Imperial Castle of Nuremberg

Amazing castle and buildings to visit for 2 or 3 hours. We enjoyed our entire visit and learnt a lot about the history since 1050 and how the castle was used. Make sure you go up the tower and visit the 50 metre water well. This castle museum has an incredible collection of middle ages weapons and armour so be sure to have plenty of time.

Nuremberg Castle is a place worth visiting, and it is best to go early as it was not crowded during our visit. Alternatively, purchasing tickets online in advance can help avoid queues. We bought the combination ticket on the spot for 16 euros. The ticket covered the Imperial Castle Museum, the Deep Well, and the Sinwell Tower. Some of the displays did not have English translations, but we managed well by using Google Translate to understand the exhibits. We spent about 2 hours exploring the castle and its attractions at a comfortable pace. The experience was both educational and enjoyable, offering a deeper appreciation of Nuremberg’s history and architecture.

From other reviews, didn't believe there'd be a lot of items to see in the museum. Was very surprised at the amount of historical items and information provided. The views of the city were fantastic along with the historic background. Very easy walk even inside the museum and inner grounds. I highly recommend to anyone visiting.

Beautiful spot to explore — great for a scenic walk with lovely views over the city. The whole place has a strong historic atmosphere and makes for a really nice visit.

The Imperial Castle is the symbol of Nuremberg. Since the Middle Ages its silhouette has represented the power and importance of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation and the outstanding role of the imperial city of Nuremberg. From 1050 to 1571, all Holy Roman Emperors resided – at least temporarily – in the Imperial Castle. An archeological exploration of the grounds of the castle has revealed remains of a fortress.

Visiting Imperial Castle was a highlight of Nuremberg visit (especially on a contrast with Nuremberg’s grim skeleton from the past: Nazi Party Rally Grounds). Looks meticulously restored and maintained after WW2. Always glad to see half-timbered houses (restored or original). Expansive grounds and greenery around the castle’s walls.

A castle with a lot of history. It has multiple sections, and tickets allow you to see portions or all of depending on time. It includes a tower that allows 360 view of the city and surround areas. It also has armor and weapons that my oldest has interest in. I believe you can only buy tickets onsite with last entry usually an hour before closing.

Don’t go inside, but the view is worth the hike! I only had a day and a half in Nuremberg and found this to be a highlight. The castle exterior is very well preserved, and you can wander around most of the outside without buying tickets. We went up around sunset and the view over the city is lovely.

The castle ground is free to roam around. We bought tickets for the tower and deep well for 3.5 euros. Keep your ticket. You'll need to scan it before and after. Restrooms are free and there's a mini cafe. The Sinwell Tower is 350 meter up, about 100+ steps. "Sinwell" in German means perfectly round so it's up a spiral wooden staircase. We were able to see the courtyard and the view of the city. It gets really windy up here. The deep well tour is every 30 minutes and last for 5 minutes. It's the castle's water supply at 50 meters deep. The water flows horizontally through sandstones and different layers of rocks as a filtration system. Four weeks after the rain, it flows into the deep well and ready for drinking. You'll see a video and a demonstration of the lit candle which proves that there is oxygen in the well.

Cool castle just a few minutes walk uphill from the Hauptmarkt. There are tours you can purchase to learn the history of the castle and see more of it, but you can always just wander around the grounds for free. We went that route, and it was a fun way to spend an hour or so. There are fabulous views of the city from the top and different sections to check out on all sides. The castle and grounds are well-preserved and kept. There are restrooms inside and a little cafe to grab a drink and pretzel after the trek up. It's kind of a must-see when in the city. Free castle fun? Why not!

The view is outstanding. The whole city can be seen and it is great for selfies. I highly recommend waking up the hill and the next hill and then up a ramp, and up some steps. I took my parents here. Made them walk up the hill. Almost lost my dad with how heavy he was breathing when we finally got up there. He said it was worth it once but to warn everyone it sucks ti walk up to the view point. There's three very good restaurants you pass on your way up. There is a hostile up next to the castle. It's very cool to stay in.

Kaiserburg or Imperial Castle is definitely worth the stop. This review is only for the outside as it was included in our Viking Danube River Cruise. The build began around 1000 to 1050 depending on discussions regarding walls or building. The castle is perched on a hill and is very noticeable in the Nuremburg skyline. The Castle is surrounded by a double wall with a dry moat. A lot of the walls and castle were bombed by the allied air forces. 90% of Nuremberg was leveled during the bombing. You can distinguish the repairs and existing fairly easy. The Castle presents good defenses and has never been over run from what I can learn. The entry walk tunnel presents an uphill path with a dramatic 90 degree turn. Pretty defensible planning with roof opens where they could throw stones at you or pour hot oil. Note....the walkway is uphill and quite primitive cobblestoned so if you have any walking disability this may not be for you. Definitely a must do and if you can tour inside it would be a plus!

Really cool castle in a cool town. We came on a Sunday so it was closed for tours but we were still able to walk around. The surrounding town is so cute and we had a really nice time.

The Kaiserburg or Imperial Castle dominates the skyline of Nuremberg and is a great place to get your historical bearings. As castles go, it's not actually that large, but requires a good afternoon visit. The history of the castle is intimately tied up with the Holy Roman Emperors, the elected kings who controlled much of what is now Germany through the Middle Ages, for whom Nuremberg, as capital of Franconia, was a strategically important location. Excavations have indicated the presence of walls from as early as 1000, but the castle was developed significantly by the Salian kings from around 1050, most notably by Henry III. The castle was developed further by the Hohenstaufen emperors from 1125 onwards, and the Habsburgs from 1273, and it is substantially their castle we see today. The castle became the property of the City from the early 1800s. The castle itself is approached up a steep cobbled street through the main gate, immediately facing the Heathens' Tower in front, and to the right is the dominating circular Sinwell Tower. This is worth climbing for fantastic views of the castle and city - it is accessed by turnstile on a combined ticket that also includes the castle. The castle's inner courtyard is the start of a visit to the main castle: exhibits in the main Imperial rooms (the Palas) explain the complexities of the rule under the elected Holy Roman Emperors, and the rise of Nuremberg as an Imperial City in the Middle Ages. This is followed by an exhibition about the castle itself, the history of arms and armaments (some excellent suits of armour) and some of its more notable visitors. A highlight is the beautiful Romanesque double Chapel, and there is also a lovely small garden with more excellent views. Accessibility is a challenge, as one might expect in a mediaeval building: steep cobbled roads everywhere, lots of steps, and heavy doors. The Sinwell tower has a very high wooden spiral staircase, which is fine if you have a head for heights.

Great city views, this is the best, I enjoyed so much being in this imperial castle that has hosted all German emperors and was part of the Holy Roman empire. This castle is the skyline of Nuremberg and the lighting is awesome, make the scenery very dreamy from every corner of the city and even there overlooking the city is amazing. This is a must visit, weather you have plenty of time of just a couple of hours. It is also a nice workout as you will walk a lot, stairs and corridors. One of the most beautiful castles you will ever visit.

Nurnberg is considered to be the Imperial City of Germany. All German kings and emperors stayed in it's castle (Kaiserburg). The castle which sits upon a sandstone cliff has been a fortification since 1000 AD. Subsequent rulers like the Salian Kings (1027-1125) and Hebenstaufen Emperors (1135-1254) who derived their power from the Holy Roman Empire built their empires from this base. Most of the buildings today reflect Medieval construction. After the bombings of WWII, most of Nurnberg and the castle were in ruins. It took 30 years to rebuild and restore the castle to what can be viewed today. There are a number of structures to view such as the round Simwell Tower (13th century) was the original Keep, Tiefer Grunnen (deep well) reaching a depth of 164') was the major water source for the Imperial Chapel (Kaisercapelle) (12th century). It is of Romanesque architecture. The Imperial Castle Museum housed in castle is a show case to it's history. There are a number of tours to choose from: Those under 18 years are free. There are discounts for students, disabled and the poor. There are seasonal hours, April-Sept. (9-6) and Oct.- March (10-4). The Kaiserburg garden tour is free. The Palas with double chapel (one built on top of the other) + Deep Well + Simwell Tower + Imperial Tower is 7 Euros. I suggest this tour. Palas with the double Chapel + Imperial Castle Museum is 5.5 Euros. The audio-guide tour will cost you 2 Euros per person plus the castle admission price. The tour is given in 7 languages including English.

Judging only for its exterior this place looks amazing.and I wish we had had enough time to go inside. From the outside it's impressive from its imposing perch high above the city. It's an easy (but perhaps steep for some) walk up from the old town and you are rewarded by great views of half timbered houses, massive walls and soaring towers. Plus there is a great view over the city from up there too-consider a walk up at sunset perhaps. Nearby as you walk down you can go see the Albrecht Durer house as well. There is no fee to walk the castle grounds, only a fee to enter the museum.

Beautiful castle & a lot of history. It's a steep walk, be warned. Get the ticket that includes all areas l. The deep well is pretty neat, the castle and museum are amazing. The views of the city are breathtaking! I highly suggest going when you have enough time to enjoy everything.

I was genuinely so humbled to visit Nuremburg castle and walk on a medieval landmark that has been around since year 1000! It's a beautiful location that is teeming with history, architecture, and of course German culture. The site offers paid tours and you'll certainly see large groups of tourists but if you don't want to spend money, you can simply have a very enjoyable walk around the exterior of the castle. You could easily keep occupied for half a day just exploring. Beware the walk is a bit steep. I'd recommend frequent breaks to admire the views of the city. Outside of the cashier is a free theater that continuously plays a 15-20 minute movie explaining the historical events pertaining to the building and intermittent destruction (WWII did a lot of damage), and renovation of the castle. I was fascinated and it was one of my favorite memories of Germany.

This was a terrific thing to do on a rain day.. we paid for the full tour, palace, Museum and the deep well. There is a lot of construction now, but has been For a couple years. So things are blocked or closed. No worries. Just learning about the relationships of the kings and the popes in Rome was a shock. The foundations of civil law, which I thought was England. The restored rooms after the war bombings. Learning why Hitler called his grand plan, the Third Reich. You will come back amazed. Then when all done,visit the deep well in the well house. On the half hour only, and your ticket had to include it. A fifty meter deep sandstone well, in function since Around 1400. Maybe earlier. I would have gone on, but I m glad we waited. Worth it.

I came here on a walking tour with the Viking Cruise, and was a bit disappointed the tour was just for the view, not for the inside. Nonetheless, its a magnificent view of the city, and the walk back down to the city center was lovely. If we had more time, I would have loved to have taken the actual tour inside the castle. But, if you only have a moment, walk around and see the view, and wear sturdy shoes, as those cobblestones can be tricky, especially going back downhill.

As other reviewers have noted, to enter the castle you must go up a very steep, cobblestone walkway, which in 80+ degree temps was a bit of a challenge! But once inside the castle the views were wonderful! We did not pay for a tour/museum, but just walked the grounds which you can do for free. That alone was worth the steep walk, and just outside of the castle are other gardens and nice areas to walk through as well. Very impressive and we were glad we stopped in.

This was the last organized stop on our Danube River cruise tour... I wish I could retell some of the history, but the memories I was left with are that the Kaiserburg is the crowning jewel of the Altsadt (old town). Much of the town's original walls, towers and moats can still seen, and they all culminate with the castle at the top of hill in the northern part of the Altsadt. The Kaiserburg was the official residence for German kings and emperors as early as 1050 (through 1571). There are three main parts: 1) Burgraves' Castle, which includes the Pentagonal Tower, is the oldest part from 1050, 2) The Kaiserburg (Imperial Castle), within the ramparts of the Burgraves' Castle, where most of the building were constructed around the 12th century. 3) A third set of buildings, which are outside the Burgraves' Castle, were built in the 14th and 15th centuries and housed those responsible for protecting the emperor. We did not pay to enter or wander the grounds, though many parts of the interior are accessible via a paid admission (ticket office is at the inner courtyard, this is also where the museum* entrance is). The only thing we did was walk up to the very top, to the inner courtyard, and enjoy the panoramic views of Nüremberg. * The castle grounds also include the Kaiserburg Museum, which features antique weapons, armor, paintings and more on the history of the castle. We did not visit this either.

A great big palace / fort located high up in the hills of Nürnberg. The view from up above is fabulous and if course this place is huge so you could walk around the place at the top and around the bottom as well. The castle does not appear in any documents until 1105. In 1140, King Conrad III started building a second castle on the site, to be used as a royal residence. In World War II, the castle was damaged in 1944-45, with only the Roman double chapel and the Sinwell Tower remaining entirely intact. After the war, the castle was restored. A must visit in Nürnberg. Take time to explore the area and walk around the place.

I didn't go on a tour due to time constraints, but walking around the grounds was very satisfying and gave a really neat look at a Medieval castle! It is free to walk around, and you could easily spend an hour doing this, especially due to the very steep walk up. Next time I go, I would definitely take the tour inside.

Outstanding views, really interesting history, and excellent presentation. If you're at all interested in the history of the Holy Roman Empire, this is the place to go--there aren't that many "relics" or specific objects here, but the ones that they have are quite interesting (the scale model of Nuremburg in the 1500s is fascinating). Best of all, compared to other museums in Bavaria, this one has by far the best use of interactive exhibits to help you really understand what the HRE was and how it functioned. Some interesting preserved artifacts and ceiling art helps round out the experience. The audioguide was quite good, but most of the exhibits had an English translation too. Top it all off with some pretty amazing views of the city and this is a definite must-see in Nuremburg.

My review is only 3 stars since most of this we were not able to even see while we were here. We were hoping to do the well and tower, but it was all under construction. So we were only able to wander inside a little. Still very cool and worth the walk up the hill. Wander the grounds for some nice views of the city.

It is a big trek up a steep hill to reach Kaiserburg. Once at the top of the hill, you still have to trek up stairs or more hill to reach the entrance of the palace. We didn't pay to enter because we didn't feel it was worth the money since they don't offer an English audio guide, so we just enjoyed the amazing views of Nuremberg from the top of the gigantic hill.

What a great place! So much history and such beautiful views. I am so glad we stopped here. This was not in our itinerary but after we found it on the map we decided we had to stop. I loved this castle! There was so much to see and read. The castle it's self is beautiful. We did the walking tour inside and we got to climb to the top of the tower. Parking was hard to find but I definitely recommend a visit here.

Excellent museum of artifacts from Middle Ages, gorgeous panorama of the city, requires walking up a steep, cobblestone road.

I only walked the grounds but didnt take any tours - I thought it was well worth a visit! Lovely architecture and great views of the city. Right now there is some construction so it isn't the most beautiful.

If you visit please do yourself a favour and do the whole tour, including the deep well which will blow your mind and was a total surprise. Just amazing how they rebuild most of all that after it was bombed in World War 2. You will also get access up to the Sinwell tower with an incredible view of Nuremberg.

Very nice tour of a historic castle, worth the visit. The view from the Tower was awesome, the museum exhibits concerning Bavarian Gold were also very informative and lovely

It was a super cool site, but I feel a little taken advantage of. I asked (in English) about taking a tour and was told to buy the most expensive ticket (7 Euros). When the tour guide arrived, the tour was completely in German and was only a tour of the deep well. My ticket would have also worked to climb the tower, but I wasn't interested in doing that. It turns out that I could have walked around and explored everything on my own (except for the well and tower) for free. It was a beautiful location offering amazing (FREE) views of the city.