Length 5.8 km (3.6 miles), terrain: one light hill
For more running routes, see Route List.
Nuremberg (Nürnberg in German) is one of those unique places with a real character of its own. It was one of Europe's biggest towns during the middle ages, and the city-wall ring still testifies to the gigantic proportions of the town back then. Most of the old town was bombed flat in World War II, but enough remnants remain standing to astound you at every turn when touring the town.
And that's what this route does: provides a tour of a lot of the best scenery that Nuremberg has to offer. It loops through the old town, starting and ending near the train station.
Tower at Königstor |
Handwerkerhof |
Run straight to the big two-towered church, St. Lorenz. Across the street you'll see a tower-like Gothic house, the last of Nuremberg's patrician homes built in this strange tower style.
Medieval luxury home |
You'll then run straight towards another round defensive tower at Ludwigstor, in the southwest corner of the old town. At the Castle Irish Pub, we'll turn right and run just inside the city walls along a narrow lane. Keep running with the wall to your left side, running past various smaller towers and ramparts until you get to Westtor, the western gate.
Along the town walls |
Outside of the town walls: a green oasis |
Turn right and run through the wall and along the riverside. You'll pass one of the world's oldest suspension bridges, for foot traffic. We could take that bridge, but we'd miss some of the best sights nearby. So we'll run eastwards to that next bridge that you see ahead. There is a great view there.
View from the bridge |
Now turn right and cross the Maxplatz into the side street, Weissgerberstraße. This street has a collection of half-timbered houses that really give you a feeling how every street here once must have looked.
Weissgerberstraße |
Albrecht Dürer house |
At the castle, turn right and run along its base on Am Ölberg lane. The castle belonged to the Kaisers, who would stay here part of each year on their non-stop wanderings between castles during the medieval times.
The castle |
At the top, you'll come to a big stone building with lots of teenagers hanging around: the youth hostel. Turn left and run into the first walled terrace of the castle, and run to the lookout spot. Now head back to the front door of the youth hostel, formerly the kaiser's stables.
Now turn right to run straight downhill along Burgstraße. You'll pass come to the renaissance-style town hall on the left, across from the gothic Sebald Church, with its extensive statuary along the walls. Make a loop around the church before you continue downhill along Burgstraße. The Bratwürsthäusle, next to the church is a great place to try out Nuremberg's sausage specialty. Come back later!
The town hall |
There's a gothic fountain right along the street, and a beautiful chapel, the Frauenkirche, along the east side of the market. From the chapel, run south to the river, and cross the bridge.
Details of the market fountain |
The path merges into a street, but stay running along the river, with O'Shea's pub to the right. After going up some steps, you'll come to a modern glass riverside complex, the Cinecitta cinema. Run along the water, with the cinema to your right. You'll then come to the east side of the old town, where the river flows under the eastern wall, with more walled archways over the river.
The last part of the river |
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