Nuremberg Rebuilt: A Guide to its Medieval and Modern Cities

Once a medieval center-turned-industrial powerhouse, Nuremberg was destroyed in the wake of World War II. On this walking tour, you’ll see traces of the medieval city where history unfolded and a thriving Jewish community once lived. You’ll also find out how the city was rebuilt after World War II, and take in modern Nuremberg and its local hangouts.

The tour starts at Nürnberg HBF, the city’s central station, and from there goes off the beaten track into parts of the old medieval city. In Handwerkerhof Nuremberg, a modern-day artisans village, you’ll see traditional craftsmanship and have an opportunity to try local delicacies. You’ll pass by the Gothic St Lawrence Church, see the remains of former monasteries, and learn how Nuremberg converted to Lutheranism 500 years ago.

Along the way, I’ll show you the only remaining parts of the first city wall and tell you how the connecting buildings were used. I’ll point out the city’s only baroque church, St Egide and Nassau House, one of the few original medieval buildings left in the city. You’ll also see modern architecture like the Neues Museum (the New Museum and Nuremberg’s State Museum of Art and Design) and the former Bavarian State Bank, and learn about the unique way in which Nuremberg was reconstructed after World War II. The tour ends in the heart of the city at Hauptmarkt, the city’s main market square where many events and concerts are held.

Along the way, you’ll have a chance to:

• Hear about Nuremberg’s Jewish history during the medieval, industrial, and Nazi-occupied periods
• Taste the famous Lebkuchen, a local gingerbread, and try an original Nuremberg sausage
• See Gänsemännlein Brunnen (the Gooseman Well), with its brass sculpture of a farmer selling a goose
• Gaze upon the Synagogen Denkmal (the Synagogue Monument), a memorial to the Main Synagogue which was demolished in August 1938
• Learn about life in the former convents and monasteries
• Take in Pellerhaus, the elaborate house Martin Peller built to annoy wealthy families who wouldn’t let him get involved in government
• Discover how the wealthiest Patrician families lived 500 years ago, as you pass Tucher Palace
• Find out about Nuremberg citizens’ famous inventions
• Get to know Nuremberg’s role in developing a humanistic schooling system in Germany, which lives on today

By the end of this hour-long Nuremberg tour, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the city’s history as well as its modern marvels.