Hauptmarkt

Nuremberg


This bustling square in the heart of the Altstadt is the site of daily markets as well as the famous Christkindlsmarkte (Christmas Markets). At the eastern end is the ornate Gothic Frauenkirche (church). Daily at noon crowds crane their necks to witness the clock's figures enact a spectacle called the Männleinlaufen (Little Men Dancing). Rising from the square like a Gothic spire is the sculpture-festooned Schöner Brunnen (Beautiful Fountain). Touch the golden ring in the ornate wrought-iron gate for good luck.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nuremberg attractions

1. Schöner Brunnen

0.01 MILES

Standing like a space probe on the northwestern corner of the square is the 19m (62ft) Schöner Brunnen. A replica of the late 14th-century original, it is…

2. Pfarrkirche Unsere Liebe Frau

0.04 MILES

At the eastern end if the Hauptmarkt stands this ornate Gothic church, also called the Frauenkirche. Its clock’s figures spring into action every day at…

3. St Sebalduskirche

0.1 MILES

Nuremberg's oldest church was hoisted skywards in rusty pink-veined sandstone in the 13th century. Its exterior is replete with religious sculptures and…

4. Mittelalterliche Lochgefängnisse

0.11 MILES

Beneath the Altes Rathaus (1616–22), a hulk of a building with lovely Renaissance-style interiors, you’ll find the macabre Mittelalterliche…

5. Spielzeugmuseum

0.14 MILES

Nuremberg has long been a centre of toy manufacturing, and the large Spielzeugmuseum presents toys in their infinite variety – from innocent hoops to…

6. Felsengänge

0.17 MILES

Deep beneath the Albrecht Dürer Monument on Albrecht-Dürer-Platz lurks the chilly Felsengänge. Departing from the brewery shop at Bergstrasse 19, tours…

7. Weinstadl & Henkersteg

0.18 MILES

On the northern side of the Pegnitz, near the Karlsbrücke, is the impressive half-timbered Weinstadl, an old wine depot with two half-timbered storeys…

8. Stadtmuseum Fembohaus

0.19 MILES

Offering an entertaining overview of the city’s history, highlights of the Stadtmuseum Fembohaus include the restored historic rooms of this 16th-century…