Germany's most picturesque half-timbered towns

Quedlinburg, just north of the Harz Mountains, is Germany's largest half-timbered town, with more than 1,300 timber frame houses. Here, rows of these colorful buildings stand closely side by side as a testimony to civic pride and prosperity in times gone by. In 1994, Quedlinburg's old town center was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

In Celle in Lower Saxony, rows of timber frame houses line the streets like pearls on a necklace. Celle boasts more than 500 elaborately restored and historically listed buildings. Some of these old houses still have passages to their courtyards, through which the town's farmers could bring their harvest. The most splendid, decorated with mythical creatures, is the Hoppener House, built in 1532.

Fritzlar's appearance hasn't changed much in the last centuries. There are still timber frame houses, narrow lanes and intricate details everywhere. Between them, small restaurants, ice cream parlors and cafes create a tranquil atmosphere. The jewel in this Hessian town's crown is the old market square with its glorious ensemble of individually configured timber frame houses.

Monschau is called the "Pearl of the Eifel" thanks to its rich cultural treasures. In the old town center, quaint timber frame houses alternate with magnificent dwellings. Here, there are some 300 historically listed buildings. The facades along the narrow cobblestone lanes hide small art galleries and boutiques.

Bernkastel lies nestled between the Moselle and vineyards. It was united with Kues on the opposite river bank in 1905. Narrow, densely built-up lanes lead to the market square, which is surrounded by magnificent timber frame buildings. The pointed roofs here are striking. Due to the lack of space, the houses were built as tall as possible.

Esslingen lies in the Neckar valley and is surrounded by vineyards. It boasts more than 200 timber frame houses, which date from the 13th to the 16th centuries. It also has the oldest connected row of half-timbered houses in Germany. The Pleghöfe, former monastic administrative buildings where the cloisters stored their wine, are typical of the town.

Medieval half-timbered houses in all shapes and colors, authentically preserved streets and narrow lanes make Tübingen, at the edge of the Swabian Jura in southwestern Germany, a popular tourist destination. It's a hilly climb from the Neckar River up to Hohentübingen Castle. In contrast to its buildings, Tübingen's residents are young: About a third of them are university students.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber epitomizes German romanticism. It is arguably the best-known half-timbered town in Germany and, with two million visitors annually, is one of Bavaria's most popular sights. In addition to historical monuments, convoluted alleyways and timber frame houses, the medieval town wall with its 42 gates and towers has been preserved in its entirety.

There are a whopping 2,400 listed buildings in Bamberg. Its medieval center is the largest in Germany to have survived intact, and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993. Bamberg's town hall is a popular photographic subject. It was built on an artificial island in the middle of the Regnitz River. Behind it are rows of small timber frame houses in which fishermen once lived.

Not far from Hamburg lies the half-timbered town of Stade. Like 100 other towns, it is located on the German Timber Frame Route. If you want to view more than one of them, just travel part of this route. It covers a total of 3,500 kilometers (2,174 miles) and runs from the Elbe River in the north to Lake Constance in the south.