Nuremburg Germany

This past weekend I decided to visit the annual Easter Market (Ostermarkt in German) in Nuremburg Germany. It was going to be a gorgeous day (70’s) so it would be a great day to visit the market as well as explore Germany’s second largest city known for the famous post-war Nuremburg Trials, Nuremburg Castle, St. Lorenz Church, Schöner Brunnen and Nürnberger Bratwurst. By car, it is a little over an hour from Grafenwoehr to Nuremburg. Rather than drive, I could take in more scenery by using the German rail system called Deutsche Bahn, or DB for short. Two can travel on an all-day Bayern pass for as little as 38 euros which is about $42.00. I met up with a friend at the Freihung train station and headed out to Nuremburg.

The ride took about 52 minutes. Germany really is a beautiful place to see by train!  A ten-minute walk, the historical market (traced back to the 1400’s), is held in the Hauptmarkt Square in the castle compounds. To reach the market, you must enter through the old castle walls. 

Once inside the walls, you can shop, explore or just partake in all of the eateries and of course, beer. It was quite crowded with multiple stalls filled with booths of sweets, yummy eats, housewares and, of course, Easter wares. The big lure of the market is its medieval walls, ancient castle, bread made without any additives or preservatives, gingerbread and Nürnberger bratwurst.

Who would ever imagine that this place because of its connection to Hitler and the Nazis, was heavily bombed by allies in the 1940’s and that it was the chosen site for the war crimes trials.

You can’t walk through these German markets and not eat something! So after salivating long enough, I finally tried some of the bratwurst and bread. Absolutely the best I have ever had in my life! I read that the sausage is protected by European Union (EU) which means it can only be produced in Nuremburg! The seasoning used in these sausages is marjoram and typically grilled over beech-wood fire. At the edge of the market square is a medieval gothic fountain called the Schoner Brunnen.

             The fountain that was constructed in the 1300’s by architect Heinrich Beheim is 62 feet tall! The statues represent philosophy and the seven liberal arts (composed of two groups: the trivium, or lower studies—grammar, rhetoric, and dialectic —and the quadrivium, or higher studies—arithmetic, geometry, astronomy, and music). Below the seven liberal arts are the four church fathers. These include Ambrose, Jerome, Augustine, and Saint Gregory the Great in the Western Church, and Basil, Athanasius, Gregory of Nazianzus, and John Chrysostom in the East and the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John).  The nine worthies include three pagans (Hector, Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar), three Jews (Joshua, David and Judas Maccabeus) and three Christians (King Arthur, Charlemagne and Godfrey of Bouillon) who were legendary dignitaries. The seven holy roman electors are above the seven liberal arts. At the top sits Moses and the seven prophets (Hosea, Daniel, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Isaiah and Joel). Fortunately, the monument was not harmed in WWII.

          Located in the heart of Nuremburg and its popular dominance in the Nuremburg skyline is St. Lorenz Church. It was built in the 13 century and like many of the other structure in Nuremburg the Lorenz Church was damaged in WWII.  Being the largest church in Nuremburg, it is considered a gothic masterpiece! 

Though originally a Catholic church, it was converted to Lutheran after the renovation. St. Lorenz Church’s interior and exterior are both magnificent!

The Castle Kaiserburg is definitely a must see!. The view over the city is this castle that is an important structure of the Holy Roman Empire. 

          There was a bit of a steep climb through the cobble stone streets to get to the castle which dates back to the 13^th century. We made it to the top floor called the Sinwell Tower which houses the Tiefer Brunnen (Deep Well) and hosts a magnificent view of the city!

The structure with its incredible history was not only a prestigious residence for several emperors of the Roman empire but it was also used for administrative functions and festivities. Even though the castle was damaged during WWII, it was virtually restored to its original state. The castle is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to September, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October to March.

Nuremburg. Besides the Franconian beer, 1000-year-old castle, and bratwurst, the location alone makes it worth a visit!

All the best,

GMarie