Medieval free city, WWII crossroads, world's most famous Christmas market
Nürnberg is Germany's medieval jewel and most paradoxical city — an extraordinarily well-preserved old town (largely rebuilt post-1945 from photographs) surrounded by Europe's most comprehensive documentation of Nazi history. The Nuremberg Trials of 1945–46 were deliberately held here because the city had been the site of the Nazi rallies; the Palace of Justice courtroom is a museum. The Christmas Christkindlesmarkt, held in the old market square below the Imperial Castle, has been running since the 17th century.
Nürnberg was an imperial free city of the Holy Roman Empire from 1219 and its de facto capital for much of the medieval period — the imperial regalia (crown, orb, sceptre) were stored here. Albrecht Dürer was born here in 1471; the astronomer Johannes Müller (Regiomontanus) worked here; the first globe was made here in 1492. The city industrialised rapidly in the 19th century and became Germany's toy capital. The Nazi Party chose Nürnberg for its rallies from 1933 precisely because of its imperial associations — the Zeppelin Field rally grounds at Nuremberg Documentation Centre are still part…