Rothenburg's Chilling Archive of Torture and Justice

At a Glance

The Medieval Crime and Justice Museum in Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Bavaria opened in 1976 and holds Europe's largest collection of medieval law and punishment artifacts — about 50,000 pieces including 300 torture implements and original law codes.

Not a Chamber of Horrors but a Legal History Museum

Rather than sensationalise, it asks how law turned cruel. Witch trials, inquisitions and public humiliations are framed within religious, political and communal contexts.

Highlights

• 40 Schandmaske "masks of shame".
• Witch trial records including Rothenburg's own cases.
• 300 torture devices with historical commentary.
• Original guillotine pieces and execution tools.
• Original medieval legal codices — Sachsenspiegel, Carolina.

Visiting Tips

Train 2h30 from Munich. €8.50. 1.5–2 hours. Open daily. Pair with a walk on Rothenburg's medieval walls.