Nuremberg is certainly associated with imperial history in the 14th to 16th centuries, but more recently, it also earned a designation of a less savory character - in the 1930s to 1940s, this city became extremely important to the National Socialist Party, or the Nazis. Nuremberg was especially appealing to Hitler and the Nazis due to the city's importance in the glorious time of the Holy Roman Empire and its position close to the center of Germany. In 1933, Hitler made Nuremberg the site of his yearly Nazi Party Rallies, which became huge celebrations of Nazi culture, ideology, and power that took place for the next six years. It was during these rallies where much of the infamous footage of Nazi supporters hailing the Führer were filmed. And at the 1935 rallies, the first laws stripping Jews of their citizenship were drafted.
Hitler's architect, Albert Speer, had designed enormous buildings to host the Nazi Party Rallies, but a shortage of funds once war broke out meant many of these projects were either abandoned or only half completed. Today, these gigantic ruins from the Nazi era stand witness to the Nazi regime's deluded notion of grandeur, and they were my first stop that morning.
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| The Nazi Party grounds occupy four square miles behind this building, a Nazi structure that now houses a museum. In a design laden with symbolic meaning, the modern metal and glass structural additions slice straight through the preexisting Nazi building |
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| This is the Congress Hall, which, once completed, was meant to sit 50,000 people indoors |
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| Note the resemblance to the Coliseum, which was no accident. This building was over twice as large, though |
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| This is a small portion of the Great Street, which was the central axis of the rally grounds. Sixty thousand granite slabs were laid to form this enormous avenue, which is so large (200 feet wide) that the Allied forces later used it as a runway after the war |
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| This pond may look unremarkable, but at one point, this was going to be the site of the German Stadium. This arena was going to seat 400,000 and thus be the biggest in the world (the current record is 150,000 for a stadium in North Korea). Only the foundations were dug before war broke out and money dried up. The hole they left behind became this lake |
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| Another look at how enormous the Congress Hall is. That morning was cold and bleak, and the clouds seemed to suck the color out of everything. It was an oddly appropriate environment given the grim history behind the buildings I was visiting |
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| On the other side of these structures is the Zeppelin Field, a meadow that served as a parade ground for the Nazis during their party rallies. Albert Speer designed these stone stands, which encircle 3 sides of the meadow. There are just 7 towers in this picture, but in total there are 34 |
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| On the front side of the meadow is the Zepplin Tribune, an enormous set of stands complete with a speaking platform for Hitler |
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| Just one half of the Zepplin Tribune |
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| Up at the top of the stands. Hitler's platform is on the left. There used to be a huge swastika here but the Allies blew it up |
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| It makes for a strange feeling, but one can still stand where Hitler once stood and addressed over 200,000 followers on the grounds below, which are bigger than 12 football fields |
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| Out in the distance you can see the spectator stands, marking the end of the grounds |
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| This was the only way I could capture the entire Tribune in one picture |
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| The Congress Hall again |
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| In the inner court of the Congress Hall you can see that this building was never completed. This inner court was supposed to be indoors and provide seating for 50,000 people |
The Nazi buildings certainly made for a sobering but interesting start to the day. Nowhere else in Germany can so much Nazi architecture still be seen to this extent. The experience was equally chilly and eerie as it was fascinating. Also curious to see was how the facilities are blending more and more into daily life. One wing of the Congress Hall is used by a city orchestra, the Great Road is now used as a parking lot, and runners trot up and town the Zepplin Tribune just like they would any other staircase. The large meadow that once played host to enormous Nazi assemblies has since hosted concerts and other events.
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| Back in the Old Town |
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| Lorenzkirche |
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| Inside the Frauenkirche |
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| St. Sebalduskirche |
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| Inside St. Sebald Church is this reliquary shrine from 1397. The bones of Nuremberg's patron saint, Sebaldus, are presumed to be inside the silver casket |
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| The main square, by day |
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| A small crowd gathered for the Männleinlaufen, which is the name for the noontime spectacle at the Frauenkirche when the clock's figures come to life |
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| The clock was designed in 1509. The show began with the trumpet players and bell ringers moving around, then seven electoral princes came out and circled around Charlemagne three times, each turning individually to pay homage to the king |
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| With only three hours remaining before I had to be back at the hostel to ready myself for the bus trip, I ran up to the city castle, the Kaiserburg |
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| Nuremberg was the 'unofficial capital' of the Holy Roman Empire because imperial courts met at this castle. The castle was started in 12th century, but it took 400 years to complete its 45 buildings |
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| The Deep Well is a 14-th century well extending 154 feet down into the rock below the castle. To get an appreciation of how deep that is, you have to see it in person, and the guide lowers candles to illuminate how far down the water level is. Back in the day, to pull up water, a guy would have to run in a giant hamster wheel to pull up the bucket from the bottom. There's still water down there; on this particular day it was 26 feet deep |
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| I climbed the Sinwell Tower, the castle keep, to get a neat view of Nuremberg |
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| St. Sebalduskirche on the right, and the Lorenzkirche farther off in the distance on the left |
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| In the late Middle Ages, the king was the land's supreme judge. When in Nuremberg, the emperor or king used this Royal Court to pass their judgments |
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| The Imperial Chapel was built in the early 1200s and clearly demonstrates the importance of medieval heirarchy. There, on the unremarkable lower level, was where the commoners attended mass. It was only accessible from the outer yards of the castle |
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| The middle level was for higher nobility. Up on the top is a gallery just for the Emperor, which was accessible directly from his residence. Due to the opening in the floor, all three groups could "attend" mass together. The columns are marble and were transported in from the Alps |
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| From the emperor's gallery looking down onto the middle level and the lower level |
My time at the castle was up, but I still had an hour and fifteen minutes to squeeze in one last sight. I knew exactly what it was going to be: the Nuremberg courtroom.
In November 1945, 21 high-ranking Nazi officials were famously put on trial in Nuremberg for crimes against humanity (one such official was Albert Speer, the architect who designed the Nazi buildings I had visited that morning). Nuremberg was chosen as the site for the proceedings since it was an important place for the Nazi regime, and the city's Palace of Justice was spacious and mostly undamaged. It also had a prison on the complex. Twelve defendants were sentenced to death by hanging, 3 were acquitted, and the rest were imprisoned.
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| The courtroom is still in use today and has been slightly redesigned, but it still looks very similar to the courtroom one can see in footage of the trial |
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| Defendants sat in the docket on the left wall, to the right of the grand main entrance. The sunken door leads to an elevator that travels between the prison and the courtroom |
After my brief stop at the courtroom, it was time to go. I was very satisfied with how I had seen every important sight in Nuremberg in just 20 hours, but still a bit disappointed that I hadn't made it inside the Lorenzkirche. I had read that the church's interior is the prettiest in the city, but whenever I passed by that day, it had been closed. I decided it was worth just one more try, and I had 10 to 15 minutes before I absolutely had to be back at the hostel to get ready to leave for Berlin. Determined to not miss out on this one last sight, I set off at a run for the church, made it, and... it was finally open! Success!
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| This tabernacle was created by a Nuremberg sculptor named Adam Kraft in the late 1400s. The Communion wafers were stored behind the golden grate. That's a self-portrait of the artist holding up the 62-foot creation on his back |
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| Suspended over the altar, the Annunciation was carved in 1517 by a Nuremberg citizen who was one of the region's best wood carvers. It shows the angel Gabriel telling Mary that she'll be giving birth to the Messiah. Mary is so surprised that she is dropping her prayer book. God the Father looks down from above |
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| The interior took a century to complete. Many of its artworks were donated by Nurembergers trying to cut down on their time in purgatory |
What a perfect ending! I ran back to the hostel and managed to catch my bus, still out of breath. As I like saying, sightseeing is hard work, but someone's got to do it.
Nuremberg was one of my favorite German cities that I've visited this year. I love that it kept its medieval feel and city walls. I had been wanting to get a glimpse back in time since Berlin lacks such an authentic Old Town. And the city's connection with the Nazi era made for an even more interesting and informative experience.
Twelve hours of bus and train rides later, I was save and sound in Berlin, and ready for my next adventure - Austria!