Cultural Activities
Nürnberg has a long tradition of events, plays, theatres, concerts, choirs, cinemas, etc.. which can be traced back even to medieval times.
And of course the world-famous Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas market). To list everything you can do here at night would take too long, but be assured of one thing: Once you’re here you’ll certainly find out.
HISTORY
The city of Nuremberg
The city of Nuremberg has a remarkable history which has been documented since 1050 when Emperor Henry III granted the bondswoman Sigena her freedom in the city of “nourenberc” (rocky outcrop). The city initially spread out in a rambling fashion over the south slopes of the outcrop. The city grew around trade and crafts. The guilds supported charitable foundations and enable urban life and the arts to prosper. King Charles IV resided in the city for months on end. In the Golden Bull 1356 he decreed that every newly appointed German king should hold his first Imperial Diet in Nuremberg . In 1424 the city on the Pegnitz was designated the home of the Crown Jewels, the Free Imperial City was at its zenith.
The Euorpean metropolis became the centre of German humanism (Celtis, Pirckheimer, Schedel), of the sciences, of painting and sculpture. Martin Behaim created the first globe, Peter Henlein made the first pocket watch, Anton Koburger employed up to a hundred people to work his printing presses, the poetic art of the Meistersingers reached its peak with Hans Sachs and Hans Rosenplüt. Works of art of European renown were created in the workshops of the woodcarver Veit Stoß, the stonemason Adam Kraft, the brass foundry family Vischer, and the painter Albrecht Dürer.
The Thirty Years War and the discovery of new trade routes impacted the city of 40,000 inhabitants, and it lapsed into a long slumber from which it really only awoke when the first German steam train the “Adler” travelled from Nuremberg to Fürth in the Industrial Age.
In January 1945 ninety-five percent of the city was razed to the ground when the city was bombed. Today one can certainly imagine the former greatness and power of the “metropolis of the Middle Ages“: patrician homes, proud churches, the castle and the five-kilometer-long city wall have all been rebuilt. Millions of visitors from all around the world are drawn to important institutions such as the Germanische Nationalmuseum, theDocumentation Center , highly recognized cultural events and international trade fairs and conferences every year.
Nuremberg is Bavaria’s second largest business cluster with 300,000 people employed mainly in the ICT sector, in transport, logistics, energy, in automation, production and measurement and control technology and consumer electronics. Nuremberg is also home to market leaders in the field of writing utensils and in the food and drink industry.
Over and above this, Nuremberg ’s economic importance is based on its impact as an important printing center in Germany and as an international trade fair venue, as a service center (Market Research, IT centres, Facility Mangement, Banking and Insurance).
Convention and Tourist Office Nuernberg
Frauentorgraben 3/IV
D-90443 Nuernberg
phone: +49 (0) 911 23 36 0
fax: +49 (0) 911 23 36 166
tourismus@nuernberg.de
Tourist Information – Main Market Square
Hauptmarkt 18
phone: +49 (0) 911 23 36 135
The region of Nuremberg
The range of leisure activities in and around Erlangen and Nuremberg is broad. The inner cities and the scenic surroundings offer a multitude of possibilities to discover your host city for example whilst strolling through it or the nearby Franconian Switzerland on a sports excursion. As a student you can enjoy the diverse cultural offerings (theatre, opera, cinema, concerts, festivals etc.) of the cities at exceptionally affordable rates.
For further information please see http://www.nuernberg.de or http://www.region.nuernberg.de.
The cities around Nuremberg and Erlangen are themselves attractive destinations to start exploring the South of Germany. Historic cities are for example Bayreuth , Würzburg,Bamberg , Ansbach, Aschaffenburg , Coburg , Eichstätt, Dinkelsbühl or Rothenburg o.d. Tauber. These cities can be toured along the “Romantischen Straße“ ( Romantic Road ). At about 30 km south of Nuremberg lies the Franconian Lake District. In the summer time this region offers swimming, wind surfing and sailing. To the northeast of Erlangen betweenBamberg and Bayreuth lies the unique natural landschape of Franconian Switzerland. It can best be enjoyed on a hike or on a bicycle tour. This small area offers a great multitude of appealing attractions: from the quiet river valleys and the rugged rock clusters (very popular is the “Walberla”) to the majestic castles and ruins.
For more information please see http://www.fraenkische-schweiz.com
These sights and last but not least the many museums (for example the Germanic Museum in Nuremberg, the Documentation Centre at the Nazi Party Rally Grounds or the Jewish Museum Franconia in Fürth) stand for the rich cultural life of the region and provide important arguments for visiting Franconia.
For more detailed information on the recreation offers see
http://www.frankentourismus.de
SPORT
The FAU offers many courses here, to register you need your enrolment number.
The city of Nürnberg offers a big database where to find your favourite club, swimming pool or outdoor course.
Otherwise look for soccer fields at the Wöhrder Wiese, or join the WiSo-Cup.
MUSIC
At University
The FAU offers many possibilities for you to pursue your musical interests.
Especially at the Nürnberg Business School there is a Jazz Band where all talents may participate.
The Academic Choir, the Collgeium Musicum (synphony orchestra), the Big Band and Brass Band and several other music groups practise on a weekly basis in the designated rooms of the university (the Orangerie in the Schlossgarten in Erlangen ). You can find progammes and concert dates online under: http://rzhome.rrze.uni-erlangen.de/~thkm02/Musikpflege/
Opera and concerts
The following homepages contain information programmes and current special events of the Nuremberger Opera and on concerts of the Nuremberger Symphony Orchestra:
http://www.oper.nuernberg.de
http://www.nuernbergersymphoniker.de/
The College of Music in Nuremberg offers concerts and other musical events on a regular basis:
http://www.kubiss.de/bildung/info/musikhochschule/index.htm
THEATER, MUSEUMS, GALLERIES
In Erlangen and more so in Nuremberg the theatres, music theatres, museums and galleries offer an abundance of possibilities to pursue cultural interests. The repertoires of these establishments are posted on a regular basis in the local newspapers.
Information on all theatres and other cultural establishments in the region can be found online under http://www2.kubiss.de.
For useful calendars of events for Nuremberg and Erlangen see http://www.doppelpunkt.de and http://www.plaerrer.de. A free printed version of these cultural city guides can usually be found in most regional bars and cafes.
For performances in the “Markgrafentheater“ in Erlangen and in the theater in Nuremberg please see http://www.theater-erlangen.de/ and http://www.staatstheater-nuernberg.de/.
Nuremberg has numerous museums. For an overview of these please see http://www.museumsvielfalt-nuernberg.de.
The old power plant (“E-werk”) in Erlangen is a venue of concerts, band festivals, art house cinema and special cultural events.
Please see
http://www.e-werk.de
For tips and information on cinemas and current screenings in Nuremberg please see http://www.filmtips.de (nationwide), http://www.cinecitta.de, http://www.admiral-filmpalast.de and http://www.roxy-nuernberg.de.
For festivals in Nuremberg and in Erlangen please see
Figurentheaterfestival: http://www.figurentheaterfestival.de
Bardentreffen: http://www.bardentreffen.de/
Christkindlesmarkt: http://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/
Comic-Salon: http://www.comic-salon.de/
Bavarian Theatre Days: http://www.theater-erlangen.de/
Festival of Poetry: http://www.poetenfest-erlangen.de/
Erlanger Bergkirchweih: http://www.der-berg-ruft.de/
PUBS, CAFES, BARS, CLUBS
Nuremberg , Fürth and Erlangen offer a much diversified pub, café and bar scene. For more information see or just hit the town!
http://www.curt.de
http://www.doppelpunkt.de
http://www.filmtips.de
http://www.pruefungsgeil.de
A symbol of the region is the beautiful beer gardens. In the summer time they invite you to a cool drink whilst enjoying the beer garden music and a snack. The beer gardens in the grounds of the “Bergkirchweih” in Erlangen or the “Kettensteg” in Nuremberg are especially popular. The following homepage gives you a detailed overview of the beer garden landscape:
http://www.biergaerten-nuernberg.de
Check the following links too:
https://museen.nuernberg.de/startseite/
http://www.kubiss.de/
http://www.fraenkische-schweiz.com/
http://www.fcn.de/
http://www.tiergarten.nuernberg.de/
http://www.cinecitta.de
http://www.baeder.nuernberg.de/
CHURCHES and RELIGIOUS GROUPS University churches
The university churches offer work and discussion groups, lectures and festivals to interested students of all denominations.
Protestant Student Church (ESG)
Laufertorgraben 8, D-90489 Nuremberg
Tel: 0049-(0)911/2395-454, http://www.esg-nuernberg.de/
Catholic Student Church (KHG)
Königstraße 64, D-90403 Nuremberg , Tel: 0049-(0)911/2346-171
http://www.khg-nuernberg.de/
Other religious groups:
Israeli Community Nuremberg (Israelitische Kultusgemeinde Nürnberg)
Johann-Priem-Strasse 20, D-90411 Nuremberg
Tel: 0049-(0)911/56250, http://www.ikg-nuernberg.de
Islamic Community Erlangen – Friedensmoschee
Am Erlanger Weg 2, D-91052 Erlangen Tel: 0049-(0)9131/204994
vorsitzender@moschee-online.de, http://www.moschee-online.de
Russian Orthodox Church
Parisch Hl. Xenia of Petersburg , Burgkapelle, Burg, D-90403 Nuremberg
http://hl-xenia.de/
Stintzingstr. 20, D-91052 Erlangen, Tel: 0049-(0)9131/13502
International Baptist Church Nuremberg
Sperber Str 166, D-90461 Nuremberg, Tel: 0049-(0)911/883222
Greek Orthodox Church – Apostel Paulus
Obere Kanal Straße 35, D-90429 Nuremberg
Tel: 0049-(0)911/2878282