Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [310]
DEUTSCHE BAHN MUSEUM
Nuremberg’s impressive Deutsche Bahn Museum (German Railways Museum; 0180-444 2233; www.db-museum.de; Lessingstrasse 6; adult/concession €4/3; 9am-5pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) explores the history of Germany’s legendary rail system. You’ll see the country’s first engine, the Adler, which ran from Nuremberg to nearby Fürth in 1852. Other fine specimens include Ludwig II’s gilded carriage (dubbed the ‘rolling Neuschwanstein’ for its starry ceiling fresco and lavish decoration) and Bismarck’s sober quarters for official visits. A highlight is the hourly demonstration of one of Germany’s largest model railways, run by a controller at a huge console of blinking lights and switches.
NEUES MUSEUM
Housed in a spectacularly incongruous building with an all-glass facade, the Neues Museum ( 240 200; www.nmn.de; Klarissenplatz; adult/concession €4/3, Sun €1; 10am-8pm Tue-Fri, 10am-6pm Sat & Sun) has the panache of a museum devoted to art and design. The upper floor displays contemporary art (mostly abstracts) while the lower showcases major developments in design since 1945. For a free peek at the exhibits, just stand in the courtyard outside.
HANDWERKERHOF
A recreation of an old-world Nuremberg crafts quarter, the Handwerkerhof ( 10am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 10am-4pm Sat) is a self-contained tourist trap by the Königstor. It’s about as quaint as a hammer on your thumbnail, but if you’re cashed up you may find some decent merchandise.
JÜDISCHES MUSEUM FRANKEN IN FÜRTH
A quick U-Bahn ride away in the neighbouring town of Fürth is the Jüdisches Museum Franken in Fürth (Frankish Jewish Museum; 770 577; Königstrasse 89; adult/concession €3/2; 10am-5pm Wed-Sun, 10am-8pm Tue). Fürth once had the largest Jewish congregation of any city in southern Germany, and this museum, housed in a handsomely restored building, chronicles the history of Jewish life in the region from the Middle Ages to today. To reach the museum, take the U1 to the Rathaus stop in Fürth.
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Walking Tour
This circuit covers the historic centre’s key sights over a leisurely 2.5km walk. With visits to all the museums and attractions listed, it could take the best part of two days.
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WALK FACTS
Start Hauptmarkt
Finish Hauptmarkt
Distance 2.5km
Duration 2 hours
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The tour starts at the Hauptmarkt, the main square. At the eastern end is the ornate Gothic Pfarrkirche Unsere Liebe Frau (1; Click here), or Frauenkirche. The clock’s figures spring into action every day at noon. The Schöner Brunnen (2; Click here) rises up from the cobblestones like a buried cathedral. Walk north to the Altes Rathaus, the old town hall with its Lochgefängnisse (3; Click here), the medieval dungeons. Opposite stands the 13th-century St Sebalduskirche (4; Click here), with an exterior smothered in religious sculptures and the bronze shrine of St Sebald inside. Just up Burgstrasse, the Stadtmuseum Fembohaus (5; Click here) covers the highs and lows of Nuremberg’s past with a multimedia show. Backtrack south to Halbwachsengässchen and turn right into Albrecht-Dürer-Platz and a dignified statue of the great painter, the Albrecht Dürer Monument (6; Click here). Directly beneath are the Felsengänge (7; Click here), tunnels once used as an old beer cellar and an air-raid shelter.
Moving up Bergstrasse, you’ll reach the massive Tiergärtnertor (8; Click here), a 16th-century tower. Nearby is the comely, half-timbered Pilatushaus (9; Click here) and a strange, glassy-eyed hare dedicated to Dürer. A few steps east is the Historischer Kunstbunker (10; Click here) where precious art was stored in WWII. Looming over the scene is the Kaiserburg (11; Click here), the castle of medieval knights with imperial chambers. Go south to the Albrecht-Dürer-Haus (12; Click here) where the Renaissance genius lived and worked. Continue south along Albrecht-Dürer-Strasse, turn left on Füll and skirt the