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Nuremberg

Make the most of your time in Nuremberg, use the information provided on this web site by clicking on the links to plan your visit.

Often referred to as the capital of the middle ages, Nuremberg is one of Germany’s most beautiful and fascinating cities. From its status as unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire, to the Nuremberg Trials of 1945/46, Nuremberg is a history buff’s dream, with a lively dose of culture and fun thrown in.

Despite being virtually destroyed during World War II bombing raids, Nuremberg’s Old Town has been faithfully restored to its pre-war magnificence. Many of the city’s most famous sites have been rebuilt in authentic style, giving visitors the chance to explore the history and culture of this most famous city. Indeed, strolling around the narrow cobbled alleyways of the Old Town a tangibly historic atmosphere hangs in the air, underlining the long and illustrious heritage of Nuremberg.

Nuremberg thrived between the 11th and 16th centuries, benefiting from its strategic location on key trade routes. Emperor Frederick Barbarossa even went so far as to extend the Kaiserburg Castle into one of the empire’s most magnificent imperial seats. On a more gruesome note, Nuremberg is also the home of the Iron Maiden, a notorious medieval torture device.

In cultural terms the city flourished between the 15th and 16th centuries, becoming one of the capitals of the German Renaissance. Many of Europe’s greatest artistic and literary talents made Nuremberg their home, including Albrecht-Dürer, considered Germany’s greatest painter. As a result, Nuremberg today is home to an incredible range of museums, art galleries, magnificent churches and famous sites. But while Nuremberg’s history stretches back some 1,000 years, it is for its more recent history that Nuremberg has become notorious. The city was the ideological heart of Nazism, playing host to vast party rallies every year from 1927 to 1938. Images of hundreds of thousands of uniformed people enraptured by Hitler’s rhetoric have become some of the most iconic and defining perceptions of the city. After the war, the city was the venue for the Nuremberg Trials, where leading Nazi’s were tried for crimes against humanity. Likewise with the party rallies, pictures of leading Nazi’s such as Goerring, Von Ribbentrop, Hess and Frank on trial are among the most lasting images of Nuremberg.

But Nuremberg is far more than a living history book. Despite having a population of just over 500,000, it boasts artistic, cultural and entertainment scenes of such vibrancy they rival those of many larger cities. For most of the year the city is thronged with people, from residents to guest workers and tourists, all of whom have contributed to making Nuremberg a symbol of post-war prosperity. From the Old Town’s collection of ancient buildings and narrow cobbled alleyways, to the growing number of modern bars, restaurants, clubs and cafes, Nuremberg is an intoxicating blend of heritage and hedonism that draws visitors back time and again.
 

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