Friday, July 18, 2008

GERMANY - Nurnberg

NURNBERG (Nuremberg)

The bus stand is located outside the Arrival Hall of the main terminal.

"Airport Shuttle N" is where you will arrive (at 1 a.m. *moahn*), "Hauptbahnhof" is the central station, so basically the station is next door.

connection at Mainz: to GermanRail Direct Train
Mainz - Munchen dep on the hour
4 days in 1 mo - Twinpass $170*2 + Youth $188 = $528

Plfm Lvs Avs
* 4a/b - Mainz Hbf 11:40 - 0 chg - Nürnberg Hbf 14:28 ICE 27 (Wurzburg Hbf 13:31)
* 4a - Mainz Hbf 12:02 - 1 chg - Frankfurt Hbf (tief) 12:43 S 8
chg in Frankfurt Hbf (tief) WALK to Frankfort Main 10 min
7 - Frankfurt Main Hbf 12:54 - Nürnberg Hbf 15:00 ICE 625
* 4a - Mainz Hbf 13:02 - 1 chg - Frankfurt Hbf (tief) 13:43 S 8
chg in Frankfurt Hbf (tief) WALK to Frankfort Main 10 min
9 - Frankfurt Main Hbf 13:54 - Nürnberg Hbf 16:00 ICE 625

Located about 170 kilometres north of Munich, at 49.27° N 11.5° E. Population (as of 01/2006) is 500,132. Because of the city's relevance to the Holy Roman Empire and its position in the center of Germany, the Nazi Party chose the city to be the site of huge Nazi Party conventions–the Nuremberg rallies. Today many examples of Nazi architecture can still be seen in the city. During World War II, Nuremberg was the headquarters of Wehrkreis (military district) XIII, and an important site for military production, including airplanes, submarines, and tank engines. A subcamp of Flossenbürg concentration camp was located here. Extensive use was made of slave labour. The city was severely damaged in Allied strategic bombing from 1943-1945. On January 2, 1945, the medieval city centre was systematically bombed by the Royal Air Force and the U.S. Army Air Forces and about ninety percent of it was destroyed in only one hour, with 1,800 residents killed and roughly 100,000 displaced. Despite this, the city was rebuilt after the war and was to some extent, restored to its pre-war appearance including the reconstruction of some of its medieval buildings.
Between 1945 and 1946, German officials involved in the Holocaust and other war crimes were taken in front of an international tribunal in the Nuremberg Trials. The Soviet Union had wanted the trials to take place in Berlin, but Nuremberg was chosen as the site for the trials for specific reasons:
- It was located in the American occupation zone
- The Palace of Justice was spacious and largely undamaged (one of the few that had remained largely intact through extensive Allied bombing of Germany). A large prison was also part of the complex.
- The city had been the location of the Nazi Party's Nuremberg rallies; there was symbolic value in making it the place of the Nazi demise.
- As a compromise, it was agreed that Berlin would become the permanent seat of the International Military Tribunal and that the first trial (several were planned) would take place in Nuremberg. Because of the Cold War, there were no subsequent trials. The same courtroom in Nuremberg was the venue of the Nuremberg Military Tribunals, organised by the United States as occupying power in the area.
Nuremberg for many people is still associated with its traditional gingerbread (Lebkuchen) products, sausages, and handmade toys. The first pocket watchesNuremberg eggs — were made here in the sixteenth century. In the nineteenth century Nuremberg became the "industrial heart" of Bavaria with companies such as Siemens and MAN establishing a strong base in the city. The city is also strong in the fields of automation, energy, and medical technology. A good third of German market research agencies is also located in the city.
SITES: The southern part of the old town, known as Lorenzer Seite, is separated from the north by the river Pegnitz and encircled to the south by the city walls.
- Nuremberg Castle: the three castles that tower over the city including central burgraves' castle, with Free Reich's buildings to the east, the Imperial castle to the west.
- Heilig-Geist-Spital. In the centre of the city, on the bank of the river Pegnitz, stands the Hospital of the Holy Spirit. Founded in 1332, this is one of the largest hospitals of the Middle Ages. Lepers were kept here at some distance from the other patients. It now houses elderly persons and a restaurant.
- Hauptmarkt, which provides a picturesque setting and famous market for gingerbread. Nuremberg's star attraction is the Gothic Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain) which was erected around 1385 but subsequently replaced with a replica (the original fountain is kept in the Germanisches Nationalmuseum). The unchanged Renaissance bridge Fleischbrücke crosses the Pegnitz nearby.
- The following churches are located inside the city walls: St. Sebaldus Church, St. Lorenz, Frauenkirche (Our Lady's Church), Saint Klara, Saint Martha, Saint Jakob, Saint Egidien, and Saint Elisabeth.
- Gothic St Lorenz-Kirche (St. Lorenz church, St. Lorenz), one of the most important buildings in Nuremberg. The main body was built around 1270-1350.
- The church of the former Katharinenkloster is preserved as a ruin, the Cartause is integrated into the building of the Germanisches Nationalmuseum and the choir of the former Franzikanerkirche is part of a modern building.
- The Walburga Chapel and the Romanesque Doppelkapelle (Chapel with two floors) are part of Nuremberg Castle.
- The Johannisfriedhof is a medieval cemetery, containing many old graves (Albrecht Dürer, Willibald Pirckheimer, and others). The Rochusfriedhof or the Wöhrder Kirchhof are near the Old Town.
- The Tiergarten Nürnberg is a zoo stretching over more than 60 ha in the Nürnberger Reichswald.
- There is also a medieval market just inside the city walls, selling handcrafted goods.
- The German National Railways Museum (German) (an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage) is located in Nuremberg.
- The Nuremberg Ring (now welded within an iron fence) is said to bring good luck to those that touch it.
R AIL: Nuremberg Central Station is a stop for IC and ICE trains on the German long-distance railway network. The Nuremberg–IngolstadtMunich High-Speed line with 300 km/h operation opened May 28, 2006, and was fully integrated into the rail schedule on December 10, 2006. Travel times to Munich have been reduced to as little as one hour.
SOCCER: FC Nuremberg, known locally as Der Club, was founded in 1900 and is steeped in tradition. The team plays in the Second Bundesliga. The official colours of the association are red and white, but the traditional colours are red and black. The current president is Michael A. Roth. They play in the EasyCredit Stadium, which was rebuilt for the World Championship in 2006 and accommodates 46,000. German Champion: 1920, 1921, 1924, 1925, 1927, 1936, 1948, 1961, 1968 German Cup: 1935, 1939, 1962, 2007