Nürnberg Photos

Yes!

2009-03-17T12:01:00.001+01:00

(Weather forecast says it will be cold and snowy yet again this week. I might just hide and pretend it is warm outside.)

Wishing well

2009-03-14T11:46:00.003+01:00

If you find this brass ring, or its black counterpart, in the wrought-iron fence around Schöner Brunnen (literally "beautiful fountain"), turn them and make a wish!

Waiting

2009-03-13T09:07:00.000+01:00

Looking towards Hauptmarkt, to the left the Rathaus, to the right the choir of St. Sebald.

Sun and dark clouds

2009-03-12T11:38:00.002+01:00

A piece of the castle and St. Sebald in the sun, in front of dark clouds bringing rain or even snow.

MysteRy

2009-03-05T07:59:00.003+01:00

A part of the city wall between Handwerkerhof and Klarissenplatz. And I have no idea what that 'R' painted on the wall might mean.

Woof!

2009-03-04T11:38:00.002+01:00

Cute little dog guarding the entrance of the museum bookshop of the New Museum for Art and Design (Neues Museum für Kunst und Design), Luitpoldstrasse.

Fractured

2009-03-03T16:08:00.003+01:00

Small city houses reflected in the facade of a small shopping center called "Maximum". Frauengasse/Kornmarkt.

Myself

2009-03-02T23:41:00.003+01:00

As you can see in my profile picture as well, I love taking pictures of myself taking pictures. Here in the metro, at some station. (I honestly forgot, but it was in Nuremberg of course.)

Roof construction

2009-03-01T17:47:00.002+01:00

Glass and steel construction over the entrance to the pedestrian underpass, main railway station, east entrance. It actually looks a bit less impressive in real life ;-)

Paper mill

2009-02-28T15:59:00.002+01:00

The lush green suggests that this is again a picture from the archives, taken in the Wöhrder Wiese park. The stacks of bronze paper mark the location of one of the earliest paper mill north of the alps, the Hadermühle.

Abandoned

2009-02-27T11:24:00.002+01:00

There used to be a tram line in Äussere Bayreuther Strasse, but it has been replaced by the metro long ago. The rails are still there, slowly rusting away and grown over.

The Castle again

2009-02-26T10:53:00.000+01:00

Such a tourist picture ;-)

Old and narrow

2009-02-25T17:03:00.002+01:00

I liked how this narrow, old house survived between the big and modern buildings around it. It also houses one of my favourite cafés in Nuremberg, Black Bean on Ludwigsplatz.

Street art

2009-02-24T15:12:00.001+01:00

Found literally around the corner from my place, no further comments ;-)

Still not spring

2009-02-23T10:55:00.002+01:00

Outside there's still not the right weather and no light for new pictures, so here's another one from the archives: Henkersteg, a small pedestrian bridge over the Pegnitz, between Unschlittplatz and Trödelmarkt.

Very urban

2009-02-22T19:02:00.002+01:00

Today I was walking all day through the snowy and pretty wet countryside north of Nuremberg, so this is taken from my archive of unused blog photos from last year: the metro station Opernhaus.

Memory

2009-02-21T11:48:00.002+01:00

A small plate on a house near Heilig Geist Spital remembers charitable deeds: Konrad Gross founded the Heilig-Geist Spital in 1332 for sick and old people. It is still used as a nursing home.

In the year 1486 the pharmacy next to it was founded by citizens of Nuremberg. It is also still a pharmacy, so when you're in Nuremberg with a headache, you can buy your pain killers at a historic site, between Hauptmarkt and Pegnitz. The drugs they sell are modern, of course ;-)

Pointing at the sky

2009-02-20T10:29:00.003+01:00

Two very different ways to listen to voices from the skies...

Roofs

2009-02-19T17:17:00.003+01:00

Old-town roofs directly below the castle.

From "Faust II"

2009-02-18T10:32:00.003+01:00

The street above this metro station is called "Goethestrasse", so the walls are covered with wisdom from Goethe's works. I love this one, the "Türmerlied" from Faust II. In the real world, all lines are straight of course ;-)

View from the castle

2009-02-17T10:45:00.002+01:00

The upper part of Burgstrasse, the old town, and a piece of the castle wall.

Locksmiths and metalworkers

2009-02-16T09:47:00.002+01:00

This is a modern variation of the old tradition of craftsmen to use a picture as a sign for their shop -- probably because people couldn't read, or maybe just because it was a way to show off their art.

Big church

2009-02-15T13:15:00.003+01:00

A cathedral is like a small mountain, with lots of detail when you get closer. Here is a part of Albrecht-Dürer-Platz reflected in a part of the north facade of St. Sebald.

(St. Sebald was largely destroyed during WWII and rebuilt later.)

More sun, please!

2009-02-14T19:17:00.003+01:00

In the sunshine it was already warm enough to sit outside, at least in the cafés that provide woolen blankets for their guests ;-) These tables need some more direct sun to get rid of what was hopefully the last snow of the year.

It's very picturesque and everything, snow and sunshine, but I could use some spring soon!

The Ox at Meat Bridge

2008-12-03T08:43:00.002+01:00

The Fleischbrücke is a bridge over the Pegnitz between Kaiserstrasse and Hauptmarkt (right next to the biggest Starbucks in town...), and there's also a small portal with an ox on it, watching the people passing by, which I only recently noticed. According to Wikipedia the inscription means "All things have a beginning and grow, but look: never has been the ox you see a calf".

Partner towns

2008-12-02T09:14:00.002+01:00

A part of the Christkindlesmarkt is reserved for stalls from the partner towns of Nuremberg, who sell souvenirs and special food from their countries. This poster lists all of them: Antalya (Turkey), Atlanta (USA), Bar (Montenegro), Brasov (Rumania), Charkiw (Ukraine), Gera (Germany ;-), formerly GDR), Glasgow (Scotland), Hadera (Israel), Kalkudah (Sri Lanka), Kavala (Greece), Klausen (Italy / South Tyrol), Krakau (Poland), Nice (France), Prague (Czech Republic), San Carlos (Nicaragua), Shenzhen (China), Skopje (Macedonia), Venice (Italy), Verona (Italy), and the region of Limousin (France).

Quite a list!

House Art VI

2008-12-01T08:44:00.003+01:00

House Art from a different century, on a school building just across the street from my apartment.

Christkindlesmarkt

2008-11-30T10:46:00.004+01:00

If you have pondered visiting Nuremberg for its famous Christkindlesmarkt in December, think twice, and if you can't help it, try to visit on a week day. On today's picture you see a moderate crowd, often there are even more people. To me so many humans in one place are rather stressful, so I try to spend only little time in the city in the weeks before Christmas. Other people don't mind, or even enjoy it, of course.

Town hall reflections

2008-11-29T17:46:00.002+01:00

Nuremberg town hall consists of several buildings, here you see one of them reflected in the windows of another. Between Fünferplatz and Hauptmarkt.

Welcome, winter

2008-11-23T14:13:00.002+01:00

As picturesque as Nuremberg with snow is in some areas, most of the time it is not romantic or pretty at all, just grey, wet, and cold, as any other part of Europe north of the alps in winter.

Hats

2008-11-22T17:09:00.002+01:00

Today there was a renaissance fair (in german, Mittelaltermarkt, "medieval market", concentrating on a slightly earlier period) in the city despite the cold, snowy, windy weather. This stall sells felt hats, colourful and warm, for people daring enough to wear something unusual ;-)

This way to Santiago...

2008-11-07T19:28:00.004+01:00

... de Compostela, one of the famous pilgrimage destination in Europe since medieval times. While only the last few hundred kilometers through Spain are officially called El Camino de Santiago, there's a network of ways that have historically been used by pilgrims to get to Spain in the first place, and these ways are marked with the Camino symbol as well: yellow sun rays in the shape of a scallop shell on a blue background. One such way passes by both my apartment and the office where I work. (I admit it has taken me a while to find out what these strange stickers mean. ;-) )

Buddha reflections

2008-11-05T17:55:00.002+01:00

A Thai restaurant, in the building where I work, reopened a few days ago with the new name "Buddha" -- and lots of Buddha statues. From the outside, with reflections of November morning sun and a bit of Pirckheimerstrasse.

Come over here! Haircuts!

2008-11-01T18:14:00.002+01:00

A lovely piece of art, serving as advertisement for a hair dresser's shop. Somewhere north of the castle.

Summer sky

2008-10-31T18:52:00.005+01:00

Still in July, this shot turned out nice by pure luck. If I remember correctly I actually wanted to photograph some detail of the building, but my camera liked the sky much better. With hindsight, so do I. (The building is Untere Talgasse 8, as seen from Andreij-Sacharow-Platz.)

Mademoiselle Jeanne

2008-10-30T18:46:00.003+01:00

It is still cold and ugly outside, so we're still in time shift mode. This picture is from July, only a few meters away from yesterday's: Mademoiselle Jeanne of Arc, as seen by this artist.

(I just learned from the artist's website that the sculpture is intended as a home for honey bees. I didn't notice any when I took the picture, though.)

Angel or daemon?

2008-10-29T19:52:00.002+01:00

It is amazing, there are still some really old houses in the city, those that weren't destroyed in WWII and nicely reconstructed, but survived somehow and really show their age. This one is in Obere Krämersgasse.

Peaceful assembly

2008-10-28T09:28:00.002+01:00

Dear Readers, I have not forgotten you or my photo blog. Starting this winter term, I'm going to university again (computational linguistics and indoeuropean studies), and I'm still adjusting my life to the new demands on my time and mental energy. Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, rather I'm very happy with my decision ;-)

Anyway, I'm sifting through my archives now for bloggable content, and will try and get new gorgeous autumn pictures as soon as it stops raining. For today, Arcticle 20 of the declaration of human rights, written in german and tibetan on one of the columns in the Way of Human Rights.

The Rocket Shop

2008-10-03T09:21:00.003+02:00

This shop was closed when I walked past it, so I'm just guessing, but it looks like they really specialize on models of rockets and other space travel vehicles. Fenitzerplatz.

Relics

2008-10-02T09:12:00.000+02:00

Do you know where the next phone booth is? And do you remember the last time you used one? (Near Stadtpark.)

Dragons?

2008-10-01T09:32:00.000+02:00

The shop is closed and empty, so I will never know if they sold dragons or kites (it's the same word in german) or something else completely. Obere Wörthstrasse.

Antenna mast

2008-09-30T09:28:00.001+02:00

Again and as so often, the interesting aspect of this picture is not the actual motive. This time I liked the reflection of reflections of sunlight in this piece of tech equipment and the facade of another department store. Near Weisser Turm.

Better than nothing

2008-09-29T09:20:00.002+02:00

At least they have balconies in their apartments :)

House Art V

2008-09-28T09:14:00.002+02:00

Before I started posting my house art pictures on this blog I wasn't aware how many houses are decorated in some way or other. This one is interesting for two reasons: the colourful mosaic, and the old-fashioned typography below it.

Too early for Bratwurst

2008-09-27T09:12:00.002+02:00

Nuernberg is also famous for its Bratwürste, roast sausages, and they are typically sold from stalls like this one, but they only open later in the day.

Shadows

2008-09-26T09:10:00.000+02:00

Shadows on the wall of St. Elisabeth, near Weisser Turm.

Composition by accident

2008-09-25T09:26:00.001+02:00

Has it not found a nice frame, this late September flower?

Consulate

2008-09-24T09:22:00.000+02:00

Nuernberg, of course, does not have any embassies, but it is large enough for a few consulates. If you're British, you may need this one day, and it's only a few minutes away from the main train station. You will need a map to find it, though. (Badstrasse.)

Speak, friend - and maybe I let you in

2008-09-23T09:18:00.000+02:00

Sure, air pollution and the weather have not been kind to this guy, but I don't think he - it? - ever looked inviting. Part of a door frame in Badstrasse, just south of Wöhrder Wiese.

Artsy shot

2008-09-22T09:13:00.000+02:00

I just thought this might look good. Part of the Georg Simon Ohm University of Applied Science (yes, that Ohm).

Just in case

2008-09-21T09:10:00.001+02:00

Preparations for a bicycle race through the city.

(I'll be on vacation for a while now, so everything you see here in the next two weeks is pre-blogged and auto-published by blogger. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless.)

Run for your life!

2008-09-20T09:04:00.000+02:00

Of course this was not planned. ;-)

I don't know who was more surprised, the squirrel or me, but it was sitting there, looking at me for a few seconds - and then remembered that flight has always been the safer choice.

Hand - door bell - ring, please!

2008-09-19T09:02:00.000+02:00

A special kind of advertisement for a small, one-garage car repair shop, somewhere north of Wöhrder Wiese (I was a bit lost and forgot to look for street names).

Timber frame

2008-09-18T09:56:00.000+02:00

Timber frame buildings are quite common in the countryside, but a rarity in the city - especially if only a part of the house is built that way. The backyard where this one is located looked actually quite lovely. I like this kind of city houses.

Late summer

2008-09-17T09:52:00.000+02:00

The bright sunlight is misleading, the days are considerably cooler already, so nobody is sitting in the shadow, and the benches have the view over the pond all to themselves.

Spires

2008-09-16T09:48:00.000+02:00

I don't know what this curch is called - it is right next to Stadtpark, a small park in the northern part of Nuernberg. I liked the blues and the light.

Living in the city III

2008-09-15T09:44:00.000+02:00

In the middle of the city, in between much larger blocks of houses, someone has created a small, almost mediterranean paradise. Möhrlgasse, near Stadtpark.

House Art IV

2008-09-14T15:42:00.002+02:00

This one is a more modern piece of art, just around the corner from where I live, near Stadtpark.

House Art III

2008-09-08T00:17:00.003+02:00

As you see, we also have dirty houses in Nuremberg, and this is not even far away from the shinier parts of the city.

I think that it belongs to the parish of (a wild guess!) St. Jakob and houses offices or the parish hall or probably both. Near Unschlittplatz / Mohrengasse.

Arches

2008-09-05T08:29:00.002+02:00

Somewhere between Wöhrder Wiese and Cinecitta, a few weeks ago in charming sunlight.

Not just another job

2008-09-04T08:48:00.003+02:00

Yes, this shows what you think it does, an axe separating a hand from whatever it was attached to...

The house where the city's executioner used to live is a museum now. I doubt that this sign is historical, though.

New and old

2008-09-03T09:43:00.003+02:00

The do not always go that well together, the many new and the few older houses in the city.

A piece of sky

2008-08-31T13:23:00.000+02:00

As seen from "my" metro station.

You won't get lost

2008-08-30T13:20:00.002+02:00

Nuremberg is proud of its three (!) metro lines, and public transport really is very good here, as in most german cities. This map of the network shows how small the city and the transport network really is. If you want real urban thrill, maybe it's better to look elsewhere...

Three Ravens

2008-08-28T08:30:00.002+02:00

Sitting on the hotel of that name.

What the...

2008-08-27T06:55:00.003+02:00

I have walked past this fountain for years, and I have never closely looked at it or noticed where the water comes from. Sometimes I do wonder what sculptors have been smoking during work :) Right next to Lorenzkirche.

Sunday afternoon

2008-08-25T09:08:00.003+02:00

At Black Bean near Hauptmarkt, on a slow, partly sunny Sunday afternoon.

House number art

2008-08-18T07:51:00.000+02:00

In some street north of the castle.

Makeshift bridge -

2008-08-14T10:42:00.001+02:00

- over the moat to the castle. The old bridge is being repaired, right next to this one. I liked the straight lines.

Mix

2008-08-07T08:05:00.002+02:00

A typical example for the houses built in the 19th and early 20th century: definitely city houses, with luxurious and rather spacious apartments, and all kinds of ornaments on the outside. Most of them didn't survive WWII, but north of the castle (outside the city wall) quite a few streets were either spared or could be beautifully reconstructed.

House Art II

2008-08-06T07:44:00.003+02:00

Also seen in Pilotystrasse, probably from the 1970s.

I want to live there!

2008-08-05T07:50:00.003+02:00

It is unlikely that I could a) find and b) afford such an apartment any time soon, but what a nice one it is! Must be a gorgeous view from up there too. Seen from Pilotystrasse.

This is not a bookshelf -

2008-08-04T08:47:00.003+02:00

- but one of the usually grey, nondescript boxes standing on street corners, containing telecommunication equipment (i.e. lots of cables) that needs to be accessible to the technicians.

Piloty / Pirckheimerstrasse.

Bohemian soulfood

2008-08-03T14:57:00.003+02:00

One of our favourite restaurants, "der Tscheche", the czech, in Obere Krämersgasse, right below the castle. They serve real Czech beer, and the food is very good too.

Standby

2008-07-30T08:11:00.002+02:00

High-tech folding benches and tables, customised for this very slope, belonging to a Creperie in Untere Schmiedgasse, near the castle.

Buddha

2008-07-29T09:26:00.002+02:00

This time I'm confident it's a Buddha ;-) -- sitting in front of a small, but very colorful flower shop in Winklerstrasse, behind St. Sebald.

Defense

2008-07-27T09:35:00.002+02:00

The castle is sitting in the north-west corner of the old city wall ring. This is a small part of its fortification, now a part of the castle gardens and a really nice place in summer. When it was still in use for defense purposes, there were no trees in the moat or on the bastion because enemies could have climbed them.

Summer is back -

2008-07-26T14:33:00.005+02:00

- and it is nice and warm and sunny again. Near Kobergerplatz.

House Art

2008-07-24T09:45:00.001+02:00

I actually don't know when it was fashionable to decorate houses like this, guessing from the architecture and the style it might have been in the 1960s and 1970s. It is not an uncommon sight in Germany, and while the materials used in these pieces of art vary, sometimes they are done in stone, as mosaics, some are painted, some are made from metal like here, the style is always similar.

Schleifersteg is a small bridge between Hauptmarkt and Trödelmarkt, just behind Starbucks.

Parallels

2008-07-23T09:39:00.001+02:00

A part of the (only partly old) city wall and houses directly behind it. Frauentorgraben, near metro station Opernhaus.

Franconian Venice

2008-07-22T09:21:00.001+02:00

Isn't it beautiful? Taken from the bridge right next to Cinecitta, on our way to watch Hancock on Sunday evening. The river is, as always, the Pegnitz, and the small street on the other side of the houses is called "Wespennest" (wasps' nest), don't ask me why.

They call it summer

2008-07-21T09:42:00.000+02:00

I don't complain, the weather in May and June was fantastic, and it actually looks more depressing in the picture than it really was.

Frauentorgraben, near Opernhaus.

Goddess on the street

2008-07-20T09:37:00.001+02:00

I must admit I'm a bit incompetent here, so I don't know if this is one of the many Hindu goddesses, or someone else. (I'm quite confident she's a she though, given the anatomy.)
She stands in front of our local "Esoladen", a metaphysical bookstore, in Färberstrasse.

Sky and clouds...

2008-07-19T17:31:00.001+02:00

.. and the houses of Karolinenstrasse, reflected in the glass facade of a large and chic clothes store.

Church of Our Lady

2008-07-16T09:25:00.000+02:00

In german, "Frauenkirche", with a piece of Hauptmarkt and the farmers' market. Germans don't usually hang the german flag from their windows, but this picture was taken a few days before the european soccer world cup started, and for sports events flags are ok these days.

The area now covered by the Hauptmarkt was in medieval times the jewish ghetto. It was destroyed in 1349 (sic) and turned from low-lying, muddy, narrow streets near the river into a market place for the growing city. The Frauenkirche was built on the ruins of the destroyed synagoge.

Who would have thought?

2008-07-15T09:06:00.000+02:00

This sign says "Protected landscape", and that's not what I would have expected right next to a very busy road. It applies to the Wöhrder Wiese park, and stands at one of its entrances.

Burgstrasse

2008-07-14T20:52:00.002+02:00

I'm standing in front of the castle grounds, looking down to Hauptmarkt. Usually when I'm there, this street is full of tourists of all ages (remember the youth hostel right next to the castle), but this picture was taken on a weekday morning, and the street is quiet.

Bags packed, ready to go

2008-07-12T07:17:00.003+02:00

Nürnberg is proud to have one of the most beautiful youth hostels in Germany: the former stables, part of the Kaiserburg.

Major building activity

2008-07-11T09:01:00.004+02:00

This is only a few steps away from Hauptmarkt. I have no idea what was here before, even if I have used that street as a short cut from time to time. I hope it was ugly.

The water is sprayed to keep the dust and sand down. It almost worked.

Caged piper

2008-07-10T08:22:00.004+02:00

The life of a piper is a hard and dangerous one, most people just don't understand the beauty of the high-pitched, ear-deafening sound...

One of them ended up cast in bronze on a fountain on Unschlittplatz, behind heavy bars. I admit that the choice of focus was made by the camera automatic ;-)

War and peace

2008-07-09T09:53:00.000+02:00

Both the eagle of war and the dove of peace are sitting on obelisks on Karlsbrücke, facing each other.

And somewhere, a child is very unhappy...

2008-07-08T09:54:00.002+02:00

... about the loss of a blue ball, which is drifting very slowly, but absolutely unreachable on the Pegnitz, from Wöhrder Wiese towards the city center.

Who is that? What does she want? Eh?

2008-07-07T17:49:00.002+02:00

Nürnberg is not all houses and streets, however picturesque some of them may be. We also have a few parks rather close to the city center. This picture was taken right outside the metro station Wöhrder Wiese, near the park with the same name.

Imported shop front

2008-07-06T09:00:00.003+02:00

Now this one is not at all typical for Nuernberg, or even Germany. I have no idea where the wooden store front comes from. They sell antiquities. (Obere Wörthstrasse)

Floating cafe

2008-07-05T13:25:00.004+02:00

This is also near Starbucks, but the floating cafe on the pontoon does not belong to any chain. A very popular place in the summer, though not exactly cheap.

Fountain ram

2008-07-05T09:00:00.000+02:00

Maybe it's a ram, maybe a mutton, both my zoology and my english are a bit wobbly in that regard. It is a fountain, right next to the big Starbucks at Hauptmarkt, and a welcome source of cool water on hot days.

Oriels

2008-07-04T09:00:00.000+02:00

These are typical for Nuernberg, ornate, small oriels on otherwise rather plain houses, called "Chörlein" in the language of the locals. This one is in Obere Wörthstraße.

Art?

2008-07-03T09:00:00.000+02:00

I assume it is art. "Hier" means "here", and these paving stones can be found throughout the city. This one is near Wöhrder Wiese.

Wine bottles

2008-06-13T09:38:00.002+02:00

While Nuremberg and the surrounding areas are better known for its various and rich beer brewing culture, other parts of Franconia are good at making wine as well. For some reason they like to use these oddly shaped wine bottles called "Bocksbeutel".

Here they are empty and hanging in front of a wine tavern on Trödelmarkt, happily reflecting me and the houses around me.

I'll be travelling for a few days, so Nuernberg Photos takes a short break. See you again soon!

Of course you can live in a bridge

2008-06-12T09:05:00.000+02:00

View on the river Pegnitz. The bridge with the tiny house on it now is a museum if I'm not completely mistaken.