Nuremberg Altdstadt

At the end of WW 2, Nuremberg was more or less flattened. When it was rebuilt, unlike some cities which chose to built anew, the core centre of old Nuremberg was rebuilt like it used to be, mostly from the original stone. And Nuremberg is an old city - about a 1000 years old, and used to be the capital of the Holy Roman Empire.





The old town centre, is the centre of Nuremberg, surrounded by a wall and a moat (although the moat has no water and serves as gardens/walking paths. Inside the Altstadt, one very much gets the idea of what what old European cities must have been like, although, every now and then there is a new building (almost inevitably built of glass). With a river, largely pedestrian traffic (many roads are closed to cars), numerous cafes and shops, it sometimes even feels a bit detached from the real world.




It is a beautiful area, and in many respects almost unlike a city. People still live here, and most businesses are service businesses; but one almost gets the feeling that it is an area intended for relaxation.


Once the imperial stables, at the north end of the city, now serves as a youth hostel. Still, the guests can claim they lived in a castle ...


View from one of the castle gardens. The castle was off course built on the highest ground (in Old Nuremberg at least).


The castle (from the entrance side)


Old restored houses (near the castle)



The Schöner Brunnen, quite literally the beautiful fountain, on the market square. The market square holds the famous Christmas market, which should start the week before I leave. The golden ring apparently grants wishes if you turn it three times.


The Tugendbrunnen (Fountain of virtues). Apparently was not as controversial as ...



Ehekarussell Brunnen (Marriage Roundabout), which features 6 interpretations of marriage (first love, quarrel, death do us part etc). Quite impressive really.


Until sometime in the 19th centruy, this house over the river served as the executioner's home. There is a small museum and some interesting details on crime and punishment. The building, under refurbishment, is an old depot, now a student dorm. In fact students at the Nuremberg campus of the Erlangen-Nuremberg university have some really funky dorms.


It is quite impressive how the old and the new has been integrated. Nuremberg has a relatively small underground rail network, and there is only station actually inside the Altdtstadt. This station is one of the two on the edge, and is integrated as part of the "moat".