Nürnberg

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Nürnberg

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Nürnberg: Authentically German

Nürnberg is classified as a country level city within the Free State of Bavaria, Germany. It is the state’s second largest city after Munich and among the 15 largest in the whole country. Nürnberg falls under the administrative domain of Middle Franconia along with being the unofficial capital of Franconia.

It is also situated along the river Pegnitz and the Main-Danube Canal network and the city is approximately at a distance of 105 miles in the north of Munich and its official name is – the Centre of the Metropolitan Region Nuremberg. Annually, many people flock here to enjoy the very famous Christmas markets.

Historically, Nürnberg, or Nuremberg as it is known in the Anglophone countries; was regarded as the second capital of the Holy Roman Empire. Many of the German rulers had preferred Nürnberg as their residence and nurtured the city as their crown jewel. The city is therefore full of numerous architectural wonders. Since the very beginning the city has attracted personalities of the arts who have managed to successfully capture its beauty and gravitas on canvas. Among these artists was a certain Albrecht Dürer who was in-fact born here. Martin Luther is believed to have famously said, “Nuremberg shines throughout Germany like a sun among the moon and stars”. It was also the city which brought industrial revolution in Germany, back in the 19th century.

The Nazi propaganda also saw taking roots within the working class communities of Nuremberg. During those days observers have noted that massive rallies would take place on the streets and large scale boycott also commenced of Jewish made goods and products. Furthermore, it was here that the Nuremberg Laws were enacted. These measures were meant to outlaw Jews from attaining German citizenship. Towards the end of the Second World War, on the 2nd of January 1945 the city was completely razed to the ground by the Allied bombings, instantly killing over 6000 people.

The importance of the city never ceased to exist. Even during the post-War time the city was chosen as the location for the conduction of the War Crime Tribunal or as it was otherwise known, The Nuremberg Trials. The reconstruction of the city was quite a painful task. Almost all the main buildings of the building were reconstructed by using the original stones. This meant that most of the castles and old churches of the Altstadt first had to be categorised right in its rubble state and then carefully reconstructed without damaging the original design and at the same time acting with precision. The city was eventually resurrected and it became the living symbol of German industriousness.

            Understanding the city

There are a few things which instantly strikes anyone when one hears of Nuremberg. Among these popular symbols or items are – gingerbread, toys, Christmas markets, the trials or the Rally Ground or the Reich Party. It is of-course needless to say that the city offers much more. To the rest of the world and the many visitors of the city, Nuremberg in-fact seems like a typical Germanic city, that is, it balances out its modern and ancient history simultaneously.

You can still today find half-timbered houses, though usually on the outskirts but they are quite a mesmerising site. The city also houses medieval churches, grand imperial castles and numerous other structures and traditions. Nuremberg and its nearby area is home to some of the most popular international brands such as – Adidas, Diehl, Faber-Castell, Playmobil, Puma and Siemens among others. The regional cuisine is also among the most revered,

Reaching Nürnberg

Nuremberg like most German cities is well connected by almost all the modes of transportation imaginable.

  • Flight: If your desired medium is by air then the city has one of the best functioning airports in the world. The Nuremberg Airport or the Nürnberg Flughafen can be reached by taking the U 2 subway train which further connects the central station of Nuremberg with the airport and other surrounding areas. The journey from the city centre to the airport will take up only 12 minutes of your times.

 

  • Trains: Railways are the best way to travel anywhere, now if you are of this opinion then you are in for a great time. The main station of Nuremberg is located in its Altstadt or the Old Town. Additionally, there is the underground or the U-Bahn, the suburban railway network or the S-Bahn and the R-Bahn, and there are trams, busses and finally the DB trains.

 

  • Cars: The city is well connected with most of the major German highway or the Auto-bahn network such as the – A 3, A 6, A 73, and A 9. The traffic mobility of this region is controlled by the Dynamisches Verkehrsleitsystem which is the largest of its kind in the whole of Europe.

 

  • Ships: If you go about 6 kilometres in the south-west of the Old Town, you will reach the Port of Nuremberg and the Main Railway Station as well.

 

  • Buses: The main bus station is again centrally located, right next to the Main Railway Station in the Old Town area.

 

Public Transportation

For the purpose of locally travelling in the city one can take the many subway lines such as – U 1, U 11, U 2, U 3, and the U 21. You can further choose from the five tramway lines, namely – Line 4, 5, 6, 8 and 9. In addition to both of them there is the active bus line.

It is also important to remember that most of the subway trains and the tram lines take a halt at the Main Station or the Hauptbahnhof which is located in the Old Town.

Furthermore, the neighbouring city of Fürth can be reached by taking the subway line 1 and by taking the line 2 of the same subway line you can reach the airport and the harbour as well. A special bus operates between 1 am and 4 am which is known as the Night Liner Bus Network.

Additionally, the following routes of the S-Bahn and the R-Bahn should be kept in mind for your local travel concerns:

The S-Bahn: This line has a total of 75 stations and covers a distance of 229 Kilometres. Following are its routes:

  • S1: Begins at Bamberg – Forchheim – Erlangen – Fürth (Bay) Hbf – Nürnberg Hbf – Lauf (links Pegnitz) – Hersbruck (links Pegnitz) – and ends at Hartmannshof.
  • S2: Begins at Roth – Schwabach – Nürnberg Hbf – Feucht – Altdorf – and returns back to Nürnberg.
  • S3: Begins at Nürnberg Hbf – Feucht – and ends at Neumarkt (Oberpf).
  • S4: Travels between Nürnberg Hbf and Ansbach.

The R-Bahn lines:

  • R1: Operates between Nürnberg – Fürth (Bay) – Neustadt (Aisch) and Kitzingen.
  • R11: Operates between Fürth (Bay) – Zirndorf – and Cadolzburg or Rangaubahn.
  • R12: Operates between Fürth (Bay) – Langenzenn – and Markt Erlbach.
  • R2: Operates between Nürnberg – Fürth (Bay) – Erlangen – Forchheim (Oberfr) – Eggolsheim – Bamberg and Zapfendorf.
  • R21: Operates between Nürnberg Nordost – Eschenau (Mittelfr) and Gräfenberg.
  • R3: Operates between Nürnberg – Hersbruck (rechts Pegnitz) – Neuhaus (Pegnitz) – Pegnitz and Bayreuth.
  • R31: Operates between Nürnberg – Neunkirchen am Sand and Simmelsdorf-Hüttenbach.
  • R4: Operates between Nürnberg – Hersbruck – Neukirchen (b S-R) and Amberg.
  • R5: Operates between Nürnberg – Neumarkt (Oberpfalz) and Parsberg.
  • R6: Operates between Nürnberg – Schwabach – Roth – Weißenburg (Bay) and Treuchtlingen.
  • R7: Operates between Nürnberg – Roßtal – Heilsbronn – Wicklesgreuth – Ansbach and Schnelldorf.
  • R9: Operates between Nürnberg Hbf.and Allersberg (Rothsee).

Sites to see in Nuremberg

It would be advisable that you begin with the Old Town area first. In the same regard it is important to know that this region of the city is divided into two sections by the river Pegnitz. The eastern side of the old town is known as Sebalder Alstadt, whereas the other southern side of the Old Town is known as – Lorenzer Altstadt. Now once you begin your exploration of the city, one easily gets enchanted by the sheer historical ambience and the nuanced yet simple beauty of the city and its people. The charm of the medieval architecture can easily be seen enhancing the other modern side of the cityscape. Furthermore, the other striking feature of the Old Town is definitely the castle which through its sheer imposition acts as the majestic guard. Nuremberg will not only visually tease you but also titillate your taste buds with some of the most exquisite and mouth-watering delicacies of the region. Among the must try food items are – traditional Bratwursthäuser and the 3 im Weckla. Both of them are sausage based dishes with different preparations.

Following is a list of sites that must be explored:

  • The Kaiserburg: This structure makes you feel its presence quite literally. It dominates the skyline of the city and it has served as the castle of residence for most of the German kings at the time of the Holy Roman Empire. During the Middle Ages the importance of the Kaiserburg grew and it became the official royal palace. Among the most important sites here are the living quarters of the Emperor, the Romanesque double chapel in addition to the Deep Well and the Sinwell Towers. You might also want to see the beautiful garden of the palace which exists in sheer contrast of the fast paced city life. The entire complex is said to have been constructed in the year 1495.

 

  • Memorium Nuremberg Trials: This is a permanent exhibition which was made open to visitors on the 22nd of November 2010. This memorial site is descriptive of the background, progression and repercussions of the Nuremberg Trials. It has also been constructed on the same site where the trials originally took place. There are numerous audio guides along with expert guided tours available in most of the popular languages.

 

  • The City Walls: When these walls were first constructed they measured 5 kilometres in length and had a total of 5 gates, namely – Laufer, Spittler-, Frauen-, Neu- und Tiergärtner Tor. Between the 13th and 16th century these walls were fortified and made stronger to withstand the rallying armies of neighbouring aggressors. Today one can see a little over 4 kilometres of the wall surviving. In-fact the gaps exist only between the main station and Rathenauplatz.

 

  • Sebald Church: The Sebalduskirche or the St. Sebald Church was built between the 13th and 15th century. There is a centrally located grave in the church which is said to be of the saint of the city.

 

  • Hauptmarkt: It is the largest market square which is centrally located in the heart of the city. Hauptmarkt is further surrounded by many touristy sites. This market is particularly well renowned because of the Wochenmarkt. This implies that here in the market one can purchase some of the most delicious treats along with flowers and spices. Additionally the main attraction of the market is the Schöner Brunnen fountain. This fountain is fenced with gold and depicts forty stone figures. There is a legend which surrounds the two rings which are located on the fences. It is believed that if you turn these golden rings and make a wish then it is bound to come true. The characteristic feature of the Hauptmarkt is its Frauenkirche façade.

 

  • Germanisches Nationalmuseum: This museum is the largest museum in the world which is solely dedicated to German arts and culture. The numerous exhibitions in this museum are bound to take you on a once in a life time journey beginning from the Stone Age, passing right through the geological developments then taking you to the first settlements in this region. It then goes to the Christian era, leading downwards to the modern times. The museum houses some of the most famous and prescious artefacts such as the – Ezelsdorf Golden Cone, numerous medieval sculptures, the oldest globe in the world, along with paintings by Albrecht Dürer, baroque masterpieces and contemporary art among others. You may also find the exhibitions featuring textiles, jewels, stained glass and handicraft interesting. One more interesting fact about this museum is that it is home to over 650,000 books solely on German art and culture, making it hands down the largest of its in in the world.

Nuremberg is everything what Germany represents. The city plays host to numerous festivals annually and they are quite an amazing feature of the German way of life. Following is a list which might give you a certain idea:

  • Volksfest: Beers are an integral part of German way of living. The Volksfest can be understood to be like a miniature version of the Oktoberfest which is celebrated twice in a year. This festival annually revives an average footfall of roughly – 1.6 Million visitors.

 

  • Altstadtfest: As the name suggests, the Altstadtfest is the Old Town Festival. It is observed in the month of September each year and typically attracts over a million visitors. Due to this reason the Altstadtfest has become the the largest folklore event in Germany. The festival features processions and concerts and numerous food items.

 

  • Rock im Park: The Rock im Park is a rock festival which spans across three days and attracts a crowd of over 60,000 each year.

 

  • Klassik Open Air: This event features the Nürnberger Philharmoniker and the Nürnberger Symphoniker. Klassik Open Air is also otherwise known as the Woodstock of classic music.

 

  • Bardentreffen: This is a festival which takes place in the month of July each year and features about 400 artists who come to Nuremberg to perform across the 8 stages in the city. this festival annually draws an average crowd of over 200,000.

 

  • Blaue Nacht: Over a hundred thousand people each year in the month of May stay up late until the morning so that they can see the various art and light installations, music and other performances which take place within the inner cities of the city.

 

  • Internationales Figurentheater-Festival: This festival takes palace once in two years and is the largest puppet theatre festival attracting participants from all over the world.

 

  • Trempelmärkte: During the second weekend of May and the first weekend of September each year the Old Town transforms into the largest flea market of Germany. It is popularly known as the Nuremberg Flea Markets.

 

  • Radrennen “Rund um die Nürnberger Altstadt: It’s an annual event which features a Cycle Race round the Old Town. This race is considered as the most important race within the sporting community of Nuremberg.

 

  • Stadtlauf Nürnberg: This is also an annual event and features a foot race.

 

  • Quelle Challenge Roth: The triathlon is an annual event and takes place in the Franconian Lake District.

Other places to visit near Nuremberg:

  • Bamberg: It is an Old Bishop Town and a UNESCO World Heritage.
  • Bayreuth: One of the most beautiful cities in Germany. It is unique because of its baroque downtown where you can find the oldest opera house in Germany. This opera house annually hosts the famous Wagner Opera Festival.
  • Erlangen: It is a typical university town,
  • Fränkische Schweiz : The famous Franconian Switzerland area.
  • Fränkisches Seenland: It is located in the south-west of Nuremberg and has a splendid lake area where you can sit and relax.
  • Fürth: Nuremberg’s neighbouring city.
  • Munich: The grand and the amazing capital city of Bavaria. Munich is the largest city by size and economy in the state.
  • Regensburg: It is known to have been founded in the year AD 179 making it one of the oldest towns in Germany.
  • Schwabach: It is known as the Goldbeater town.
  • Nordlingen: This medieval town’s popularity is far too modest considering it is located in a meteorite crater and is surrounded by a 14th century wall and it is also located along the Romantic Road.