Dinkelsbühl

The skyline of charming Dinkelsbühl features romantic church spires, semi-timbered homes and sturdy patrician houses. This idyllic Bavarian town dates back roughly 800 years, and is considered to be one of the finest examples of a well-preserved medieval town in Germany. The town was founded as a Free Imperial City in 1305 by the Holy Roman Emperor Henry V, and was not annexed to the Kingdom of Bavaria until 1802. Perhaps one of the most beloved stories of Dinkelsbühl revolves around the Swedish invasion of the town during the Thirty Year's War. Legend has it that when the Swedish troops attacked the city, a teenage girl took a group of children to beg the Swedish general for mercy. Upon seeing a little boy who looked similar to the general's own son, who had recently died, the general decided to spare the town from being massacred. This event is reenacted in the town each year. Some of Dinkelsbühl's top attractions include the impressive Gothic Minster of St. George, a hall church built in the late 15th-Century, and the House of History - a museum that features artifacts that represent a good deal of the town's history.