Nuremberg

After our tour of Dachau, we traveled up to Nuremberg. This city has both Reformation and historical significance. There is the old city which is still surrounded by walls, and that's where we spent most of our time. 

First, however, we went to the Ministry of Justice and toured where the Nuremberg trials took place - the trials of the top-most Nazi officials after World War II. It was a very interesting display

Courtroom 600, where the trials took place.

It has been altered and is a bit smaller from when the trials took place, for it is still an active courtroom, used by the Ministry of Justice still today! But what's still there is pretty much as it look for those trials.

After that, we went into the old city and spent the rest of the day there. Highlights were the Albrecht Durer house (important Reformation artist), St. Lorenz church, where an important Reformation figure, Andrew Osiander, was pastor, the famous town fountain, and the Nuremberg castle at the top of the hill, from which were some awesome views.

The famous town fountain. Quite ornate (though you can't tell from the picture!) But you can get an idea of the size with the people at the bottom of the picture.

St. Lorenz

In the castle at the top of Nuremberg

The view from the castle. The nearer steeples on the right are of St. Sebald's Roman church. The steeples farther in the distance on the left are of St. Lorenz.

Finally, one other picture, with explanation . . .

This is from the inside of St. Lorenz church. You can see the pulpit on the left of the picture, in the midst of the congregation, and a crucifix of our Lord on a pillar directly opposite it. I saw this arrangement more than once, which got me to thinking . . . there is a famous picture of Luther preaching and pointing to Christ crucified (see below). I have always thought of that picture not in realistic terms, but stylistic and representing an important truth. But maybe it actually is more realistic than not! With this kind of arrangement, the pulpit facing a crucifix and both in the midst of the congregation . . . the congregation's not in the right place, but still . . . hmmm.