The medieval town of Miltenberg has the most enchanting medieval charm around every crooked cobblestone street, narrow back alleys, half-timbered house, window baskets overflowing with fresh petunia flowers and ancient fountain. Intricate wooden states or wall hangings mark many homes and buildings. Many are religious, with statues depicting saints or Mary and Jesus, but some simply depict the owner’s business.

Currently, the historic city has a population of 9,000 – but has been populated for centuries (at least since pre-Roman times) and has enjoyed a rich and lively past. With its location right off the Main River, it was well positioned as a major trading spot between Frankfurt and Nuremberg. While viniculture, wine trade and fishing were once the lucrative trades of the area, now much of the economy comes from tourism, bunter sandstone, crafts and various other enterprises.

It’s not hard to see why tourism plays such a major part in the local economy. Over 700 buildings have been scientifically catalogued for their historic beauty and charm. And many of them reside in the Schnatterloch (or, in English, Old Market Square). This is the historic market square and home to exquisite, storybook-esque, half-timbered buildings, restaurants, bratwurst stalls, stalls with local handcrafts and the Old Town Hall. These structures are remarkably in practically pristine condition despite dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries. In the center of the square is an octagonal Renaissance fountain called the Marktbrunnen (in German, “markt” means market and “brunnen” translates to fountain). Dancing cherubs surround the fountain’s slender column.