Nuremberg was never officially the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, but German rulers made this city their base for 500 years. They surrounded the medieval city with stout walls and built a great castle on a hilltop, which they expanded again and again over the centuries. Prosperous, secure and...
Nuremberg Panoramic City Tour
Nuremberg was never officially the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, but German rulers made this city their base for 500 years. They surrounded the medieval city with stout walls and built a great castle on a hilltop, which they expanded again and again over the centuries. Prosperous, secure and vibrant, Nuremberg lured artists and thinkers, merchants and scientists, for centuries.
Discover this archetypal medieval German city today as you trace the great ramparts and gate towers around the Old Town. Stroll through the castle gardens and enjoy breathtaking views of the city, then walk through a maze of cobblestone lanes down to the central Market Square, gathering around the well-named Beautiful Fountain, first erected in 1396. The red sandstone Church of Our Lady stands on the east side of the square—the 14th-century façade survived WWII bombing and, like much of Old Town, was meticulously reconstructed after the war, with the original stones plucked from the rubble.
Browse on your own following your tour; there is much to see and enjoy. The Germanisches National Museum is one of the largest museums in the world; in it, you'll find the first pocket watch ever made, the first globe produced in Europe, works by German artists and more. The half-timbered shops in Crafts Court, next to the King's Gate in the old wall, give you a sense of what it was like to buy goods in Renaissance Nuremberg—wooden toys, pewter cups and leather goods are for sale here, as are commemorative coins hand-stamped on a 15th-century press. Visit Dürer House, where Nuremberg's most famous native son, Albrecht Dürer, lived, or simply relax in a beer garden and enjoy the city's specialty sausages and dark beer.