Germany Trip – Day 1: Bamberg and Nuremberg

Not long ago, I decided to stay in the UK while looking for a new job, which has allowed me to finally check an item off my bucket list: to make a rail journey from Prague to London. Sketching out a list of places I wanted to see, I decided to cluster my journeys around two centres rather than sleeping in a different city each night. The first of these centres was Nuremberg, which serves as an ideal base for exploring Upper Bavaria. After finding out that rail connections to Nuremberg are quite a pain, I immediately ditched my initial resolution and took a direct bus instead.

The next morning, I rode the nine o’clock train to Bamberg. Known for its timber houses and pastel colours, Bamberg is a popular destination for tourists (as well as, unfortunately, Nazis: Adolf Hitler held a conference there in 1926 as it was relatively close to the residences of rebellious northern faction leaders). The town reached the peak of its glory under the rule of Roman Emperor Henry II and his wife Kunigunde of Luxembourg. Henry II carved it out as a new diocese, founding its cathedral and the impressive Michaelsberg Abbey, and inviting Pope Benedict VIII there for a political discussion.

My first stop in Bamberg, Geyerswörth Castle, was unfortunately undergoing extensive renovations, but entry to the scenic bridge remained unrestricted. From it, one can see Bamberg’s iconic town hall tower, which stands in the middle of the river and is connected to land on both sides with a single-arched bridge. Legend has it that citizens built the town hall in this strange place after the bishop refused to grant them a single inch of land for this purpose. Over the years, the town hall was adorned with beautiful frescoes, and a multi-storey timber house was glued to its southern side. To this day, wooden beams support the bottom of this annex where it precariously hangs over the river.

After wandering about the old town, I continued westwards where I climbed the small hill to Bamberg Cathedral. The massive 13^th century structure stands opposite the 17^th century Residence, and on the western side the Old Court completes the quadrangle. Perhaps the most remarkable part of Bamberg Cathedral are its intricately carved stone portals, which display patterns as well as human figures in niches.

Having seen all I wanted to see in Bamberg, I took the train back to Nuremberg again. I was particularly careful with the timing, as from what I could tell, I was only entitled to a discount on certain trains. The day before I set off on my trip, I had bought a 25% discount pass on the Deutsche Bahn app, and I decided I would make it worth every single cent.

Nuremberg is a lovely city, having rebuilt most of its historical heritage after the old town was levelled by allied bombing in WWII. Its centre is still contained by city walls, which are guarded at several points by large towers. The tower closest to the train station is the Frauentorturm, and it is surrounded by a collection of quaint wooden houses which serve as restaurants and souvenir shops. From this tower, the street leads directly to the Saint Lawrence Church, a luminous place of worship with a giant rose window, and continues to the Museum Bridge over the river Pegnitz.

During the Middle Ages, Nuremberg was one of the most important cities in Europe, benefitting from its position on the lucrative trade route between Italy and Northern Germany. In 1356, Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV issued a bull that required the first imperial diet of a newly elected emperor to be held in Nuremberg. Charles’ son Sigismund further decided that the imperial regalia be held permanently at Nuremberg, from whence they only departed to escape Napoleon’s invasion in 1796. The city became a centre of the German Renaissance thanks to figures like Albrecht Dürer, who was born, lived, and died in the city. Another famous native of Nuremberg was Johann Pachelbel, born in 1653.

Most people, however, know Nuremberg for its more recent history. After touring the old town with its castle and churches (the Frauenkirche was likely designed by the same architect as the one who built Charles Bridge in Prague), I took the metro west to the Nuremberg Trials Museum. This is where, after WWII, most of the Nazi leaders were taken to court and sentenced by judges nominated by the victorious powers. Some of the most influential figures within the Nazi regime received the death penalty, such as von Ribbentrop, Frank, and Göring, though the last escaped execution by committing suicide.

Taking the metro and S-Bahn to the very opposite end of the city, I then made a loop around the Nazi party rally grounds. These include the massive semi-circular Congress Hall and the Zeppelinfeld. When American forces reached the city in April 1945, they bombastically blasted the swastika off the main tribune.