The Princess left rainy Regensburg at 5 PM, headed for Nuremberg(Nurnberg). The Rambler is not sure if the people who took the Masterpiece Collection tour of the Hops growing region of Bavaria made it back in time…pretty sure they did as I don’t remember a technical stop to pick them up. This tour did sound like it might be fun but not on a rainy day. This group was to have met the Bavarian Hop Ambassador and learned about hop cultivation from her. They would then visit the hop field and enjoy the local beer. It would have been great fun on a sunny day but not this rainy day with a high of 72.
The Ramblers enjoyed a quiet evening on board chatting with our friends and discussing the next day’s activities. The senior Rambler decided he would stay on board, as the Nuremberg City Tour planned for the next day would last from 9:30 to 4:00 PM. However, the Rambler would have plenty of company because our new friends, Laura, Jean and Kathy would all be part of the gentle walkers group. We didn’t know what to expect as our program simply said we would visit the Nazi Rally Grounds and Zeppelin field and then tour an exhibit at the Documentation Center. Afterwards we would drive through the city and have some time for lunch in the medieval marketplace…and perhaps a bratwurst… getting back to the ship around 4 PM.
The Ramblers had toured the Rally Grounds several years ago and you will find them described in an earlier post. We did not leave our bus this day, but simply drove through the massive, decaying grounds. In 2019, the German state decided, after much debate, to conserve but not restore Hitler’s massive but unfinished constructions as both a warning and remembrance of an ugly time in their past.
In 1900 Nuremberg was known as the toy capital of Germany but by the 1930’s it had become Hitler’s favorite city and he established the grim and grandiose headquarters of the Nazi party there. In effect, there were now two Nuremberg’s, one a happy place and and the other steeped in darkness. Today, we would see both, starting on the dark side and then visiting the main square with its market, restaurants, historic “beautiful” fountain and lovely Frauenkirche (Our Lady’s Church).
Because of the long day of touring ahead, the Princess made another technical stop at Roth, so those going on the tour could board their busses at 9:30 AM. This was necessary as our ship wouldn’t reach Nuremberg until 2 in the afternoon. Rivers don’t always take the most direct path; sometimes it is necessary to speed things up with a bus ride. The senior Rambler happily waved me off as we gentle walkers boarded our bus at Roth. The weather forecast promised another cool, cloudy day with a chance of rain; we would get partly cloudy and fortunately no rain!
The Ramblers had not visited the Documentation Center on our earlier visit and the Rambler had no idea what to expect. Its name is misleading as while the Documentation Center does contain many documents, they are displayed in a most unusual way in a very unusual building. it is actually built onto a part of the huge but unfinished and decaying Congress Hall, inspired by the Colosseum in Rome but built mainly of red brick. You enter in the new part of the structure up a long flight of steps (there is a handicap entrance, beneath the stairs.) Above the entrance, the structure is pierced by a huge steel arrow (according to the architect.)
Since it was the height of the vacation season in Germany, the Documentation Center was already crowded when we arrived about 10:30. The crowds milling around inside somehow added to our experience as we carefully navigated around the many twists and turns of the mazelike exhibit levels in semi-darkness. The four of us later agreed that there was something unsettling and uncomfortable about our time at the Documentation Center. Despite the extremely interesting exhibits, we were all glad when it was time to leave. Incidentally, the Center has a small café where you can purchase snacks and drinks but this is temporarily closed due to social distancing.
From 1933 to 1938, the National Socialists held their Party Rallies in Nuremberg. Today the remains of Hitler’s huge structures still bear witness to how his propaganda display was organized and produced. The exhibition in the Documentation Center Nazi Party Rally Grounds provides an almost three dimensional and comprehensive picture of the National Socialist dictatorship as well as the history of the Party Rallies. Its educational forum also offers numerous programs, and information boards on the Nazi Party Rally Grounds, which cover 4 square kilometers, and explains the history of the site. In addition, it is possible to tour the parts of the huge Congress Hall that are not open to the public by appointment.
This video provides a glimpse of the Center’s interior and its exhibits. Photography was not an option during our visit, because the Rambler was concentrating on not tripping or bumping into someone. It really was crowded and many of the rooms that show videos are quite dark and gloomy.
We all had conflicting feelings as we boarded our bus to head to the main square; we felt we had seen something special, but at the same time we were glad to get back into the open air headed for the heart of Nuremberg.
After a short ride we were dropped off at the Hauptmarkt at the main square of the Alstadt. We would meet our bus again, just off the square after a substantial break to tour the market, church and shops. Lunch was on our own and our first destination as afternoon was already well advanced. The Rambler had heard that there was an excellent place for bratwurst right on the square and her companions agreed this was a great idea.
Unfortunately we were only about to find one restaurant that offered bratwurst. Not only was it up a steep flight of stairs but it was CLOSED. I learned later that there were several restaurants that offered bratwurst and other Nuremberg specialties, but they were just off the square and we missed them. Of course every restaurant we checked was fairly crowded but an Italian place called Provenza seemed to have a few open tables so we ventured in and were seated at a table for four.
It was an attractive restaurant but when the waitress brought our menus, the Rambler dared to ask if they might have bratwurst? She looked at me in exasperation and said, “This is an Italian restaurant!” Well, they might have had some… unfortunately the bratwurst quest would continue. Since we were in an ITALIAN restaurant, we went with pizza and fortunately the pizzas were tasty (although they could never be bratwurst) and we had a very pleasant lunch with much shared laughter.
Afterwards we split up to check out what the market and shops had to offer agreeing to meet by the fountain in an hour. The Rambler headed to the Frauenkirche. Although it had been reduced to rubble during WWII like most of the other historic buildings in Nuremberg, the Frauenkirche had been carefully rebuilt to look just as it had before the war. Oddly to me, anyway, the Congress Hall and stadium at the Rally Fields had not been bombed….
Fortunately, some of the original statues and stained glass had been saved, likely hidden away, and when the church was restored after the war, they were returned. Those that had been destroyed were replaced by similar artifacts from other churches that dated to the 15th century when the Frauenkirche had been built.
The church has a warm and welcoming vibe, not all do, and the Rambler was content to sit quietly and absorb the spirit of the church which had welcomed visitors for more than 500 years. The church organist enhanced my meditation by playing softly during my visit. The Rambler tries to light at least one votive candle in each church she visits and the Frauenkirche had some available at a side altar which featured a medieval sculpture of the pieta.
Leaving the Frauenkirche, I noticed the entrance steps were worn down by centuries of footsteps which was somehow comforting. Once outside I turned around and looked up at its famous clock.
The mechanical Männleinlaufen, meaning running men, begins its song-and-dance history lesson precisely at midday and it is a one-time only event. We arrived much too late to see the mechanical action of its historic figures, and honestly, it is so far up on the tower that one really can’t see much without a good telephoto or binoculars. Bothe the Rambler’s camera and cell phone do not have zoom lenses. Usually they are not missed, but today would have been a good time to use one. Consequently the close-up of the clock came from Wikipedia although there are dozens of clock photos on the web and even You-Tube videos of the Männleinlaufen in action. Not sure why its creators built it so high but they must have had a good reason, since they certainly wanted to impress the townspeople.
We met up with time to spare at our meeting place by the fountain, not just any fountain, but the Beautiful Fountain of Nuremberg! The current fountain is a replica which was recently restored but the original was built between 1385 and 1386, and the fancy grillwork (or fence) was added in 1587. Because the fountain was originally built out of sandstone, it wasn’t very durable, and it had to be replaced several times. Any time you visit, you will see at least one person climbing the grill to try to turn the golden ring which is hidden in the ironwork. Evidently if you do you, either your wish will be granted or you will return to Nuremberg…
Before long our bus arrived and we climbed aboard for the ride back to the Princess, after a long and satisfying day. The senior Rambler was waiting for me by the dock. Although he had enjoyed the cruise to Nuremberg, our ship was docked along the canal in an industrial area, nothing much to see and do for the folks who had stayed aboard. This is often the case when the stop is at a larger city. The popularity of river cruising has made dock space a premium and it is not always possible for the ships to dock at a scenic spot.
