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Hohenzollernresidenz Ansbach - historisch und charmant

Über 1250 Jahre wechselvolle Geschichte hat in Ansbach deutliche Spuren hinterlassen. Zahlreiche beeindruckende Baudenkmäler wie die ehemalige Hofkanzlei, die Kirchen St. Johannis und St. Gumbertus, die Markgräfliche Residenz mit ihren 27 Prunkräumen und die prächtige Orangerie im barocken Hofgarten zeugen noch heute von der glanzvollen Vergangenheit der einstigen Residenzstadt.

Wenn sich die Dämmerung langsam über den sommerlichen Hofgarten senkt, kostbare Stoffe rascheln und schillern, dann erwacht im zwei jährigen Turnus vor der imposanten Kulisse der Orangerie das 18. Jahrhundert zu neuem Leben. So authentisch und zauberhaft bei den Rokoko-Festspielen lässt sich die Barockzeit nur selten erleben.

In Ansbach kommen aber nicht nur kulturinteressierte Gäste, sondern auch Radfahrer und Wanderer auf ihre Kosten: Für Wanderer sind Rundtouren von 3 bis 24 Kilometern Länge von Ansbach aus markiert und bieten jedem Fitnesslevel und Zeitbedarf den richtigen Anspruch. Überregional kann man auf dem Europäischen Wasserscheideweg von Ansbach aus die 97 Km Gesamtstrecke auf mehreren Tagesetappen wandern. Bei den Radwegen die nach Ansbach führen hat der Radler die Auswahl: Burgenstraßen Radweg, ErlebnisRadweg Hohenzollern, Fränkischer Karpfenradweg, Fränkischer WasserRadweg oder Markgrafen Radweg. Zur Stärkung kann man sich die regionalen Köstlichkeiten: Spargel, Karpfen und die Ansbacher Bratwurst schmecken lassen. Die Stadt verdankt letzterer die Ernennung zu einem der "100 Genussorte Bayerns".

Zusatzinfos

Virtuelle einblicke, ansbach tourist information, markgräfliche residenz.

Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Platz 1

91522 Ansbach

0981 51243 E-Mail Website

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Aquella Freizeitbad

Wohnmobilstellplatz am Freizeitbad "Aquella"

Hohenzollernresidenz Ansbach - historisch und charmant

Über 1250 Jahre wechselvolle Geschichte hat in Ansbach deutliche Spuren hinterlassen. Zahlreiche beeindruckende Baudenkmäler wie die ehemalige Hofkanzlei, die Kirchen St. Johannis und St. Gumbertus, die Markgräfliche Residenz mit ihren 27 Prunkräumen und die prächtige Orangerie im barocken Hofgarten zeugen noch heute von der glanzvollen Vergangenheit der einstigen Residenzstadt.

Wenn sich die Dämmerung langsam über den sommerlichen Hofgarten senkt, kostbare Stoffe rascheln und schillern, dann erwacht im zwei jährigen Turnus vor der imposanten Kulisse der Orangerie das 18. Jahrhundert zu neuem Leben. So authentisch und zauberhaft bei den Rokoko-Festspielen lässt sich die Barockzeit nur selten erleben.

In Ansbach kommen aber nicht nur kulturinteressierte Gäste, sondern auch Radfahrer und Wanderer auf ihre Kosten: Für Wanderer sind Rundtouren von 3 bis 24 Kilometern Länge von Ansbach aus markiert und bieten jedem Fitnesslevel und Zeitbedarf den richtigen Anspruch. Überregional kann man auf dem Europäischen Wasserscheideweg von Ansbach aus die 97 Km Gesamtstrecke auf mehreren Tagesetappen wandern. Bei den Radwegen die nach Ansbach führen hat der Radler die Auswahl: Burgenstraßen Radweg, ErlebnisRadweg Hohenzollern, Fränkischer Karpfenradweg, Fränkischer WasserRadweg oder Markgrafen Radweg. Zur Stärkung kann man sich die regionalen Köstlichkeiten: Spargel, Karpfen und die Ansbacher Bratwurst schmecken lassen. Die Stadt verdankt letzterer die Ernennung zu einem der "100 Genussorte Bayerns".

Zusatzinfos

Ansbach Tourist Information

Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Platz 1

91522 Ansbach

0981 51243 E-Mail Website

Impressionen

Top Things to Do in Ansbach, Germany - Ansbach Must-See Attractions

Things to do in ansbach, tours near ansbach.

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Top attractions in ansbach.

Other Top Attractions around Ansbach

What travellers are saying

• Ansbach Residenz
• Raubtier- und Exotenasyl Ansbach
• St. Gumbertus Kirche
• Die Synagoge in Ansbach
• Hofgarten Ansbach
• Bastionsgarten Mit Pflanzen Aus Dem Hortus Eystettensis

THE 15 BEST Things to Do in Ansbach

Things to do in ansbach, tours near ansbach.

Nuremberg Old Town and Nazi Party Rally Grounds Walking Tour in English

Nuremberg WWII Tour, Courtroom 600 and 3rd Reich Sites

Rothenburg ob der Tauber Private Walking Tour With A Professional Guide

PRIVATE Nuremberg Trials & Rally Grounds Tour

Former Nazi Rally Ground And Courtroom 600 Tour

Nuremberg Private Walking Tour: Old Town and Nazi Rally Grounds

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Top attractions in ansbach.

Other Top Attractions around Ansbach

What travellers are saying

• Ansbach Residenz
• Raubtier- und Exotenasyl Ansbach
• St. Gumbertus Kirche
• Die Synagoge in Ansbach
• Hofgarten Ansbach
• Bastionsgarten Mit Pflanzen Aus Dem Hortus Eystettensis

• 1 Understand
• 2.1 By train
• 2.2 By plane
• 3 Get around

Ansbach is the administrative capital of Middle Franconia , largely due to having been a residence of the Margraves of Ansbach-Bayreuth in the past. At roughly 40,000 inhabitants, it is by far not the largest city in Middle Franconia.

Understand [ edit ]

The town of Ansbach served as the residence of a cadet branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty and capital of a petty margravial state from the 14th to 19th century. One of the most famous Prussian military marches ("Hohenfriedberger") is a tribute to the Ansbach dragoons. The margraviate of Ansbach was annexed by Bavaria in 1806. For historic reasons, the former residence (rather than the much bigger city of Nuremberg) still serves as the administrative seat of Middle Franconia, hosting a number of agencies, courts and educational facilities that is disproportional to the size of the town.

Kaspar Hauser, a mysterious foundling who claimed to have grown up in complete isolation, lived in Ansbach from 1831 until his violent death two years later. Some believed him to be the abducted heir to the throne of Baden, while others considered him a patent liar and a fraud. Before he succumbed to his injuries, Hauser claimed that he had been assassinated in the court garden; most experts however believe that his injuries were self-inflicted (without suicidal intent) in order to gain attention.

Ansbach is home to an American Army Garrison which has been downsized in the course of post-Cold War withdrawal from Germany.

Get in [ edit ]

By train [ edit ], by plane [ edit ].

The next commercial airport is in Nuremberg ( NUE  IATA ). From there take U2 to the main station (~12 minutes) and S4 or regional train to Ansbach (~1 hour altogether).

Get around [ edit ]

Most of the sights are in the old town which is less than a kilometer in diameter. Within this area, as well as the neighbouring residence and court garden, everything is accessible by foot. Cars should be parked outside the old town with its narrow lanes, one-ways and pedestrian zones.

See [ edit ]

Ansbach has a lovely and well-maintained old town.

• 49.301165 10.58049 6 Court garden ( Hofgarten ). Extensive and idyllic French-styled garden, including limetree avenues, lawns, flower parterre, orangery and citrus house. A medicinal plant garden was layed out according to the works of 16th-century botanist and physician Leonhart Fuchs (name giver of the fuchsia). A stele marks the place where Kaspar Hauser was supposedly assassinated: Hic occultus occulto occisus est ("The mysterious one was killed here in a mysterious way"). ( updated Jan 2019 )

Do [ edit ]

• The surroundings of Ansbach are picturesque and inviting for a cycling tour . However they are quite hilly, so if you are not trained at all, you may opt for an e-bike.

Buy [ edit ]

Eat [ edit ].

• 49.30229 10.579746 1 Restaurant Orangerie , Promenade 33 , ☏ +49 981-2170 .  
• 49.303236 10.573549 2 Schwarzer Bock , Pfarrstraße 31 , ☏ +49 981-42124-0 . Kitchen daily 12:00–20:30, drinks until 21:30 . A traditional down home Franconian place with a beer garden. Try the Schäufala , a pork shoulder with a bacon-like crust. Mains €9–19 .  
• 49.300431 10.574922 3 Café Karl , Karlstraße 7 . Cozy Café with cake and an outdoor seating area.  

Drink [ edit ]

• 49.301729 10.572738 1 Brasserie-Lounge , Schwanenstraße 7 . W-Su opening 19:00, closing around midnight on weeknights, around 05:00 on weekends . The family-run pub is owned by a German-Taiwanese couple and boasts an impressive menu of spirits (listing some 420 different drinks, including some high-end whiskys, cognacs and champagne). Usually the last pub in town to close. Snacks and fastfood served all night. The pub's highlight is called "Wheel of Death": a wheel of fortune, where you pay a fix price and the drink you will get is determined by chance, it may be an upscale whisky or armagnac at best or "dishwater" at worst. 0.5l beer €2.70, spirits at €1.80 to €40 a shot, longdrinks starting at €4, cocktails €7 up . ( updated Jan 2019 )
• 49.302064 10.574058 2 Café Klatsch , Kronenstraße 1 . M-Sa 17:00-01:00, closed on Sundays . Popular cafe and pub in the old town, with tables on the street and in the patio during Summer. Occasionally hosts small concerts, jam sessions or pub quiz. 0.5l draught beer €2.90 . ( updated Jan 2019 )
• 49.303138 10.567492 3 Café Störtebecker und Joes Waschsalon , Würzburger Straße 18 . M 13:00-00:00, Tu-Th 14:00-00:00, F 14:00-02:00, Sa 14:00-03:00, closed on Sundays . Quirky pub with bizarre interior, including a laundrette. Meeting place of left-wing and subcultural groups, cards and bord game nerds. A football table is available, drinks are incredibly cheap. The publican is a character (but should not be argued with). shots and longdrinks €2.50, 0.5l beer €2 to 2.50 . ( updated Jan 2019 )

Sleep [ edit ]

• 49.317488 10.540282 3 Landgasthof Schwarzes Roß , Wasserzell 21 ( 3 km (1.9 mi) from downtown ), ☏ +49 981-4874561 . double from €84 (early booking from €70). .  

Connect [ edit ]

Nearby [ edit ].

Go next [ edit ]

• Franconian Lake District , including Gunzenhausen (30 km southeast; 18 min by train)
• Rothenburg ob der Tauber , 35 km northwest (40 min by train via Steinach), international symbol of a romantic-medieval German town
• Dinkelsbühl , 40 km southwest (1 hr by bus 805), another romantic-medieval, a little less crowded than Rothenburg
• Nuremberg , 45 km northeast (30–40 min by train)
• Altmühl Valley nature park, including Treuchtlingen (50 km south of Ansbach; 35 min by train), Weißenburg , Pappenheim, Solnhofen, Eichstätt – Altmühl cycling path is one of the most popular bike trails in Southern Germany, passing many natural and cultural sights; alternatively you may travel along the river by canoe.
• Nördlingen , 60 km south
• Schwäbisch Hall , 70 km southwest (1 hr by train via Crailsheim)

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• Ansbach: Hauptstadt der (Mittel-)Franken

Ansbach, the capitol of the region of Middle Franconia and former residence of the Margraves of Brandenburg- Ansbach, can look back at more than 1250 years of interesting and changing history. The city, which today has more than 40,000 inhabitants, is located on the history-filled Castle Road and borders the forested Frankenhöhe Nature Reserve. With its wealth of historical sights and treasures, Ansbach has a special status among the cities of Franconia. Impressive historical buildings such as the court chancellery, the churches of St. John and St. Gumbertus, the Residence with its 27 state rooms and the splendid Orangery in the court garden reveal the glorious past of this former royal residence.

Today, modern educational institutions such as the Ansbach Technical College, medium-sized companies in the plastics, food and electrical industries, various government offices and an attractive shopping area in the city center mark the former garrison town. Ansbach presents its guests with a wide offering of art, culture and events such as the Rococo Festival, the Bach Festival or the Kaspar Hauser Theater Festival.

There are many conference facilities and opportunities for active leisure time activities and the city is easy to reach, as it is located near a highway and has a central train station.

At a glance

Information, opening hours, amt für kultur & tourismus ansbach:.

Mo - Fr: 9.00 - 17.00 Uhr Sa: 10.00 - 14.00 Uhr

This might interest you:

Top Sights to See in Ansbach Old Town, Bavaria, Germany

Top sights in Ansbach other than the Baroque Residenz palace include the St Gumbertus church with its Schwanenritterkapelle and the Lichtenau Fortress.

The top sight in Ansbach is the Markgräfliches Residenz (Margrave Palace) with the Hofgarten (Court Garden) but it is rewarding to stroll through the romantic old town with its faux-Baroque buildings. A brief walk through the old town is rewarding.

Top Sights to See in Old Town Ansbach, Bavaria

From the Ansbacher Residenz, stroll into the old town along Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Platz. Note the Behringershof with an impressive courtyard and staircase tower from the 16th century. Many of the Baroque houses in Ansbach actually have half-timbered cores but received Baroque facades during the 18th century when the medieval look was decidedly out of fashion.

St. Gumbertus, Johann-Sebastian-Bach-Platz, tel 0981-13-890, is the oldest building in town. Its crypt dates from the 11th century. It has an interesting façade with a large tower flanked by two smaller ones. The Gothic choir has the impressive Schwanenritterkapelle (Swan Knights Chapel), while the nave is a more sober 18th-century work clearly reminding that this church is Lutheran. Since 1975, the St. Gumbertus church has housed the Fürstengruft with the tombs of 25 margraves. The church is open daily during daylight hours while the Fürstengruft is open from May to September on Friday and Saturday from 3 to 5 pm, and Sunday from 11 am to noon and 3 to 5 pm.

On the opposite side of the Markt, behind the 1532 Stadthaus (Town House) with the tourist office, is St. Johannis (St John’s), Martin-Luther-Platz, a 15th-century triple nave church. Behind the church is a small section of the surviving town walls.

The Markgrafen-Museum (Local History), Kaspar-Hauser-Platz, tel 0981-977-5056, has a modern display on the history of the margraviate including a large collection of porcelain. Particularly popular with German tourists is the section on Kaspar Hauser (see Ansbach Culture for more on Kaspar Hauser). Opening hours are from 10 am to 5 pm, daily from May to September, and Tuesday to Sunday from October to April. Admission is €2.50.

At the south of Ansbach’s old town is a rare mid-18th-century Baroque Synagogue (Synagogue), Rosenbadstraße. It is one of the best-preserved examples in southern Germany. The interior can only be seen while on the tourist office’s town walk.

The nearby Herrieder Tor (Town Gate) has a 15th-century base but the upper levels are not surprisingly Baroque from the mid-18th century. Late Baroque and neo-Classical buildings line the Promenade that leads back to the palace and Hofgarten.

Festung Lichtenau near Ansbach

Around 10 km/6 miles from Ansbach is the small town Lichtenau. The main sight here is Festung Lichtenau (fortress), tel 09827-1235. Visitors familiar with Nürnberg will instantly notice how this fortress resembles the Kaisersburg in Nürnberg. This is no coincidence. In 1406, the Free Imperial City of Nürnberg purposely bought Lichtenau to be a thorn in the flesh of the burgrave (and later margrave) of Nürnberg, who earlier bought nearby Ansbach.

In both Margrave Wars, the Lichtenau fortress fell without being defended and was completely destroyed by Margrave Albrecht Alchibiades in 1552. Nürnberg rebuilt it in 1558 as a mighty citadel but Lichtenau never again suffered an attack from the margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach.

Festung Lichtenau fortress is used by the Nürnberg State Archives and is not open to the public. However, the exterior is worth seeing, as is the courtyard that is open for free from 8 am to 8 pm, 6 pm in winter.

More on Romantic Franconia:

• Romantic Franconia Overview
• Ansbach’s Baroque Residence and the Hohenzollern Connection
• Ansbach’s Old Town Sights
• Cultural Events in Ansbach & Kaspar Hauser
• Romanesque Church in Heilsbronn
• Colmberg Castle with Cheap Hotel & Restaurant
• Bad Windsheim – Open Air Museum, Spa, and Model Trains
• Open-Air Adventures in Romantic Franconia
• Hotels and Restaurants in Romantische Franken Towns

About the author:

Henk Bekker

Henk Bekker is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing online. He is particularly interested in history, art, and culture. He has lived most of his adult life in Germany, Switzerland, and Denmark. In addition to European-Traveler.com , he also owns a travel website on the Lake Geneva region of Switzerland and maintains statistical websites on car sales and classic car auction prices . Henk holds an MBA from Edinburgh Business School and an MSc in Development Finance from the University of London.

Home » Germany » Top Sights to See in Ansbach Old Town, Bavaria, Germany

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Explore Ansbach

Plan Your Trip to Ansbach: Best of Ansbach Tourism

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Things to Do in Ansbach, Germany - Ansbach Attractions

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31. Heilig-Kreuz-Kirche - Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirchengemeinde Ansbach - St. Johannis

32. der ansbacher friedhof bei heilig-kreuz, 33. die leerstelle, 34. große köpfe mit durchblick: malsche und lech.

35. Fischbrunnen

36. frau mit hund, 37. markgraf georg brunnen.

38. August Graf von Platen-Hallermünde

39. kaspars baum, 40. ans-bach-säule, 41. sankt gumbertus statue, 42. tourist information, 43. landgericht ansbach, 44. bastionsgarten mit pflanzen aus dem hortus eystettensis, 45. simon marius - friedrich schelle (1991), 46. stadtarchiv ansbach, 47. musen - ernst steinacker, 48. schelmbrunnen, 49. johann peter uz, 50. fortuna - jürgen goertz, 51. action-area-ansbach.

52. backstage

54. Moose Lounge

55. capitol kinocenter, 56. tanzschule springer, 57. alpenmax.

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Attractions in Ansbach

The top 10 attractions in ansbach.

Marktplatz Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Hiking Highlight

The guest information desk of the Rothenburg Tourism Service with all hiking and cycling maps is located in the former Ratstinkstube. Opening times: rothenburg-tourismus.de/service/oeffnungszeiten It goes high up at the … read more

Bike Touring Highlight

Nice bike path with great surroundings

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Historische Altstadt Dinkelsbühl

With its romantic half-timbered houses, the massive and completely preserved city wall, the narrow streets and the lively market place Dinkelsbühl seems to have sprung directly from a fairytale movie. … read more

Tip by Sebastian Kowalke

Ornbau is a small town on the Altmühl. The medieval buildings that can be seen here, such as the stone bridge in front of the city gate, make Ornbau a typical Franconian town.

Die Altstadt von Dinkelsbühl ist absolut sehenswert

Dinkelsbühl is on the Romantic Road, which says it all. However, it is also a bit overcrowded. If you like the Middle Ages, half-timbered houses and historic buildings, this is the place for you.

• Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is world-famous for its historic old town, which is so well and completely preserved that you can really experience the Middle Ages there. The market square … read more

Alte Stadtmauer mit Wehrgang

The city wall in Rothenburg leads around the whole city. The route from the Klingentor to the Spitaltor is completely accessible. On the side facing the valley, it is only … read more

Tip by Thomas🍀

Unterhalb von Rothenburg ob der Tauber

Very nice, the Tauber in the valley and high above the silhouette of the medieval city.

Stadtmauer Rothenburg

Kobolzeller tor.

The Kobolzeller Tor is a powerful fortification that allowed access to the city from the southwest. The Kobolzeller Tor was built in the middle of the 14th century. The gate … read more

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Explore the most popular Tours in Ansbach

Discover the most popular attractions in ansbach.

Are you keen on exploring more awesome places nearby? Browse our guides:

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Still not found the Highlight you’re looking for? See guides of the top attractions in other regions:

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Ansbach Is An Ancient Baroque Town Rich In History

Ansbach is an ancient town formed around the building of a Benedictine monastery by Franconian noble, Gumbertus. This Franconian noble was later canonized. In 1221, Ansbach officially became a town and people have visited the town and its beautiful village ever since.

Your first stop should be the beautiful Castle of the Margraves of Brandenburg-Ansbach. The castle was rebuilt in the 17th century and boasts gorgeous Baroque architecture and interiors that you don’t want to miss.

The Margrave museum provides visitors with a rich insight into the town and its formation surrounding the 8th-century Benedictine abbey.

— Top Areas Of Interest

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You also don’t want to miss the beautiful churches of St. Gumbertus and St. Johannis which were both built in the 15th century. Both churches boast beautiful architecture as well as a place to relax your mind and feet for a few minutes.

Another church you’ll want to visit is the Gambertus Church, a gorgeous 3-towered Protestant church which hosts occasional concerts and recitals. Call to find out specific times for various concerts and recitals if you’re interested.

The beautiful Court Garden, also known as the Hofgarten , will quickly grab your attention with its gorgeous greenery. Relax for a few moments in nature and breathe in the fresh air.

The Kaspar Hauser Monument is definitely worth a mention. There is a tale that is widely debated about Kaspar Hauser who is known to be an abandoned child who lived in 19th century Germany. Hauser is believed to have ties to the royal House of Baden. For further information on Kaspar Hauser, google the name, and you’ll be able to find plenty of information on this debatable and interesting tale.

As your day comes to a close in this gorgeous Ansbach, take a stroll through Wolframs-Eschenbach. Wolframs-Eschenbach is a small town which was founded in the middle ages. The town has fortunately very well maintained its 500-year old structures and architecture. It was named for the Minnesinger Wolfram von Eschenbach who was a medieval poet.

You’re certain to enjoy your visit to Ansbach, an ancient and beautiful German town in the stunning and unique state of Bavaria .

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Name: Ansbach Established: 748 Population: ~40,000 ZIP: 91522 Phone: 0981

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Joh-Seb-Bach-Platz 1

91522 Ansbach

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A small city-run tourist information office with normal business hours (Saturday hours are from 1000 to 1400) at the edge of the prominent John Sebastian Bach Platz/Square. A lady who was manning this office during our visit was very friendly, pleasant and willing to assists you with any questions you might have. As usually the case with this type of business, there are some photo books, typical souvenir items (such as mugs and T-shirts) you can purchase if you so desire. Selections are somewhat limited, and you probably can find better selections elsewhere, but some items may be only purchased here. If you happen to be visiting Ansbach, this is a must stop to find out some tourist information and having all your questions answered effortlessly.

Official sign with hours, pardon the extension cord...

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Nuremberg, Germany

Where is nuremberg.

Nuremberg is the second largest city in Bavaria after Munich and is at #14 for the biggest German city overall.

It has a population of more than half a million in the city administrative area alone and the metropolitan region, which includes the neighbouring towns of Fürth, Schwabach and Erlangen , increases the number of inhabitants to 3.5 million.

Despite the size of the city, Nuremberg really is one of the 'must-see' destinations in the southern part of Germany. It has bucketloads of history and culture and boasts its own famous culinary specialities and events, such as the famous Nuremberg Christmas Market.

Nuremberg - Try These Things To Do

• Get a great view over the Old Town Climb to the top of the tower at Nuremberg Castle and take in the panorama over the city with the spires of the Sebald church and Lorenz church and the surrounding countryside.
• Munch on Nuremberg's traditional street snack You will see the sausage stands all over the centre of the old city. Try ordering ' Drei im Weggla ' (which means 'three in a bun' in Nuremberg dialect) and you will get three small but very tasty local Nuremberg sausages in a crusty roll. Add mustard if you wish...
• Take a train out to the former Nazi Party rally grounds Nuremberg history features a very dark period, but the stroll around the former parade area and lakes is both interesting and scenic. A visit to the Documentation Centre adds background for those who are interested.
• Explore the Nuremberg beer cellars Not the 'Bierkellers', although that is a possibility afterwards, but the rock tunnels carved out of sandstone where beer was once stored after it was brewed. The local beer is known as 'Rotbier' ('red beer', apparently similar to Vienna lager).
• Visit one of Nuremberg's many museums From the local history of the Stadtmuseum to the motorbikes and printing works at the Museum for Industrial Culture to the art and culture of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum ( Museum of German Cultural History ) to the fun of the Toy Museum.

Nuremberg is a city that will captivate you with its rich history, culture, and cuisine. Whether you’re looking for a comfortable hotel or apartment, a trendy hostel or guesthouse, or something in between, you’ll find the perfect place to stay in Nuremberg.

Our Places To See page offers a series of shots of the city with short descriptions: Nuremberg Sights

Our culinary specialities page will give you a little bit more information about some of the Franconian delights to be found in the city: Food & Drink in Nuremberg

How to get to Nuremberg

Albrecht dürer airport.

Albrecht Dürer Airport Nürnberg is situated to the north of Nuremberg and connected to the city by one of the U-Bahn underground rail lines. It is just off the Nürnberg Nord junction on the A3 motorway which loops around the city.

The journey on the underground U2 line takes around 12 minutes from the main Nuremberg railway station.

The airport itself is mainly used for holiday flights but there are non-stop services to major destinations around Europe and a number of low-cost airlines using the airport as a base. Website : www.airport-nuernberg.de

Nearest airports to Nuremberg

The airport at Nuremberg itself is obviously the best option - the problem is that the relatively small airport only has a restricted range of flights.

Distance to Nuremberg Airport: 8km Distance to Munich Airport: 159km Distance to Frankfurt Airport: 220km

The other two options listed above are two of Germany's largest airports and are likely to offer all the destinations that any international traveller would need, as well as having good public transport and motorway connections to the town.

Train stations in Nuremberg

Nuremberg's main train station is located to the southeast of the southern section of the old town, just outside the former city walls. It is part of the high-speed rail link between Berlin and Munich and thus has good national and international connections to destinations such as Hamburg, Passau , Karlsruhe and Frankfurt.

Nuremberg has an underground train network which links into the railway station and covers the southern bank of the old town, the airport, the Messe trade show area and stops out in the direction of Fürth.

The Nuremberg S-Bahn regional trains cover routes in a number of directions: for example, north to Fürth, Erlangen and Bamberg ; west to Ansbach ; and south to Schwabach.

Where to stay in Nuremberg

As a large city, Nuremberg has plenty of accommodation options of all shapes and sizes. Those who are visiting the city for the first time will probably want to stay near the historic centre for ease of access to the main sights.

Nuremberg accommodation map

If you know when you are planning to go but haven't decided on accommodation, then use the map below to get an idea of which properties are available and to compare prices during the period you wish to travel.

Enter your proposed dates and use the '+' to zoom in on a location and reveal more properties. Click on the price above a property to see more information.

( Please note that this selection will also include some guesthouses, pensions and self-catering apartments for those who are interested in that form of accommodation !)

Check Nuremberg accommodation availability

Alternatively, if you would like a list of properties available on your proposed dates of travel, use the search box below to find accommodation:

Nuremberg, Nuremburg or Nürnberg?

In English, the proper spelling of the town is Nuremberg, with two 'e's (although Nuremburg is a very common error). In German, the town is known as Nürnberg and the endings of the name can change when it is used as a location description (for example, 'Nürnberger Bratwurst' when talking about the local Nuremberg sausages).

A Brief History of Nuremberg

Nuremberg has enough dark episides in its history that it is something of a relief to be able to start with a romantic legend from the early days.

The first actual mention of Nuremberg (or Norenberc , as it was written then) was in 1050 when a noble Richolf petitioned for the freedom for a serf named Sigena. It is thought that the petition was in order to marry and to legitimise their children and the line of succession. The date of the petition, July 16, is considered the city birthday.

To be more realistic, there is evidence of settlement going back before that time, with archaeological finds from the 9th century. Although there were probably people living in the general area, the specific location of where the city now stands was unsuitable because of the potential of flooding from the Pegnitz river and the fact that the open sandy ground was hard to farm on.

Nonetheless, the hill where Nuremberg Castle now stands was a good defensive site and it seems that there were a number of inhabitants clustered around early fortifications by the middle of the 11th century, which was when the town received the right to hold a market, the right to mint its own coins and the right to levy tolls on goods passing through the area.

These were all major steps for a settlement to achieve on the way to economic growth in the Middle Ages and, by the middle of the 11th century, Nuremberg had grown important enough to host an Imperial Palace (a 'Kaiserpfalz'). These were stops along the way for the Holy Roman Emperor, who had no territory which he could call his own.

Even though there was no imperial capital, Nuremberg had a good argument to be the unofficial centre of the Empire, with the Imperial Diets (the 'parliaments' of the time) being frequently held there. In fact, an edict issued in the 14th century decreed that every Emperor must hold his first Imperial Diet in Nuremberg.

Economically, Nuremberg also had another advantage in that it stood at the crossroads of a number of international trade routes and, of course, the Imperial importance attached to the city meant that many traders and buyers used it as a marketplace.

The boom in population and economy also attracted artists and sculptors looking for patrons - Albrecht Dürer was perhaps the most famous of many renowned names who made their base in the city during the 15th and 16th centuries.

Albrecht Dürer and Nuremberg

Albrecht Dürer, the most important of German painters, helped change the way that artists looked at portraiture and landscape and ushered in the era of the Renaissance.

Dürer was born in the 15th century to a Hungarian goldsmith who had emigrated to Nuremberg. At first he apprenticed to his father in the same trade, but later his artistic talent led to him learning from the most famous artist in Nuremberg at that time.

Having finished his apprenticeshop, Dürer took off on the first of his travels - something he was to do repeatedly during his life. On his return, he married to the daughter of another Nuremberg craftsman and his new status as husband allowed him to set up in business for himself.

Many of Dürer's most famous works come from the time at the beginning of the 16th century when he lived in Nuremberg at the foot of the castle. The house where he lived dates from 1420 and is a typical timber-framed structure which would have been used by a prosperous inhabitant from those days.

It has been used as a museum of his life and work since the 19th century and contains exhibitions of printing and artistic techniques from his era as well as historical copies of some of his best-known works. The museum is open all week in high summer and during the Christmas market - otherwise it is closed on Mondays. Website : museums.nuernberg.de

In its time of prosperity, Nuremberg had become quite a large 'city-state' but the later stages of the Middles Ages with its succession of wars in central Europe and the changes in trade routes over the years meant that the city's territory gradually shrunk and that balance sheet deteriorated.

By the time of the Napoleonic Wars, Nuremberg was in desperate financial straits and asked to be incorporated into Prussia. That never happened, but it did finally join Bavaria as part of the Confederation of the Rhine alliance in 1806, with Bavaria agreeing to accept the debts of Nuremberg.

Freed from the weight of the debt and liberated by the end of the campaigns by and against Napoleon, Nuremberg started its slow climb into the industrial era.

Germany's first train ran between Nuremberg and the nearby town of Fürth and major manufacturers such as Siemens, AEG and Staedler turned the city into an economic centre for northern Bavaria. At the same time it was rediscovered by romantics looking for an idealised German past and finding it in the history of the ancient buildings and events.

This view of Nuremberg as a representative of 'lost Germanic greatness' was something that was shared by the the Nazi Party, who rose to power in the 1930s.

Nuremberg and the Nazi Party

For a city that is so closely associated with the Nazi atrocities of the 20th century, Nuremberg has actually always had a reputation as a 'red' workers' centre.

Nonetheless, some of the most famous features of National Socialism were closely connected to Nuremberg:

The Nuremberg Rallies

Nuremberg had been attractive to the extreme right because of its romantic association with German pre-eminence and culture in the Middle Ages. Rallies by the National Socialists started as relatively small events and were held in the city because it was reasonably accessible from all over Germany and because the Nazis had a strong foothold in the region around Nuremberg.

Once Hitler had come to power, Nuremberg became known as the "City of Nazi Party Rallies" (" Stadt der Reichsparteitage ") and played host to hundreds of thousands of participants and spectators in annual propaganda events designed to display fanatical support for decisions already made by the leaders.

The rallies were held out Luitpoldhain area to the southeast of Nuremberg. This had been a park area with lakes but it was remodelled with grandiose architectural plans which were never completed. Photos of the military parades and spectators from that time are frequently from the Luitpoldhain parade area, which was demolished after the war.

What remains from the wartime are the Kongresshalle - designed at the time to be the largest stadium in the world - and the Zeppelin Field with its viewing galleries, which was also used for formation marching and other events during the Rallies. The Max Morlock stadium - home of the famous traditional football club 1. FC Nürnberg - stands on the original structure, which was used for Hitler Youth events.

One wing of the Kongresshalle is now given over to the 'Dokumentationszentrum Reichsparteitagsgelände' (' Documentation Centre Nazi Party Parade Grounds '). The centre has a permanent exhibition entitled "Fascination and Terror", which details the rise to power of the NSDAP and the role which the Nuremberg Rallies played in this.

The Documentation Centre is open every day, with slightly restricted hours at the weekend. Website : museums.nuernberg.de

The Nuremberg Race Laws

The proclamations which became known as the Nuremberg Race Laws were first announced at the Nuremberg rally in 1935. The laws removed German citizenship from German Jews and forbade marriages or sexual relations between Jews and "Germans or those of related blood".

The laws were the first time that the racial theories of the Nazis were institutionalised and, following the Olympic Games in 1936, led to further and more oppressive measures before the establishment of the extermination and forced labour camps.

The laws were based not on religion but on race, so a persons 'eligibility' to remain a German was based on degrees of family relationships.

The Nuremberg Trials

The Nuremburg Trials is the name given to the tribunals held to prosecute high-ranking Nazi war criminals following the end of the World War II. Nuremberg was chosen as a venue for practical reasons, as the Palace of Justice in the city was undamaged and large enough to hold the proceedings, and for symbolic reasons, given the prominence of the city in Nazi ideology and propaganda.

Twenty-four of the leading members of government, industrialists, Nazi Party leaders and military officers were prosecuted for war crimes in the main trial, which started in 1946 at the end of World War II. Two committed suicide, some were acquitted and 12 were sentenced to death.

This International Military Tribunal was followed by 12 other trials presided over by the occupying American military. Just under 1,700 defendants were prosecuted with around 1400 being found guilty and less than 200 being sentenced to death.

The Palace of Justice now houses a museum dedicated to the Nuremberg trials. The Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse (' Nuremberg Trials Memorial ') is located on the top floor of the courthouse. Courtroom 600, where the trials actually took place, can be visited when it is not in use as it is still a functioning courtroom. The Palace of Justice is located west of the city centre and is near the Bärenschanze underground stop on the U1 line. Website : museums.nuernberg.de

Nuremberg had suffered heavily from bombing raids and from fighting at the end of the Second World War. Much of the historic town centre had been destroyed and there was a debate about how to rebuild the city.

Eventually many, though not all, of the historic buildings were reconstructed and inhabitants flocked to the city as the 'Wirtschaftwunder' (' business boom ') took hold. Jobs available rose by 50% from the Fifties to the Sixties and the city continued to expand, helped by major infrastructure investments such as the airport and the underground rail system.

Other towns in Middle Franconia

Ansbach is known for its old town, with historic buildings such as the Ansbach Residence, home to the former rulers of Ansbach. It is the administrative headquarters of the Middle Franconia region. Visitors can explore the history of the town at the Margravial Museum and explore the magnificent rococo court gardens.

Erlangen is known for being a university town and is home to the Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg as well as being shaped by the presence of Siemens, a renowned technology company. The town is also famous for its annual beer festival, the 'Bergkirchweih', which starts on the Thursday before Pentecost and attracts more than a million visitors.

Nuremberg Tourist Office

Nuremberg has two main tourist information offices. The first is just over the road from the railway station on the way into the old town and the second tourist information centre is on Nuremberg's Market Square. They are both open all week, with slightly restricted hours on Sundays. Website : tourismus.nuernberg.de

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A Japanese Village Wants Tourists to Come for Heat, Soot and Steel

To lure visitors, residents of Yoshida, famed for its high-quality steel, are inviting tourists to help produce it.

The furnace in Yoshida reaches temperatures of about 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Credit...

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Photographs and Text by Craig Mod

• April 18, 2024

This past October, I found myself in Yoshida Village standing before a tatara, a giant open-top furnace that was filled with charcoal and raging with such controlled ferocity that it could have been a set piece in Lucifer’s bedroom.

Deep within the belly of those orange flames sat a growing and mangled ingot that contained some exceptionally high-quality steel called tamahagane, or jewel steel, from which Japanese swords have been made for much of the country’s history. The presence of a usable ingot seemed unlikely, and if true, downright alchemic. All we had been doing for the last 20 hours was gently shaking iron sand and fresh charcoal onto the flames at timed intervals.

Yoshida is nestled back in the mountains of Shimane Prefecture in central Japan, abutting the ever-turbulent Sea of Japan. For nearly 700 years, workers around Yoshida made jewel steel in places called tatara-ba (literally “furnace spots”) on a grueling schedule — one that reshaped mountains and rivers, that seared the brows of generations of sooty men shoveling charcoal in loincloths. Then, at the start of the 20th century, production all but ceased. Other methods were cheaper and more efficient.

At the height of its steel prowess, Yoshida swelled to nearly 15,000 people. Today, the population hovers around 1,500. As with many towns in the Japanese countryside, a mix of aging population, low birthrates and loss of industry has emptied its streets.

Recently, though, in a Colonial Williamsburg sort of way, 24-hour re-enactments of the old iron-smelting traditions began to be performed in Yoshida. The firings are managed by a man named Yuji Inoue, who works for Tanabe Corp., which owns the furnace. “We consider the tatara a symbol and a pillar of town development,” he told me, standing next to the flickering furnace. Mr. Inoue and Tanabe Corp. were trying to remake Yoshida into a kind of tatara village, which he hoped would create self-sufficiency, expand the population and revitalize the town.

And so with this notion of countryside regrowth in mind, a few times a year they fire up their furnace, invite tourists and birth an ingot weighing about 250 pounds.

The open-top blazing furnace was set on a concrete plinth in the center of a room. Flanking its longer sides were air intakes tubes, feeding the furnace, kicking it up to around 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Around it all hung Shinto purification ropes. Just before the fire was lit, a priest had blessed the whole place, for luck and safety.

Safety was paramount because around the flames, at various stations, milled a team of some 20 excited tourists, a mix of both Japanese and a few foreigners, all dressed in very hip dark gray jumpsuits. These were people paying roughly ¥200,000, or about $1,500, for the chance to be a worker in a tatara-ba for a day and night. (They would get to keep the jumpsuits and a small piece of raw steel as souvenirs.) Their faces and hands were streaked by charcoal.

Jewel steel is produced by sprinkling iron sand — alluvial (river-deposited) sand saturated with iron — slowly over a charcoal pit. The tourists spent hours chopping the pine charcoal to precise sizes. They used scoops woven from bamboo to gather heaps of charcoal and dump them atop the furnace.

Off to the side stood a man named Noriaki Yasuda. He was the designated conductor — called a murage — of this slow dance between heat, charcoal and dampened iron sand. Dressed in an electric blue jumpsuit, he stood out in beautiful, almost poetic, contrast to the licking orange flames.

Monitoring the airflow, the color of the fire and the height of the charcoal with paternal concern, Mr. Yasuda scowled and watched, sometimes retreating to sit in his dark alcove, his arms crossed, still scowling and watching. To produce steel using the tatara technique, it turns out, you spend a lot of time watching.

Outside the all-encompassing warmth of the tatara-ba, the October mountain air felt like prickles on the skin. The sky was abundant with shooting stars. Shimane Prefecture truly is in Japan’s hinterlands. You can take trains to Shimane, but from Tokyo it’s a fairly arduous journey. So it’s easier (and cheaper) to fly there. Of course, I rode the trains. The 500-mile trip took about seven hours.

The area is best known for its astounding Izumo Shrine, a foundational place in Japanese cultural mythology. Still, Shimane was one of the least visited prefectures in 2019. Only a sliver of all inbound tourists made their way that year. In contrast to sites like Gion in Kyoto, which is now overwhelmed by visitors, Shimane reminded me of Covid-era Japan when international tourism was effectively banned.

“Steel is just iron with a little bit of carbon,” Mr. Yasuda explained to me. When I finally built up the courage to talk with him, his face lit up in a wide smile from behind his mask. (Everyone was wearing masks, less out of Covid concerns and more because of the charcoal dust.) He casually led me to a blackboard in the back of his resting space and sketched out the basic chemical formulas of what was happening in the furnace, how charcoal serves two purposes. First, it burns much hotter than wood. And second, its carbon atoms are essential to the formation of steel; embedded between iron atoms, they increase the strength of the metal.

As I stood and watched that giant burning thing, I thought back to Akihira Kawasaki, the master Japanese swordsmith I had visited a few days earlier. I explained how I had never before held a Japanese sword, had never carefully looked at one up close. He nodded and removed one of his gleaming works from its scabbard and placed it on a piece of red felt.

I picked it up, and it felt like holding a black hole, as if light were disappearing into the ridge line of the blade, as if light was being flipped and flopped onto and into itself. My eyes couldn’t get a purchase on the thing. It glimmered and reflected like a mirror and simultaneously seemed to inhale the world. Held up to the lights, the blade seemed to glow as if lit from within.

I was mesmerized. It was a thing of extraordinary beauty: delicate yet strong, and terrifying in sharpness. An atavistic choir in the subcortical corner of my brain was screaming, “Stay away from that edge!” When I placed it back on the felt — warily, delicately, with great focus — I still accidentally sliced off a corner of the mat.

The gap between the smelting process and the end product of the sword was enough to make a thinking person faint. All this charcoal and sand, this heat, this sootiness, this periodic removal of slag — impurities that come out like molten lava, scooped up with shovels and carted away in beaten-up old wheelbarrows to be dumped outside in a smoldering heap — from the bottom of the furnace. That this process of utter rawness could result in a Japanese blade so pregnant with artistry and violence was a miracle of the highest order.

Back inside the tatara-ba, after 20 hours of feeding the furnace, the sand ran out and the process ended. A crowd of some 30 villagers, including several children, squeezed inside the furnace’s building. The concrete outer shell of the furnace was gingerly lifted with the help of a winch. The full force of the heat hit us all immediately. Inside still burned a mass of charcoal. Below the bed of charcoal was a floor of liquid slag. And in the middle of it sat what looked like a mauled rock — the ingot all this work had produced.

The crowd cheered. The ingot was brought onto the dirt floor, and we all gathered around it to take a family portrait.

Can you revitalize a town through steel-making in 2024? I don’t know. But Japan is dotted with this kind of history, culture and craft. The countryside is disappearing, but efforts like this are a worthwhile way to look back and honor what was — and to build something sustainable and future-facing.

There’s a practical element to it all, too: Tamahagane can’t be made any other way. “It seems that modern steel-making cannot produce the same thing,” Mr. Inoue told me when I asked why it was worth all the effort. “The tamahagane is right there, as the highest-quality pieces of the ingot,” he said. Those pieces will be broken off and shipped to a handful of swordsmiths across the country, and also to the museum shop in Yoshida. It turns out that tamahagane also makes amazing golf putters.

Craig Mod is a writer and photographer based in Kamakura and Tokyo. You can follow his work on Instagram: @craigmod . His previous book, “Kissa by Kissa,” chronicles a 435-mile walk along the Nakasendo Highway from Tokyo to Kyoto. His forthcoming book, “Things Become Other Things,” will be published by Random House in the spring of 2025.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Mumbai:  Spend 36 hours in this fast-changing Indian city  by exploring ancient caves, catching a concert in a former textile mill and feasting on mangoes.

Kyoto:  The Japanese city’s dry gardens offer spots for quiet contemplation  in an increasingly overtouristed destination.

Iceland:  The country markets itself as a destination to see the northern lights. But they can be elusive, as one writer recently found .

Texas:  Canoeing the Rio Grande near Big Bend National Park can be magical. But as the river dries, it’s getting harder to find where a boat will actually float .

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