Dinkelsbühl

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Dinkelsbühl is a historic town in Bavaria, Germany. It sits on the River Wörnitz and along the northern part of the Romantic Road, a popular route for visitors.

History at a glance
- In 1305, Emperor Henry V granted Dinkelsbühl strong municipal rights, and in 1351 it became a Free Imperial City.
- The town’s legal code, the Dinkelsbühler Recht, was first published in 1536 and revised in 1738.
- By 1534 most residents had become Protestant. After the Peace of Westphalia, Dinkelsbühl was a bi-confessional city with Catholics and Protestants sharing power and equal rights. This arrangement ended in 1802 when the town was annexed by Bavaria.
- The town is famous for its well-preserved medieval walls and towers.

On the northern Romantic Road
- Dinkelsbühl is one of three towns on the northern stretch with intact city walls, along with Rothenburg ob der Tauber and Nördlingen (and Berching).

Kinderzeche festival
- Every summer, the town reenacts its 1632 surrender to Swedish troops during the Thirty Years’ War. The event features soldiers and children in costume, and children receive paper cones of candy. A legend says a girl saved the town by appealing to the Swedish general.

In film and culture
- The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm (1962) was filmed in Dinkelsbühl.
- Werner Herzog’s film Kasper Hauser (Every Man for Himself and God Against All) premiered there in 1974.

Today
- The town is known for its authentic medieval atmosphere, with many buildings and streets from the 15th to 17th centuries. The population is about 12,272 people.