3 Best Sights in Nurnberg (Nuremberg), Franconia and the German Danube

You could spend a lifetime exploring the largest and greatest ethnological museum in Germany. This vast museum showcases the country's cultural and scientific achievements, ethnic background, and storied history. Housed in a former Carthusian monastery, complete with cloisters and monastic outbuilding, the complex effectively melds the ancient with modern extensions, giving the impression that Germany is moving forward by examining its past. The exhibition begins outside, with the tall, sleek pillars of the Strasse der Menschenrechte (Street of Human Rights), designed by Israeli artist Dani Karavan. Thirty columns are inscribed with the articles from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. There are few aspects of German culture, from the Stone Age to the 19th century, that are not covered by the museum, and quantity and quality are evenly matched. One highlight is the superb collection of Renaissance German paintings (with Dürer, Cranach, and Altdorfer well represented); look out for the remarkable 1702 painting Gemäldegalerie (Picture Gallery) by Johann Michael Bretschneider, which incorporates hundreds of small, individual, fictional artworks. Others may prefer the exquisite medieval ecclesiastical exhibits—manuscripts, altarpieces, statuary, stained glass, jewel-encrusted reliquaries—the collections of arms and armor, or the scientific instruments including beautiful globes and astrolabes.

The city's most famous attraction is a grand yet playful collection of buildings standing just inside the city walls was once the residence of the Holy Roman Emperor. In 1945, almost the entire structure was reduced to rubble, though it's difficult to imagine once you see the thorough restoration.

This vast complex comprises three groups of buildings. Visits begin in the ancient, least-damaged western section, still with its original oak beams, painted ceilings, and sparse interiors. Explore the Romanesque Doppelkappelle (Double Chapel)—the upper chapel, larger and more ornate than the lower one, is where the emperor and his family worshipped—the Rittersaal (Knights' Hall) and the Kaisersaal (Throne Room). The Kaiserburg Museum displays ancient armors, with exhibits on horsemanship in the imperial era. Cross the Äusserer Berghof (Outer Courtyard) and climb the Sinwell Turm (Sinwell Tower) for spectacular city views.

In the center of the complex lies the Burggrafenburg (Castellan's Castle). Dating from around 1050, this is the oldest part of the Kaiserburg, with a craggy old pentagonal tower and the bailiff's house. To the north and northeast lie the Reichsstädtische Bauten (Imperial City Buildings), including the 15th century Kaiserstallung (Imperial Stables), built as a granary and now a popular youth hostel.

History was made in this quiet corner of Nuremberg, when the International Military Tribunal put 22 Nazi leaders and six German organizations on trial here between November 1945 and October 1946. The renowned Nuremberg trials, as they came to be known, took place in the Landgericht (Regional Court) in Courtroom 600 and resulted in 11 death sentences, among other convictions. Since the courtroom was decommissioned in 2020, it has become a popular, if harrowing, visitor attraction, with an audiovisual installation showing clips from the historic trials. An exhibition reveals more about the defendants and their crimes, the full trial process, and the impact of the Nuremberg Trials on international criminal law.