museum
The Glass Museum
Pieces from the Glass Museum. I guess this is the glass equivalent of a wine skin.
Pieces from the Glass Museum. I guess this is the glass equivalent of a wine skin.
You could do some interesting distillation with this bad boy,
You could do some interesting distillation with this bad boy,
Lots of interesting date markers from when the houses were built.
Lots of interesting date markers from when the houses were built.
Aw, here's another!
Aw, here’s another!
Nice!
Nice!
Walking up to Wertheim Castle. A little brutal in the heat! You can see that much of it is a ruin.
Walking up to Wertheim Castle. A little brutal in the heat! You can see that much of it is a ruin.
But some of the castle is intact and they even have a restaurant up here.
But some of the castle is intact and they even have a restaurant up here.
Panoramic view of the city and River Main from the castle.
Panoramic view of the city and River Main from the castle.
This entry was posted in Cruising, Europe, Germany, Travel
Glen Bruels

I am a traveler and sometimes clay sculptor, following a long career working in consulting. My work allowed me to travel the world extensively and I was hooked. Today, I travel with my wife/best friend to explore new places, meet new people, and learn new things.

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