European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The restaurant Zum Riesen May be the oldest lodging and dining establishment in Germany. A medieval Bridge spans the main River connecting the old and the new Miltenberg. Applause of the  the wine House whose ownership by Leonard Gac Statt can be traced to the thirty years War is nearby. An inscription on the ground floor beam attests that Ludwig Coelestin Bauer who wrote the Anthem o deutschland Hoch in Ehren lived Here from 1861 to 1868. Wide Stone Steps Lead through the Schnatter Loch Tower built in 1400. Suddenly a great transformation takes place. City abruptly dissolves into country and you find yourself surrounded by thick Woods. An entire Forest grows in Miltenberg s Back Yard one you can walk through or picnic in. Well trodden within minutes from the Busy heart of Miltenberg is a thick misty Forest. Pathways take you through the greenery and up to the Castle where the View is indeed Majestic. The Panorama takes in hundreds of red tile roofs Distant vineyards and the sweep of the main As it meanders past the City. Down below Miltenberg is the perfect place to walk and soak up ambience. The hungry can buy grilled bratwurst from a Street Vendor or Duck into the Zum Riesen very possibly the oldest lodging and dining establishment in Germany. The guest list of Royalty dates Back to 1158 emperor Barbarossa. Ownership can be documented to 1411 when it was in the Possession of Konrad test ram. In 1518, Martin Luther the founder of protestantism stayed there and in 1520, German artist Albrecht Diirner. In 1590, owner Jost firnhaber found the romantic gothic building no longer suited to his needs. He hired master builder Jacob Storr to construct the present German Renaissance design on the same foundation. An interesting footnote about 25 years later firnhaber s descendants were convicted of practising witchcraft and executed. Today the Interior of the restaurant is Homey with its worn wooden floor Stone Walls and wooden beamed ceiling. Meals Are priced from 3.50 Marks about $2.30 for vegetable Creme soup to 24.50 Marks about $16.30 for the most expensive dinner. Portions Are generous and the service Friendly. Lookers Are also Welcome. Single rooms with Bath run from 68 to 98 Marks about $45-$65. Doubles Cost from 108 to 168 Marks about $72-$112 a night. The careful observer May notice lines and the Date 1682 etched into the fronts of some buildings in downtown Miltenberg. The Marks denote the level of the most terrible flood of that Century. If you need a change of Pace there s always the main River a Short walk away. You can sit and watch the barges churn up and Down feed the ducks and swans or engage in the favorite German pastime of people watching. The Best things about Miltenberg Are the Small town Quality that has been preserved and the town s ancient houses. Huck finn would have liked this people place on the water. You will too. A horse and buggy make their Way Down Miltenberg s main Street. October 25, 1990 stripes Magazine