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Nuremberg has justly been described as a “living museum
of the history of German civilization”. The
Mastersingers and Hans Sachs flourished in the city, and
the painter Dürer created his finest masterpieces here.
(The house where he spent the last 19 years of his life
can still be visited today.) Nuremberg’s German National
Museum is one of the greatest repositories of art in
Germany, and indeed in Europe, with a fabulous
collection of German painting, sculpture and the
decorative and applied arts. Nearby, the Transport
Museum contains numerous scale models of trains, an
important postal section and a replica of the first
train in Germany. There is even a delightful Toy Museum
for the child in each of us.
Nuremberg’s mediaeval town walls, its imposing
Kaiserburg Castle and the towers of its great churches
present an unforgettable panorama. But Nuremberg is more
than a mediaeval gem. It is a lively city with excellent
shops, hotels and restaurants, and delicious local
specialities such as Lebkuchen (gingerbread) and
Rostbratwürste (small charcoal-grilled sausages). For
many, Nuremberg’s most magical attraction is its
pre-Christmas fair, the Christkindlesmarkt, with its
incomparable festive atmosphere and 400 years of
tradition. |
