A group of Spanish tourists is engrossed in admiring a timber-crafted house in the town of Schiltach located in the Black Forest in Germany. Their guide draws their attention to the façade which has wooden ornamentation on it. The wooden frames are painted in red, while the window shutters are coated in green. The rest of the house is painted white. A chimney on one side of the house mentions the year it was built in, 1604.
Today the timber-crafted house has been transformed into a boutique hotel, Adler Schiltach. It is walking distance from another special house which has Germany’s largest private pharmacy museum, the Apotheken Museum. Its display window offers a peek into the evolution of pharmacy: There is a white-coloured mortar and pestle dating back to 1914-1916. Small glass bottles labelled with medicinal oils are placed alongside. The museum takes visitors through the history of pharmacy and the world of pharmacists.
Two timber-framed houses in front of the museum form a picture perfect snapshot. However, more than their interesting façade, it is their cellars which whisper a party tradition that dates back centuries. Every year in winter, the residents celebrate a three-day carnival. They wear masks and party in the town’s market place, restaurants and the cellars of these homes which are connected by a tunnel. The masks worn are handcrafted, made of wood and depict the folklore of Schiltach.
Some of the houses in Schiltach have simple wooden frames with minimal woodwork on their façade. Others have a spot of colour with pots full of vibrant flowers in full bloom. Remnants of the old city walls are visible at the base of some of these timber framed houses. These houses were rebuilt on top of the old city walls after the massive fire that ravaged the town in the 16th century. From the town centre, it is a short walk to the tannery quarter which is located outside the town. The soft water of Schiltach coupled with local skill were responsible for making the German town’s leather products sought-after in the olden days. At that time, there were almost 30 tanneries, of which only one remains today.
A wooden wonderland that is a must-visit.
