Germany from A to Z: Nuremberg

The Imperial Castle is perched on a hill in the old town. In the Middle Ages, it was an important imperial palace: it was the place where travelling rulers held court and meetings. Emperor Charles IV (1316-1378) even described Nuremberg as the "most distinguished and best situated city in the empire." An exhibition in the castle tells about its function and history.

Thanks to its imperial palace and its location on major routes, the city developed into an important economic center in the late Middle Ages. To this day, the castle, churches and patrician houses bear witness to Nuremberg's wealth. The city was bombarded during the Second World War, but in many places medieval buildings like here in the Weißgerbergasse survived or were rebuilt.

Among the representative buildings of the late Middle Ages is the Frauenkirche on the main market square. It was built in the 14th century as the imperial court chapel. A special attraction is "the Männleinlaufen", a carillon that delights tourists at noon. Then figures representing seven electors, the emperor seated on a throne, circle around it.

Opposite the Frauenkirche you will find the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain), which lives up to its name. It is richly decorated and rises like a pyramid. But the fountain is not only beautiful, it is also supposed to fulfill wishes. For this you must turn the golden ring in the grid.  

The main market with Frauenkirche and Schöner Brunnen attracts more than two million visitors during the Christmas season, when the traditional Christkindlesmarkt takes place. Here you can not only try Nuremberg bratwurst and gingerbread, but also meet the Christ Child. Every year it opens the market on the gallery of the Frauenkirche (picture).

A short walk from the main market square is the church of St. Lawrence. The high Gothic basilica was built as a community church from 1243 to 1315. Despite the Reformation, the city council decided to leave the works of art in the church. Therefore, many pre-Reformation treasures can still be found here today. In addition, one of the largest organs in the world with more than 12,000 pipes.

In 1971, a small craftsmen's quarter with half-timbered facades was set up in the historic armory of Nuremberg's city fortifications. There are cozy restaurants and small shops with handicrafts and Franconian specialties such as gingerbread, Franconian wine and Nuremberg bratwursts. Visitors can look over the shoulder of goldsmiths, doll-makers and many other craftsmen while they work.

As picturesque and peaceful as the place is today, it used to be smelly and noisy. For it was here, on the outskirts of Nuremberg, that craftsmen's workshops were active. The old city wall had become useless because of the city expansion, so apartments for the executioner were built on the battlements. In the executioner's house today, there is an exhibition on Nuremberg's legal history.

Less menacing is the history of this half-timbered house. From 1509 to 1528 the famous painter Albrecht Dürer lived here with his wife, mother, apprentices and household staff. Today the proud town house from Nuremberg's heyday is a museum and shows changing exhibitions. In the workshop, historical printing techniques that were already used in Dürer's time are explained. 

In the south-east of the city, the Nazis created a huge party rally grounds - a symbol of the Nazis' megalomania. From 1933 to 1938, they staged their rallies here, which also approved the Nuremberg Race Laws. Today, a documentation center provides information about Nuremberg's role during the Nazi era and about the Nuremberg war crimes trials of the Allied forces. 

A complex sprawling system of tunnels from the Middle Ages runs through the old town of Nuremberg. The rock tunnels were mainly used for fermentation and storage of beer. There are daily guided tours, which also lead to the water extraction tunnels under the castle and to the former prison in the cellar of the town hall.