Enjoy the festivities of Nuremberg
Founded in the eleventh century, Nuremberg - situated halfway between Frankfurt and Munich - quickly grew into an economic and political centre. By the late fifteenth century, it had become the national art capital, only to later become a focal point for the Nazis' most infamous rallies of the 1920s and the 1930s. After the war, it served as the site of the war-crimes trials. Yet the infamy caused by the city's recent past seems a world away from the friendly, bustling town that greets visitors today.
Nuremberg has a relaxed air that makes whiling away a day or two amongst its half-timbered houses, fine museums and beer halls an altogether enjoyable experience.
The reconstructed medieval core of Nuremberg is surrounded by its ancient walls and is neatly spliced by the River Pegnitz. To walk from one end to the other takes about twenty minutes, but much of the centre, especially the area around the castle - known as Burgviertel - is on a steep hill. One of the highest points of the city is occupied by the Kaiserburg whose Sinwellturm can be ascended for the best of all views. Another survivor of this period is the Kaiserkapelle, whose upper level was reserved for use by the emperor. The area around the Tiergartner Tor next to the Kaiserburg is one of the most attractive parts of the old centre, a meeting place for summertime street vendors, artists and musicians.
The Hauptmarkt, commercial heart of the city and the main venue for weekly markets, has on its east side the Frauenkirche, on whose façade a clockwork mechanism, known as the Mannleinlaufen, tinkles away at noon.
Nuremberg is a place that is rich in cultural history, it will inspire you with its relaxing atmosphere and friendly, welcoming society.
