Nazi Party Rally Grounds, Nuremberg
An important center of the Nazi party during WWII and notoriously the location of the post-war Nuremberg trials, Nuremberg is home to some of Germany’s most significant World War II sites. Whether you’re intrigued to learn more about the city’s dark past or want to pay your respects to those who lost their lives during the war, visiting the WWII sites of Nuremberg in an integral part of any itinerary.
The obvious starting point is at the Nazi Party Rally Grounds (Reichsparteigelande) just south of the historic center. The gigantic complex, designed by Nazi architect Albert Speer, includes a stadium and parade grounds spread over 4.2 square miles. After construction was completed in 1933, the grounds hosted six of Hitler’s biggest Nazi Party rallies, and while it now lies in disrepair, it’s nonetheless an eye-opening sight. A short walk away, the Nazi Documentation Center is housed in the stately Congress Hall, which was intended for use as a meeting place of the Third Reich, and offers visitors further insight into the horrors of Nazi Germany and the subsequent Nuremberg trials.
The victims of WWII are also memorialized at Nuremberg’s Palace of Justice on Bärenschanzstrasse, where one of history’s most memorable and significant trials took place — the 1945 Nuremberg trials. It’s possible to peek into the infamous Courtroom 600, where 21 Nazi war criminals were tried before the Allied International Military Tribunal for “conspiracy and crimes against world peace, the rules of warfare and humanity.”
While learning about Nuremberg’s harrowing past is an important part of visiting the city, it’s also vital to look to the future, so make sure to walk down the poignant Way of Human Rights. The monumental walkway runs alongside the German National Museum and signifies Nuremberg’s dedication to peace, with 30 pillars engraved with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Finally, pay a visit to the unique World War II Art Bunker, a former underground bunker that has been transformed into an atmospheric art gallery.
>>Learn about other WWII sites in Germany
- Contributed by Zoe Smith