Gemany Romatic Street 德國羅曼蒂克大道

說起令人驚艷的羅曼蒂克大道(Romantische Strase)，遠自中古時代，這條沿著陶伯河谷(Taubertal)蜿蜒而下、自北而南直達阿爾卑斯山北麓諸城的路線，就是一條通往羅馬帝國的重要貿易大道。昔日日耳曼民族的封建諸侯各自林立、諸邦領主各自統治的紛擾年代，各領主因掌控通商要道的貨物運輸與稅收，掌握經濟上的優勢條件，投注大量的財力與心力在宮殿建築與教堂修建上，創造了中古世紀光輝燦爛的偉大文明。就因為政治上的紛亂，被神聖羅馬帝國授與自治權的自由城不斷擴大後，城市中懸殊的貧富差距，新、舊教派的信仰抗爭等，在累積諸多問題後終於爆發三十年戰爭，就連丹麥和瑞典都以援助新教徒為藉口，入侵德國。此一歷史過程，就在羅曼蒂克大道上的諸城輪番上陣，增添古城在政治、歷史、文化、經濟、宗教等各層面上，無限的歷史典故與傳奇色彩。 What is the Romantic Road? If a straight line is the shortest connection between two points, the Romantic Road is undoubtedly the most attractive connection between more than two dozen South German towns, all of which hold staring places in travel guides on the region. The best known of them are Rothenburg ob der Tauber, the wine, cathedral and Baroque city of Würzburg, Füssen, Augsburg, the city of the Fugger family and silver, and the small but delightful town of Dinkelsbühl. Visitors who have already travelled the length of the Romantic Road will be able to add to these names. Landsberg, perhaps, or Nördlingen. Bad Mergentheim with its Castle of the Teutonic Order and Feuchtwangen. It is the towns that exercise the real power of attraction along the Romantic Road. Romantic thoughts are unlikely on most parts of the road itself especially south of Augsburg where it becomes a fast trunk road unsuitable for any romantic mail-coach excursions.

*一個值得推薦的優質旅遊心得網誌:Ivy's sky