Hi, heading to Nurnberg in a couple weeks and trying figure out historical sites. No luck getting a guide. How long are the lines for tickets? Thinking of doing the Courtroom 600 Saturday tour, then sticking around to see the museum. We do have a guided tour of Rally grounds for Sunday morning, just two hours, and will plan to see Documentation center after if we are up for it. Just wondering how difficult it is given you can't buy tickets in advance for any of these things. Any advice?
Posted by
1038 posts
It’s been a few years, but I didn’t have any difficulty getting in anywhere (though I’m not familiar with the courtroom.) The tour of the rally grounds sounds like a good idea.
I personally think the Documentation Center is one of the best museums in Europe, and certainly the essential sight there. You should make this a main point on your itinerary.
As for other historical sights in the city, there seems to no shortage of free walking tours in Germany. I would just check with the TI if that interests you. I found the city pretty lovely and easy to enjoy without it.
Posted by
Georgia
90 posts
We've been to Nuremberg numerous times and to the documentation center and the rally grounds many times also. Its required to all German school children and sends chills down my spine every time we go. We never stood in a line of more than five people and we have gone in August and September most years. Its a very eye opening experience. Have a great time in Nurnberg ! Its one of our favorite cities.
Posted by
OP
4 posts
Thank you both so much. Based on that good advice we will guide ourselves!
Posted by
Morton
41 posts
We were in Nuremberg in September and the Documentation center was closed. However, they have opened a temporary exhibit. We went to it and it was definitively worth the visit.
This is from their site “The Documentation Center is being remodeled, and the former Permanent Exhibition is now closed. Instead, a specially conceived, compact Interim Exhibition in the Large Exhibition Hall presents the history of the Nazi Party Rallies and the Rally Grounds.”
Posted by
OP
4 posts
This is very helpful info to have thanks so much for taking the time to help a history buff out.
Posted by
Alsenborn, Germany
1475 posts
The rally grounds (Hindenburg Field) is mostly fenced off, and the little signage remaining is in poor shape. I've been there twice this year. It's easy enough to get there, just make sure you're on the correct train. Come off the platform, under the tunnel, straight ahead to the main road, and turn to the right. Go up to where the road turns and look to the left and you'll see the stands.
I highly recommend this to anyone interested in Nuremberg in WWII: https://museums.nuernberg.de/world-war-art-bunker/
Posted by
8243 posts
Posted by
Oberpfalz, Germany
1388 posts
I was recently at the Germanisches Nationalmuseum. We enjoyed it. Several Albrecht Dürer paintings there. We could have spent more time, but after 2.5 hours we needed a break. https://www.gnm.de/your-museum-in-nuremberg/museum
Posted by
Paradise
7063 posts
The history discussion so far has focused almost entirely on a couple of decades, the ones that highlight Nazism. I know, this is what guidebooks emphasize for their Anglo/Allied-country audiences. But I will just suggest that history buffs - who by definition have a predictable interest in the other 200+ decades of Nuremberg's recorded history as well - will have ample opportunities in Nuremberg to explore the country's history beyond these few years and beyond the topics of war and Nazism. This city has much to offer - and much that is completely overlooked by most travel-gurus/authors and most tourists. Below are a few additional resources that can put you in touch with the past:
Exploring on foot:
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/en/guidedtours/old-town-walking-tours-in-english/
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/fileadmin/dokumente/sehen/Auf_eigene_Faust_Tour_1_eng.pdf
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/fileadmin/dokumente/sehen/Auf_eigene_Faust_Tour_2_eng.pdf
Science and Technology museums:
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/en/discover/museums/science-technology-museums/
Local history museums:
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/en/discover/museums/museums-of-city-local-history/
Art and Culture museums:
https://tourismus.nuernberg.de/en/discover/museums/museums-of-art-culture/
Posted by
Atlanta
5196 posts
Before you go, check out a site called thirdreichruins.com. It has many photos taken in Nurnberg during or just after the war, and photos of the same places much later. Quite interesting.
Posted by
Utah via SF Bay Area
363 posts
Thank you TC for this website. We will be in Germany soon and this is very helpful.
Posted by
San Francisco
14976 posts
This suggestion is for any interest you may have in seeing around Nürnberg "historical sites" not connected to Nazi history, such as the Rally grounds, the Documentation Center or the Palais Justiz. I have yet to see the Documentation Center but the Rally grounds I did get to my first time in Nürnberg in the summer of 1973. No guide then.
If your time in Nürnberg is not totally focused on the Nazi historical sites, I would suggest this place accessible by regional train in under 40 mins.
This is the Kulturzentrum Ostpreußens " (The East Prussian culture center) located in Ellingen/Bayern, walkable from the train station. Next to it is a small museum on the Teutonic Knights. The museum on the Knights can only be seen by guided tour, whereas the larger Culture center is open to individual exploration. No advance tickets needed.
I visited both exhibitions last summer on a day trip, well worth it as respects to esoteric Prussian-German history and culture.