Today we got up early to beat traffic for a normal four hour drive to Nuremberg, but instead were delayed an extra 2.5 hours due to construction and accidents. It was pretty lousy.
We were literally parked on the autobahn for over 30 minutes, hugging the center barrier so an emergency vehicle could squeeze through
Arriving at Nuremberg was worth any amount of difficulty - what a beautiful romantic German city! Regarded as the "most German" of all cities in Germany, it was the target of allied bombings, which destroyed 90% of the medieval center in one hour. It is well known for many things: the Nuremberg Trials, Germany's largest Christmas market, the raceway, etc. The town was once surrounded by nearly three miles of wall, and 90% still survives.
The river-spanning Holy Ghost Hospital was donated by the city's richest resident to help the poor
The Hauptmarkt - Main Market Square - hosts Germany's largest Christmas market
Spinning the fountain's gold ring three times will bring you good luck
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We couldn't visit Nuremberg without trying their specialty sausage. For a traditional Nuremberg sausage, size does matter; they can be no bigger than 3.5 inches Since the 1400s they have been served on a pewter plate in combinations of 6, 8, 10, or 12.
The half-timbered houses on Weissgerbergasse survived the war
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The Kettensteg is the oldest iron footbridge on the continent
Walking across the Kettensteg
Beautiful view of Nuremberg from the Kettensteg
The Nazi Documentation Center is located in Nuremberg on Hitler's Party Rally Grounds. The Rally Grounds were designed to impress and intimidate - a combination of monumental and gigantic - as a demonstration of power. They held 400,000 spectators annually for the elaborate staged rallies that lasted about 7 days. 2 million people flooded Nuremberg during the event. The museum tells the history, motivation and methods that allowed Hitler to get into power and push his horrific plans. It is very well done, and if limited in time, should be chosen over Berlin's Topography of Terror. The signs are in German but everything is provided on the English audio guide.
Documentation Center
The Zeppelin grandstand in 1934
The Zeppelin Grandstand in 2017 - one of the only remaining structures from the Rally Grounds
Zeppelin Field is so immense - there was no chance my lens could capture it
We continued to our final destination - Munich - where we are staying for the next 4 nights in a 3-bedroom apartment near the train station.
Realizing the parking plan was kaput ... the parking at the apartment was a lift system and our car was too tall to fit
