Schifferstadt is a town on the Rhine near Ludwigshafen.  The old part has many half-timbered houses dating back several centuries – many are restored or are in the process of being restored.

Traditionally, these houses show the contrast between the dark brown or black wooden beams and the whitewashed mortar pieces in between.

Sometimes these colours are offset by colourful, often red, shudders.

Green is also a favourite, for shudders as well as for window frames.

However, in recent years more and more half-timbered houses have started to sport a coat of paint, ranging from soft pink like the one below to really dark or bright colours.

Often the panels are accentuated with two-tone coloured paint.  The writing on the beam reads: Joseph Maier and his wife Katharina built this house in the year of the  Lord 1835 (Dieses Haus erbaute Joseph Maier und seine Ehefrau Katharina im Jahre Christi 1835).

Blue is a fashionable tint for half-timbered houses these days.  It goes well with green climbers and red geraniums.

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