I am not going to go through the history and facts of the church. Clearly another example of Nuernberg's rich history as a medieval city. What makes this church stand out is the fact that it overlooks the main market place with it's many fruit and veggie stands, most with locally grown produce. Of course there are also food trucks and household wares to be had. The market place turns into a giant Christkindl Market and at its opening the Christkindl (which by the way is a Christmas angel - child of Christ) stands atop the church balcony and officially opens the Christkindl Market with a speech and blessings. Definitely worth attending, if you can squeeze in somehow, because be aware that it will be super crowded. Just before 12 noon you will see crowds gather looking up towards the top of the church. They are all waiting for the "Maennleinlaufen" were the figures start moving and the electors turn and face the Roman emperor. There are also musician figures that move as if playing their instruments. read more

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Frauenkirche or " The Church of Our Lady" is an example of brick Gothic architecture, and it was built on the initiative of Charles IV, Holy Roman Emperor (reign 1346-1378) between 1352 and 1362. The church contains many sculptures, some of them heavily restored. Numerous works of art from the Middle Ages are kept in the church, such as the so-called Tucher Altar (c. 1440, originally the high altar of the Augustinian church of St. Vitus also in Nürnberg). The church was built in the grand market, in place of the former Jewish synagogue, which was destroyed during the Nürnberg pogrom (Jewish persecutions of 1349) which followed an outbreak of Black Death. Charles IV wanted to use the Frauenkirche for imperial ceremonies, which is reflected in the porch with the balcony, and in the fact that the church is relatively unadorned except for the coats of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, the seven Electors, the town of Nuremberg, and the city of Rome, where the Holy Roman Emperors were crowned. Construction of the church continued until the 1360s. Charles IV's son Wenceslas was baptized in the church in 1361, on which occasion the Imperial Regalia, including the imperial reliquaries, were displayed to the people. References to Wenceslaus can be found throughout the sculptural program of the church. Beginning in 1423, the Imperial Regalia was kept permanently in Nürnberg and displayed to the people once a year on a special wooden platform constructed for that purpose. The current west gable of the church dates from 1506-8. Historic images show that this gable was once richly decorated with sculptures which were presumably destroyed in the Reformation. In 1525 the church became Lutheran and galleries were added in the aisles. In 1810, the church was acquired by a Catholic parish which removed the galleries and restored the church in 1816. This restoration involved replacing and repairing surviving sculptures and gathering Medieval art to adorn the church. One of the most notable features of the church is the Männleinlaufen, a mechanical clock that commemorates the Golden Bull of 1356. The clock was installed in the church between 1506 and 1509. The Holy Roman Emperor is shown seated with the prince-electors surrounding him. The clock mechanism is activated at noon when a bell is rung to start the sequence and is followed by the trumpeters and drummer. Then there is a procession of the electors around the figure of the Holy Roman Emperor. read more

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Dating from 1352-58, this modest hall-Church fills one side of the square which hosts Nuremberg's famous Christmas Market. The church was erected on the site of a synagogue, destroyed during a bloody pogrom. Uncomfortably, it isn't clear whether the church was erected as a penance or to "claim" the former non-Christian Site. The distinctive and decorative facade has a row of tall pinnacles along the gable, which draw the eye upwards. Below is a heavily decorated west porch, which supports the oriel window of the choir. The west doorway beneath is carved with rows of saints and is colourfully painted, as it would originally have been when built. The porch is, however, rather more famous for its animated clock. It's a big tourist draw, with figures depicting the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire doing homage to Emperor: better known as Männleinlaufen, or "Little men dancing", they appear daily at noon. Inside, the church has some interesting memorials and a late Gothic altarpiece from 1445. read more

We spent the morning at Nuremberg Castle, then made sure by 11:30 to head to Hauptmarkt square. We spent some time visiting the wish fountain, and several of the great shops and stalls in the square, making sure we were ready for the noon bells. It was wonderful to see the different parts of the display moving and playing, and the figurines coming through. It was a fun stop in our day in Nuremberg. read more

Beautiful medieval church in Nuremberg Germany. During the Christmas Market we really enjoyed viewing these type of medieval churches daily. Truly pieces of timeless history and architecture. Unmatched detail and construction you will never see in a new Church, or building for that matter. I highly recommend going to Nuremberg during Christmas time do you can see the Christmas Market. read more

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