Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [308]
KAISERBURG
Another must-see is the humongous Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle; 244 6590; Burg; adult/concession incl museum €6/5, well & tower only €3/2; 9am-6pm Apr-Sep, 10am-4pm Oct-Mar). Construction began here during the Hohenstaufen reign in the 12th century, and dragged on for almost four centuries. The complex embraces the Kaiser’s living quarters, a Romanesque chapel, the Imperial and Knights’ Halls and the Sinwellturm (Sinwell Tower; 113 steps). There’s also the amazing 48m-deep Tiefer Brunnen (Deep Well), which still yields drinking water.
The Kaiserburg Museum ( 200 9540; Burg; adult/concession €5/4) chronicles the history of the castle and sheds light on medieval defence techniques. The grassy knoll in the southeast corner of the castle gardens is Am Ölberg, a great spot to sit and gaze out over the city’s rooftops.
ALBRECHT-DÜRER-HAUS
Germany’s most famous Renaissance draughtsman, Dürer lived and worked at what is now known as the Albrecht-Dürer-Haus ( 231 2568; Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse 39; adult/concession €5/2.50; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun, 10am-8pm Thu) from 1509 till his death in 1528. Several originals and copies of his graphic works are on display, and a multimedia version of Agnes, his wife, takes visitors through the master’s recreated workshop.
SPIELZEUGMUSEUM
The Spielzeugmuseum (Toy Museum; 231 3164; Karlstrasse 13-15; adult/concession €5/2.50; 10am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) has a vast collection of playthings from many periods – from innocent hoops and sticks to blood ’n’ guts computer games. Kids and parents will love the play area.
WEINSTADL & HENKERSTEG
On the north side of the Pegnitz, near the Karlsbrücke, is the impressive half-timbered Weinstadl, an old wine depot with two half-timbered storeys jutting out over the river. It has had a storied life, ranging from lepers’ refuge to student dorm. Crossing the river is the covered timber Henkersteg (Hangman’s Bridge), built to keep the hangman’s exposure to disease to a minimum.
EHEKARUSSELL BRUNNEN
At the foot of the fortified Weisser Turm (White Tower) stands the startlingly grotesque Ehekarussell Brunnen (Marriage Carousel Fountain), a large bronze work depicting six interpretations of marriage (from first love to quarrel to death-do-us-part) all based on a verse by Hans Sachs, the medieval cobbler-poet. You soon realise why the artist, Jürgen Weber, faced a blizzard of criticism when the fountain was unveiled in 1984; it’s enough to put anyone off tying the knot. On Hefnersplatz, the townsfolk had fewer quibbles with another modern fountain, the Peter-Henlein-Brunnen dedicated to the 16th-century tinkerer who is credited with making the first pocket watch.
LORENZKIRCHE
Lorenzer Platz is dedicated to one of the church’s first archivists, St Lawrence, a revered Catholic saint. Nuremberg’s Catholics were once split into competing factions, one north and the other south of the river; the latter made a statement with the Lorenzkirche (Church of St Lawrence), a massive 15th-century church crammed with artistic treasures. Highlights include the stained-glass windows (including a Rosetta window 9m in diameter) and Veit Stoss’ Engelsgruss (Annunciation), a wooden carving with life-size figures suspended above the high altar.
The Tugendbrunnen (Fountain of Virtues), on the north side of the church, shows six ladies (Faith, Hope, Charity, Courage, Temperance and Patience) brazenly spouting water from their breasts in the shadow of a figure representing Justice.
REICHSPARTEITAGSGELÄNDE
If you’ve ever wondered where the infamous black-and-white images of ecstatic Nazi supporters hailing their Führer were filmed, it was here in Nuremberg. This orchestrated propaganda began as early as 1927, but after 1933 Hitler opted for a purpose-built venue, the Reichsparteitagsgelände (Nazi Party Rally Grounds). Much of the outsized grounds was destroyed during Allied bombing raids, but enough is