Nuremberg is located in south central Germany in the Franconia region. It is the second largest city in Bavaria after Munich. This 950-year-old city is a mix of modern and historical city of half a million people. Nuremberg is also known as the Home of Albrecht Dürer -- Germany's Renaissance man.

History spanning 1,000 years

Nuremberg received its first official recognition as a city in the year 1050 from Emperor Henry III. Historically, Nuremberg was one of Europe's most important and cultural cities and was known as the unofficial capital of the Holy Roman Empire. In 1219, the Emperor Fredrick II gave the city its imperial title.

In 1356, the city received a further accolade; the so called Golden Bull which stated that new kings were obliged to hold their first parliamentary session in Nuremberg. This was also the time when major works of art were created here. Some of the city’s favorite artists like Albrecht Dürer, the humanists Willibald Pirckheimert and the mason Adam Kraft lived in the city at this time.

In the 19th century, the region was invaded by Napoleon. In 1806 Nuremberg lost its charter as an imperial city and was reduced to become a mere province. In the first half of the 20th century, Nuremberg again acquired national and international recognition but soon became synonymous with the Nazi Party rallies.

During World War II, the city was heavily bombarded and about 90 percent of the historic old town had been reduced to ash. Nuremberg’s status in the Third Reich meant that it was destined to be the location of the ensuing war crimes trials. In 2001 the city received UNESCO Prize for Human Rights Education.

Modern and ancient, side-by-side

Today Nuremberg has developed into modern metropolitan city. It is a thriving industrial, commercial and hi-tech centre with workers from all over Europe. The city also stands at the forefront in the fields of electro-technology and mechanical engineering. The city has now recovered its past glories and is a lively place to visit, especially in summer, when the magnificent old city is buzzing with outdoor music and nightlife. It also has a rich cultural and architectural history with a plethora of museums and ancient sites of interest dotted around the city.

Nuremberg , literally, Kicks

Under the title "Nuremberg Kickt", the city has organized numerous sporting and cultural activities since 2004 as a precursor to its hosting of matches during the 2006 World Cup. Nuremberg is a traditional venue for cycle racing, ice hockey and motor racing in Germany.

But the city is mostly known for FC Nuremberg, one of the oldest soccer clubs in Germany. FC Nuremberg have won the Bundesliga title nine times. The team plays its home matches in the Frankenstadion, which first opened in 1991 and has a capacity of more than 45,000 seats.