Nuremberg

After three great days, in and around Munich it was time to leave and head North to a couple more places.  Next stop Nuremberg.

We left our hotel and headed for Munich's Hauptbahnhof  (Main Train Station)  We didn't have tickets until we arrived at the station, and when we got there we found that we could take the "ICE" Train (Intercity Express) to Nuremberg, so we paid a little extra for reserved seats and began a pretty incredible ride to Nuremberg.

We knew that these ICE trains were supposed to be fast, but we had no idea how fast until the journey got underway.  As we left Munich, it began to  go faster and faster as we got more out into the countryside.  When it hit 200 km/hr I  thought that was about as fast as it was going to get....but it kept going:  225, 275,  and finally 300.  I had to get a photo of the screen that shows the route , where you are and the current speed.  300 km/hr = 186 miles per hour!

Our hotel in Nuremberg was the Hotel Victoria, and ideally located.  Just a short walk from the train station. and right at the entryway to the old city and the pedestrian mall that runs all the way to the palace on a hill overlooking the city.

This is the Frauentorturm (Women's Tower) built in 1558 to guard the Frauentor (women's gate) in the old city walls. This was literally right next door to our hotel and located in an area with medieval walls and courtyards, traditional shops & restaurants, etc., some of which you can see above, and below one of the shops that specialize in Bavarian pewter ware.

We spent a good part of our day in Nuremberg walking all the way through the old town up to the medieval castle that dominates the skyline. The church above is St. Lorenz, which we visited. Construction on this church began in 1250.  During the Second World War Allied bombing destroyed approximately 90% of the old city of Nuremberg, and this church was heavily damaged as well. Reconstruction was started in 1945 and completed in 1952.

Beautiful stained glass windows and Sculptures throughout St. Lorenz

The main Altar of St. Lorenz

Continuing our walk through the old city, we went through city squares, crossed beautiful rivers, and did a little (OK a lot) of shopping

Above and below, the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, part of the Danube tributary system that runs through Germany

Above right  is a gold fountain in the city square called Schöner Brunnen (beautiful fountain) which is a 14th-century fountain .  Above on the right is a monument to Albrect Durer with his house in the background. He was a famous painter, print maker, and theorist of the German Renaissance. 

Above:  The Frauenkirche ("Church of Our Lady"

After a long walk we reached the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg, which is the symbol of the city.

 More views of the Imperial Castle of Nuremberg

And from the ramparts of the castle we had a wonderful view of the entire city of Nuremberg.  It was a great day in Nuremberg, and tomorrow we look forward to a short trip to Bamberg.