Nuremberg Castle, as the name suggests, lies in a wonderful, interesting, bustling and above all historical Nuremberg city, located on both banks of the river Pegnitz. Although Nuremberg is famous for its monuments and attractions, the Imperial Castle is its typical feature. No wonder it is one of his biggest and the most beautiful complexes. The castle forms the northern border of the historic city. A large part of the walls with a ditch, towers and gates have also been preserved.
It is located north of Pegnitz city and rises directly above the centre. Nuremberg Castle was built on sandstone rocky plateau by Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa and his followers. First mention about the castle is from 1005 and from that time until 1571 it was at least occasionally the seat of almost all emperors and of the kings of the Holy Roman Empire. The castle also has its legend and it says that according to legend the robber knight Eppelin von Gaillingen jumped over the wall of the castle after being sentenced to death and thus he got to freedom. Upon closer examination, they say that the horseshoe print is still visible on the wall.
The castle is well preserved and consists of three parts according to the period of origin. The imperial castle is a name for western part. In the front courtyard there is a building boasting the Tiefer Brunnen well. There is already a written mention of this well since the 14th century and the depth of its shaft reaches 47 meters.
Not far from the well is the square tower Heidenturm, in which there are two Romanesque chapels on top of each other. Upper Chapel served for the nobility from a higher society and the Lower Chapel was intended for a lower aristocratic society.
The imperial chapel dates from 1200 from the time of the Staufs. It is one of the most impressive rooms of the castle and also the oldest preserved building. Both chapels are spatially and liturgically connected together by a hole in the ceiling.
In the east, the Imperial Castle is bordered by a wall above which rises the Sinwelturm tower. Medium and the oldest part is the so-called Pukrabs`s castle, based on the peasant period. It also includes a pentagonal tower, adjacent to the building of the imperial stables Kaiserstallung. They were founded in 1495 and are currently used as a youth hostel Jugendherberge.
The centuries-old linden "Kunigundenlinde" is certainly worth mentioning. It was named after the Empress Kunigunde, who was the wife of Emperor Henry II (around 980 - 1033/39). Kunnigunda was canonized in 1200, and it was she who planted the first linden tree here. She had to be several times replaced by a young tree during the 20th century. The last time it was in the eighties. Nuremberg is one of the few cities that has retained almost the entire fortification system around its Old Town city.
