What to See When Spending a Weekend in Nuremberg, Germany

On November 13, 2020November 13, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn GermanyLeave a comment

We took the train from Frankfurt to Nuremberg during the first week of January during our time in Germany. It was more or less a spur of the moment trip, so we hadn’t researched anything about Nuremberg before deciding to go there. We loved living in Germany as we would pull up the train app on a Thursday and book a trip for Friday and away we would go. It was a quick trip and very cold at the time, but we had a wonderful time there. As with any trip, just relaxing and enjoying the atmosphere of the city is the most important thing, but there are a few places that should not be missed when visiting Nuremberg.

Nuremberg Castle – The castle in Nuremberg is a must location to visit for a variety of reasons. First of all, since it sits above the city central, as many castles do, it provides wonderful views of the city. It is also part castle, part fortress, and part medieval village. Whether just walking along the fortress walls and enjoying the views or going through the castle rooms, you can easily spend a couple of hours touring the castle grounds.

The Most Stunning Feature Inside of the Church

Gothic Architecture of the St. Lorenz Church

Saint Lorenz Church – As with many cities in Europe, the main cathedral dominates the skyline and is worth taking time to visit. Although the church was originally a Catholic cathedral, it was converted to a Lutheran church after the reformation. With wonderful artwork and typical gothic architecture, it is certainly worth spending about an hour visiting the church.

The Nuremberg Trial Courthouse – You don’t need to be a history buff to visit the famous courthouse in Nuremberg where the trials of the leaders of the Nazi party were held following the end of WWII. It is a stark reminder of the horrors that people are capable of when their power is left unchecked. It was also probably the most notable use of international law to punish those who committed the atrocities of the Holocaust as well as other war crimes. The courthouse is a short distance from the old town area of Nuremberg, but it is worth taking the time to visit this famous location.

Old Town – We found a wonderful little boutique hotel in the Old Town area of Nuremberg called the Hotel Drei Raben (the three ravens). It was the perfect location to tour the medieval old town area of Nuremberg and simply walk the historic streets and walk along the Pegnitz, which is the river that runs through the city. There are many wonderful restaurants and pubs to enjoy as well, especially when needing to find some warmth on a cold winter day.

We truly enjoyed our time in Nuremberg, perhaps partially due to not having any preconceived expectations prior to our arrival. Our trip there was very short as we really only had one full day in Nuremberg, but we certainly made the most of it.

Nuremberg Castle in Germany

On November 6, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany2 Comments

Nuremberg is truly a wonderful city in Germany with the walled old town and castle fortress sitting high above the medieval town. While Nuremberg is most known for the trials of the Nazi leaders at the end of WWII, there is much more to see than just the courthouse where the trials occurred. Most notably is the Nuremberg Castle, which provides spectacular views of the city. Almost all castles served as fortresses, while not all fortresses also served as homes to royalty and to the wealthy. Nuremberg Castle feels more like a true fortress than an actual castle, but many kings did stay at the castle throughout its almost thousand year history.

Walking along the walls of the fortification takes you back in time and it is easy to see why the castle fortress was considered to be one of the most important fortifications during the medieval period. Taking a self-guided tour of the castle grounds includes seeing the Imperial Castle, the Imperial City Buildings, and the former Burgrave’s Castle. There are no rooms decorated with historical replicas trying to depict what life was like in ancient times, but there is still plenty to make touring the castle worthwhile.

The views of Nuremberg are definitely the highlight of visiting the castle. There are several spots as you walk along the walls of the fortress up towards the heart of the castle where you can stop and look over the rooftops of old town and see the spires of the cathedral reaching skyward. There are so many interesting features on the castle grounds that you can easily spend a couple of hours walking around and exploring the historic site.

Nuremberg Castle is definitely one of the most important places to visit while you are in Nuremberg. The cathedral and the courthouse are the two other places that should be on your must-see list, but don’t miss out on visiting the castle and getting a true view of the old town and the city as a whole.

Saint Lorenz Church in Nuremberg, Germany

On March 18, 2019 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany5 Comments

Located in the heart of old town in Nuremberg, St. Lorenz Church dominates the skyline. It is a medieval church that was built in the 1400’s, although it was largely damaged during WWII like many other buildings in Germany. Dedicated to St. Lawrence, the church has many interesting features, both in the interior as well as the exterior. St. Lorenz Church was built in the gothic architectural style and is the largest church in Nuremberg. Originally a Catholic church, the church was converted to Lutheran after the reformation.

One of the most prominent features within the church is the hall choir with its tabernacle. There is also some beautiful artwork that had been donated by wealthy citizens when it was first built and remains there even after the reformation. Like all gothic churches, the stained glass windows are also very stunning. With its high ceilings and large nave, the music of the organ and choir must sound beautiful inside of this wonderful church.

St. Lorenz is the Church in the Background, St. Sebaldus is in the Foreground

Top of One of the Towers of St. Lorenz Church

Although St. Lorenz Church is the most prominent church in Nuremberg, there is also the Church of Our Lady, which is another wonderful gothic style church in downtown Nuremberg. The mechanical clock on the front façade of the Church of Our Lady is one of the most interesting features of the church. We did not go inside of the Church of Our Lady, but we imagine that it is quite beautiful as well. There is also the St. Sebaldus Church, which has twin towers that look almost identical to those of St. Lorenz Church. When looking out from the Nuremberg Castle, both churches rise above the rooftops of old town. We definitely enjoyed our trip to Nuremberg and the St. Lorenz Church was definitely one of the highlights of our time in this historic city.