Summary
Situated between the Pegnitz and Rednitz rivers, the city of Fürth is located a few kilometers away from Nuremberg in Middle Franconia. While Fürth’s larger neighbor often garners much attention, there are numerous aspects to appreciate about this historical city.
One notable feature is that Fürth sustained only partial damage during the Second World War, preserving entire streets like the delightful Gustavstraße and the carefully cultivated Hornschuchpromenade, which are lined with a series of listed sandstone properties.
Moreover, the city boasts over 1,100 listed historical monuments, including its town hall, resembling the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. Throughout Fürth, you may occasionally notice a trefoil cloverleaf, representing the three authorities that governed the city during the Middle Ages: The Bishop of Bamberg, the city of Nuremberg, and the Count of Ansbach.
Let us explore the premier attractions in Fürth:
1. Judisches Museum Franken
For centuries, Fürth served as a spiritual hub for Franconia’s Jewish community, housing numerous synagogues, Talmud schools, and Hebrew printing houses.
The principal site of the Jewish Museum is an impressive 17th-century building connected to a modern annex.
This building remained in the possession of Jewish families continuously from the 1600s until the 1900s.
The museum highlights the vibrant Jewish heritage of a region once home to 400 separate Jewish communities.
Franconia’s Jewish populace had its own customs, religious practices, and notable scholars.
The museum’s galleries contain ceremonial art and everyday objects, spanning from the Middle Ages to contemporary times.
Among these is a historic sukkah booth used during the Sukkot holiday, and archaeological excavations in the basement have uncovered a 17th-century Mikveh bath.
2. Playmobil FunPark
Founded in 1974, Playmobil’s headquarters are located in Zirndorf, within the Fürth district.
This theme park offers an expansive exploration of the beloved toy line, differentiating itself from many other toy-themed destinations through active, engaging game stations.
Divided into several “game worlds” (Spielwelten), children can enthusiastically explore a police station, western town, farm, pirate world, quarry, Medieval castle, and a dinosaur park.
Additionally, adventure playgrounds promote physical activity, allowing children to climb rope courses and practice balance on secure balancing paths.
3. Gustavstraße
This picturesque street in the Altstadt has long been a favored culinary destination in Fürth, featuring many taverns and restaurants serving traditional Franconian cuisine.
On sunny days, a continuous line of terraces almost transforms the street into a single expansive beer garden.
Constructed in the 1700s and 1800s, the sandstone houses along Gustavstraße suffered only minor war damage.
The street is named after Swedish King Gustav II Adolf, who is said to have dined at the Grüne Baum (Green Tree) inn during the 17th-century Thirty Years’ War.
Some buildings along the street exhibit half-timbered upper floors, such as the charming Altes Rentamt tavern at number 61.
4. Hornschuchpromenade
In contrast to the traditional homes on Gustavstraße, the Neoclassical mansions of Hornschuchpromenade present a more grandiose aesthetic.
Adjacent to the Fürther Freiheit square, the Hornschuchpromenade and its parallel street, Königswarterstraße, were developed alongside Germany’s first railway, the Ludwigeisenbahn.
Where the railway tracks once lay, a meticulously designed garden now thrives, featuring symmetrical lawns, hedges, and trees.
Here, visitors can admire an impressive row of Historicist and Art Nouveau residential blocks constructed between 1886 and 1911 for Fürth’s affluent industrialists and merchants.
5. Fürth Stadtpark
If you are seeking a tranquil escape, the city’s park offers a gentle green sanctuary alongside the Pegnitz River.
For over a century, part of this land served as Fürth’s main cemetery, which was ultimately cleared in the early 20th century.
You’ll recognize this historic parkland by the size of its magnificent trees, some of which are over 100 years old.
During the summer months, the park bustles with life and features amenities such as a mini-golf course, café, rose garden, orchard, and botanical nursery.
The river trail leads to its expansive flood-meadow areas, providing ample opportunities for morning joggers, with kilometers of paths to explore.
6. Fürther Freiheit
When Germany’s first railway, the Adler, arrived in Fürth in 1835, this location became the new nucleus of the city.
Although the primary station, Ludwigsbahnhof, ceased operations in 1922 and was subsequently demolished during the Nazi regime in 1938, Fürther Freiheit remains a significant long square, hosting the city’s prominent public events.
One such event is the Michaeliskirchweih, a 12-day festival typically held in early October, featuring live music, carnival rides, and a thanksgiving procession attracting over 100,000 attendees.
During the Advent season, a Christmas market can be enjoyed, while May heralds the Jazz-themed New Orleans Festival.
7. St. Michael
As one of Fürth’s prominent landmarks and an ecclesiastical focal point for centuries, St. Michael is a church with origins tracing back to the 1000s.
Being the oldest church in the city, it has undergone several renovations and alterations over the past millennium.
A significant restoration in the 19th century introduced the church’s Neo-Gothic altarpiece and various sculptures in its galleries.
The altar rests on a table carved in 1497, while the chancel ceiling’s star vault, dating from 1480, adds to its historical value. Furthermore, the tabernacle, towering at 6.8 meters, is crafted from sandstone sourced from Fürth’s Vach district and dates back to the mid-16th century.
8. Rathaus
Constructed between 1840 and 1844, Fürth’s town hall was designed by Georg Friedrich Christian Bürklein.
If you have visited Florence, you may notice a striking resemblance, as the Rathaus draws inspiration from the Palazzo Vecchio, built in 1314. This is especially evident in the tower, which features a similar square shape and machicolations beneath the upper floors.
Daily at 12:04, those in the city center may hear a familiar melody, as the glockenspiel in the town hall’s tower plays a few notes from Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” These bells were cast in 2007, replacing the original carillon from 1849, which was melted down during wartime.
9. Rundfunkmuseum
Officially opened in 1993, the broadcasting museum has occupied an appropriate site since 2001 within the former headquarters of the German electronics company Grundig.
The museum’s collection is organized chronologically across several floors, demonstrating the evolution of broadcasting, from early telegraph systems to modern technology.
You will find numerous vintage radios alongside tape recorders and televisions representing various eras.
Additionally, the museum features measuring instruments like oscilloscopes, audio engineering devices, and even a 100kw medium-wave transmitter.
The second floor provides a café, while the fourth floor housed the amateur radio station DL0RFM until 2014.
10. Stadtmuseum Fürth
The municipal museum features a collection initially assembled in the 19th century by merchant and politician Conrad Gebhardt.
The museum itself was established in 1937, and since 2007 has found a new home in a former school building located at Ottostraße 2. Enhanced by interactive displays and multimedia presentations, the galleries cover approximately 5,000 years of Fürth’s history, from the Bronze Age to the 21st century.
Visitors can examine Bronze Age pottery and medieval tools while also learning about Fürth’s traditional industries and notable historical figures.
The local brewing and toy-making industries are prominently represented, alongside an exhibition focusing on Ludwig Erhard, the Fürth native who served as German chancellor from 1963 to 1966.
11. Comödie Fürth
Located at Comödien-Platz 1, just a short walk from the Hauptbahnhof (central train station), this folk theater resides in a historic building constructed in 1906. The Comödie Fürth showcases exquisite Art Nouveau architecture, featuring gracefully curved gables at either end.
If you possess an understanding of German and Bavarian colloquialisms, you may be able to attend one of the theater’s 300 annual performances.
The programming primarily consists of comedy, cabaret, and boulevard theater, but the venue also hosts various significant city events.
For instance, in 2012, the Comödie Fürth became a focal point during the celebrations for local team Greuther Fürth’s promotion to the Bundesliga.
Additionally, even if you do not attend a performance, the theater’s wood-paneled restaurant offers a delightful experience, serving beer from the local Tucher Bräu brewery, established in 1672.
12. Alte Veste
At the eastern edge of the Fürther Stadtwald (City Forest) stands a lookout tower atop Rosenberg hill.
This square tower, built in 1832, commemorates the 200th anniversary of a battle during the Thirty Years’ War between Sweden and the Holy Roman Empire, concluding with an Imperial victory but at the cost of 2,400 lives on both sides.
A lookout has existed here since the 1200s, with medieval ruins utilized by the Swedes during the battle to maintain their defense.
The 19th-century tower currently operates as a relay station for the fire department and features a restaurant and terrace at its base, nestled within the lush Stadtwald.
13. Wildschweingehege
Within the Stadtwald, there is a small animal park devoted entirely to wild boars.
Visitors can observe the boars in a spacious wooden enclosure, and if you bring dried spaghetti or bread, you can feed them through the fence.
In autumn, the boars forage for acorns from the forest’s oak trees.
Spring is the ideal time to visit, as it is when the new piglets are born.
14. Tennenloher Forst
To the east of Fürth lies a 934-hectare nature reserve, a popular destination for family walks on weekends.
Tennenloher Forst is recognized as one of the largest sandy ecosystems in Southern Germany.
This area was largely uncultivated for thousands of years; however, in 1935, nearly 200 hectares were cleared for military shooting ranges, which remained in use by the Americans until 1993. Since then, nature has reclaimed its territory.
Herds of wild Przewalski’s horses have been released into the ecosystem.
This species, native to the Mongolian steppe, grazes in open sandy areas, effectively controlling the growth of invasive tree species.
Information boards are located along the trails, providing insight into this ecosystem while advising visitors to remain on the paths due to unexploded ordnance risks.
15. Nuremberg
There is ample activity to engage in within and around Fürth, making it easy to overlook the proximity of Nuremberg, which is merely five minutes away by train.
The city offers another historical town to explore, one that was home to Renaissance artist Albrecht Dürer.
Visitors can tour the artist’s restored half-timbered house.
Nuremberg Castle also holds considerable historical significance, as it was the meeting place for the Holy Roman Empire’s Imperial Diets and courts.
The Nazis also recognized this significance, using the city for their rallies, with key decision-makers being tried at Nuremberg’s Palace of Justice after the war.
The rallying grounds feature a world-class museum detailing National Socialism, and courtroom 600 is still accessible on weekends, where notable figures like Hermann Göring were tried.
