Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
April 2009 : Nuremberg
Nuremberg (local name Nürnberg) is the second largest city in the German federal state of Bavaria (Bayern) and by far the largest settlement in the region known as Franconia (Franken). Historically, it was an important centre in both the Holy Roman Empire and the German Empire. Partly due to this historical significance, the city was selected by the Nazi party to hold its infamous propaganda rallies in the 1930s; however the tables were turned after World War II when Nuremberg hosted the well-publicised war crimes trials. For me, it was a case of 'Bavaria, but not as I know it', with the unexpected mix of Lutheran and Catholic churches and use of the well-known greeting Grüß Gott being by no means universal.
For the tourist, Nuremberg has an extensive, walled, medieval city centre containing many attractive buildings. When you consider that this area is not so much preserved as reconstructed, having been 90% destroyed in the war, it becomes not just stunning but near-miraculous. The city is also famous for its sausages, for the spicy-sweet treats known as Lebkuchen, and as the home of Germany's most celebrated Christmas market. Visitors can also enjoy sampling numerous local beers, as well as discovering some rather nice Franconian wines.
Most fortuitously, the region appeared to plunge straight from winter into summer to coincide with my visit.
Old Town
Imperial Castle
Rally Grounds
By night
DB Museum
A little known fact is that Germany's first railway connected Nuremberg to the nearby town of Fürth. Appropriately, therefore, the city is home to the Deutsche Bahn Museum, containing a replica of the original Adler locomotive.
As you can see from one of the photos, this established an unexpected connection with my previous trip!
Base : Sheraton Carlton
Linked reports from same trip :-