Nuremberg- Not What You Think

I resisted the plan to visit Nuremberg while we were in Germany but at the insistence of our German friends, I set aside my pre-conceived ideas of this famous city. It turned out to be a wonderful day of walking in the Old Town (Altstradt) and admiring the architectural wonders of the St. Lorenz Church and Our Lady’s Church.

I took my turn at turning the lucky gold ring three times, at the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) that supposedly will bring me good luck. Precisely at noon, everyone in the area stopped what they were doing to watch the Mannleinlaufen , strike 12:00 and the figures dance in circles around the clock.

We wandered through the ruins and gardens and marveled at the medieval splendor of the Kasierburg Castle. We shopped at the Hauptmarkt and enjoyed delicious German food.

We walked through a huge department store, occupying at least 5 floors comparable to Macy’s in New York City and found a clock I had promised a friend.

Throughout the Old Town, we found beautiful (and sometime weird) bronze statues. (See pictures of me and giant rabbit).

Quick Tips:

Wear comfortable shoes as you will do a lot of walking.

Try local cuisine from the street vendors in the Main Market.

Walk from the train station into the Old Town then follow the main walkways. You will end UP (and I do mean UP) at the Kasierburg Castle. Be sure to walk around the back of the Castle to see beautiful gardens.

Turn the golden ring for good luck- remember- three times all the way around; it can’t hurt.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking is the only way to see the Old Town.

Taxis and bus service are available to take you from the Old Town into other areas of Nuremberg.

Set at each corner of the Old Town are massive stone towers of the city gates. Crowning the northern side is the Kaiserburg Castle.

The Kaiserburg is one of the most important castles in the history of the German Empire, and sits high above the Old Town. It has the distinction of being Nuremberg's major cultural and historical landmark. It grew to its massive present size in three stages of construction between the 11th and the 15th centuries. During its first 500 years, it was the residence of German Kings and Emperors and hosted virtually all important leaders and royalty of the time.

Tours were available but we chose to just walk around and discover the castle on our own. It was fascinating. We never knew when a pathway would lead us. We found ourselves at the back of the castle in beautiful, romantic gardens overlooking the Old Town. We walked down tunnels leading to other parts of the castle and pathways that intrigued us. It is a place where your imagination can run wild with thoughts of how life might have been centuries ago. You should allow plenty of time to see this landmark. It is well worth the time.

The Main Market was built on the foundation of a former Jewish ghetto, which was destroyed in 1349. This is also the city's farmers' market, with fresh produce all year long. From May to September, there are over 200 festivals and concerts here, celebrating music, dance, art, and crafts. In December the square hosts the most famous Christmas market in Germany all month long. Many streets in this area are pedestrian-only.

There are two sites that can’t be missed while at the Hauptmarkt. First is the Mannleinlaufen, a clock similar to the Glockenspiel in Munich. This enormous clock was built in 1509 and is in the front wall of Our Lady’s Church facing the square. Every day at noon, this 400-year-old clock's moving figures show the seven Electors of the city doing homage to Kaiser Karl IV. It seemed that everything stopped and everyone watched.

The second, and equally memorable site, is the Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain). This stone pyramid, 60 feet high, dates from 1396 and is adorned with 30 figures arranged in four tiers. Within it is enclosed the symbol of Nuremberg, the Journeyman's ring, also called the lucky ring. Folklore has it that if you turn the large gold ring three times, it will bring you good luck. I had to give it a try.

The market itself is quite unique and offers so much merchandise that it is almost overwhelming. There are rows and rows of tables and portable booths offering traditional dishware, statutes, clothing, handmade doilies, paintings, wood items, clocks, and many, many souvenir items.

And then there are the food booths. We were told by our German friends to be sure and eat some Nuremberg sausages and sauerkraut while there. We did, and it was delicious.

Our point of departure for our trip to Nuremberg was the small town of Marktoberdorf, Germany, where we were visiting friends. We boarded a train at 8:00 a.m. By the way, did you know that one could set his watch by the trains in Europe? The schedules are impeccable. We made two connections, both right on schedule.

We changed trains in Augsburg, boarding a slick, bullet-shaped high-speed train, bound for Nuremberg. Our Europass allowed us to travel in the first class railcars and that was absolutely magnificent. The accommodations and service made us feel like royalty. For those not familiar with Europass or Eurail passes, I recommend this mode of transportation when you have a flexible schedule. Purchase the pass before you leave the U.S. There are many, many choices based on countries you want to visit and the number of travel days you will require.

The views from our large window were incredibly beautiful, the green pasture lands bounded by snow capped mountains. Even at the fast speed we were traveling, it was easy to enjoy the landscape passing by us.

Traveling at over 160 mph, we quickly arrived in Nuremberg for a day of sightseeing. Not knowing what to except, we were very pleasantly surprised. Our first stop, only steps from the train station, was the Information Office. The people there were helpful and we were able to pick up brochures and maps to guild us. The Old City lies mainly within a pedestrian zone so walking is the only way to go.

St. Lorenz Church is the largest in Nuremberg. Construction began in 1270 and the main section was finished in 1330, the west façade 1353 to 1362. There are two definite points you need to see- the Rose Window and the Angelic Salutation. The Angelic Salutation was carved in 1519 and is a large wreath of roses that hangs from the ceiling over near the main altar. Inside the wreath, the annunciation is portrayed. On the backside of this piece of art at the top of the wreath on each side are two pictures, one of the sun and one of the moon. We had seen the photographs and looked for them. At first, we thought they might be in the massive stain glass windows, but finally had to ask for help in finding them. The pictures below are from postcards, not actual photos I took.