Discover Nuremberg: History, Toys and Special Experiences
Accommodation in Nuremberg
Nuremberg brings together impressive evidence of the city’s history with museums, art and experiences to suit a range of interests. The Imperial Castle, Toy Museum and zoo each offer something different. If you’re travelling with family, you can decide whether your holiday should focus on historic sites, toys and animals, or several cultural themes.
The Imperial Castle and Nuremberg’s City History
The Imperial Castle is one of Europe’s most important medieval imperial palaces. On a visit, you can explore the Romanesque double chapel with a late Gothic crucifix by Veit Stoß, the 47-metre-deep shaft of the Deep Well and the Sinwell Tower. The areas open to visitors also include an extensive collection of weapons and equipment. The Imperial Castle Museum complements this experience with a permanent exhibition on the castle’s architectural history, its historical significance and the development of weapons history in the Middle Ages.
The focus at the Fembo House City Museum is on Nuremberg’s development: it tells the story of more than 950 years of city history. The building is Nuremberg’s only surviving late Renaissance merchant’s house and is located in the heart of the Old Town. It offers a different perspective from the Imperial Castle: here, the story of the city unfolds in a historic merchant’s house, while the castle tells of its role as an imperial palace.
Toys, Animals and Discoveries to Share
The Toy Museum displays historic toy treasures and modern toys across 1,400 square metres. Examples include Lego, Barbie, Playmobil and Matchbox. This mix also makes the museum interesting for families in which adults and children may have different memories or preferences. During your visit, you can discover both historical pieces and familiar toy brands.
Nuremberg Zoo is home to the Dolphin Lagoon, the tropical-style Manatee House and the Children’s Zoo. Another special feature is the “Kleiner Adler” miniature railway: it is a scale model of Germany’s first railway, built to a 1:2 scale. This means a day out can take in a range of interests, from animals to railway history. These are different experiences from a museum visit and can help shape your choice of holiday activities.
Art, Crafts and Remembrance
The Way of Human Rights is a walk-through work of art comprising 27 concrete columns, each eight metres high. One article of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is engraved on each column, as well as on the oak column that interrupts the sequence and on two ground plaques—in German and in one other language each. If you’re interested in public art, this work brings you face to face with a design closely connected to the substance of human rights.
Nuremberg’s 20th-century history is another important subject in the city. At the former Nazi Party Rally Grounds, a comprehensive information system enables visitors to learn about the Nazi Party rallies on site. The former grounds around Dutzendteich are now also used as a recreational area and event venue. The Memorium Nuremberg Trials provides information about the Nuremberg Trials at the original site. Parts of the original dock from Courtroom 600, along with historical audio and film documents, give an impression of the proceedings.
More Experiences in Nuremberg
St Lawrence’s Church is home to the three-part Lorenzer organ, with more than 12,000 pipes and 165 stops. Modern art and design are the focus at the Neues Museum Nuremberg, whose architecture provides a setting for temporary exhibitions. At the Craftsmen’s Courtyard, visitors can watch craftspeople at work. The traditional crafts still practised here include gingerbread making, leatherworking, glass painting and glass grinding, pottery, pewter casting, wood burning and goldsmithing.
Beneath Nuremberg, the Historic Rock-Cut Cellars extend across more than 20,000 square metres of underground cellars, forming the largest interconnected cellar labyrinth in southern Germany. After a tour of the underground rock-cut passages and the Altstadthof brewery, you can sample traditional Nuremberg red beer. The Christkindlesmarkt, meanwhile, is closely associated with the figure of the Nuremberg Christ Child. These different themes can help you choose the focus of your stay—city history, crafts or Nuremberg traditions, for example.
Nuremberg offers a range of themes, without requiring you to limit your stay to just one.
If you’d like to explore more places, you can also find Boxdorf and Worzeldorf here.
For the broader travel overview: Nuremberg Land.
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