Kaiserburg Nürnberg

About the museum

From the High Middle Ages, the Kaiserburg was a base of the Salian and Staufer rulers, who held court days and imperial assemblies here. The Staufer built an extensive imperial palace complex on the castle rock that still shapes the castle's appearance today; in the front part resided the burgrave, who from 1191 came from the House of Zollern. In a dispute with the burgraves, the city prevailed and received responsibility for the castle in 1422; in 1427 it acquired the remains of the burgraves' castle.

In the late Middle Ages the complex was the stage of imperial politics; under the Golden Bull of 1356, every newly elected ruler was to hold his first court day in Nuremberg. In the 19th century, when Nuremberg had become part of Bavaria, King Ludwig I had the castle refurnished; later a royal apartment was added under Maximilian II. After 1934 the furnishings were fundamentally altered; in 1945 the castle lay almost completely in ruins and was rebuilt afterward.

In the reconstructed Kemenate, the Germanisches Nationalmuseum has presented the Kaiserburg Museum since 1999, covering the castle's construction history and its military aspects, with weapons, armor, excavation finds and models. In the Palas, an exhibition redesigned in 2013 traces the history of the Empire and the Imperial City.

Highlights

• Palas with Doppelkapelle
• Kaiserburg Museum with weapons collection
• Tiefer Brunnen (guided tour only)
• View from the Sinwellturm
• Burggarten and Maria-Sibylla-Merian-Garten

Founded

1999

Operated by

Bayerische Verwaltung der staatlichen Schlösser, Gärten und Seen; Kaiserburg-Museum: Germanisches Nationalmuseum

Admission & discounts

The combined ticket covers the Palas, the Kaiserburg Museum, the Tiefer Brunnen and the Sinwellturm. Burggarten and Merian Garden are free of charge. Tickets are sold only at the ticket office in the outer castle courtyard, by cash or card; no online sales. Guided tour fees are not included in combination tickets.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Ticket office and ground floor of the Kemenate are step-free. The Rittersaal and Hochzeitszimmer can be reached by a lifting platform, while the upper floor of the Palas, the Doppelkapelle and the upper floor of the Kemenate can only be reached by stairs. The Sinwellturm has 113 steps; at the Tiefer Brunnen there is one step (camera view of the well's depth on a screen). Portable stools; two accessible parking spaces in the outer castle courtyard. Information for people with visual and hearing impairments, and audio guide devices for cochlear implants.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops

Theme tours and activities for families, as well as separate pages for children and young people; school class workshops on heraldry.

Getting there & parking

Central location in Nuremberg's city center; address: Auf der Burg 13.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop
• Lockers

Burg Café Beer in the outer castle courtyard (with terrace); museum shop at the ticket office; lockers in the Kemenate.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Plan your visit