For a dark part of German history, Nuremberg is synonymous with the rise and fall of Nazism.

While on the outskirts of the city you can visit the remnants of the huge Kongresshalle assembly area for the numerous congresses of the NSDAP Nazi party, the memorial to the Nuremberg Trials, in which the top leaders of the Nazi regime were tried after the war, is worth a visit near the city centre.

Top 10 hotels in Nuremberg city centre

Visit the museum called "Memorium Nürnberger Prozesse" in one of the buildings of the Palace of Justice.

Nuremberg Trial

After the end of World War II, a total of 13 Nuremberg Tribunals were held against the main leaders of Nazi Germany. The main Nuremberg Trial tried 24 top officials and took place in the Nuremberg Palace of Justice between November 1945 and October 1946.

The subsequent 12 Nuremberg trials were held there between 1946 and 1949.

The trial was conducted by the victorious powers, i.e. the USA, the Soviet Union, France and Great Britain. Because Nuremberg was in the American occupation zone, all the judges were Americans. The main Nuremberg trial resulted in 12 death sentences, 3 sentences of life imprisonment, 2 sentences of 20 years, one each of 15 and 10 years. For two of the defendants, the prosecution was dropped due to their untimely deaths, and three were acquitted.

Nuremberg was chosen as the site of the trials because of its symbolic significance (it was here that the NSDAP was ceremonially founded) and because of its extensive judicial complex, undamaged by air raids.

Courtroom 600 and the museum

The Memorial of the Nuremberg Trials has been greatly expanded in the eastern part of the building, which was left abandoned after the extension of the Palace of Justice in 2019. In addition to the exhibition, period photographs and texts, the biggest attraction is a visit to courtroom number 600, where most of the trials took place.

From 2020, this courtroom can be visited together with the museum at any time during opening hours. Previously, the courtroom could only be visited at certain times when trials were not taking place.

Admission fees and opening hours

The court is open daily except Tuesdays from 9:00-18:00. From November to March, it opens at 10:00. It is closed every Tuesday throughout the year.

The opening hours of courtroom 600 are the same as the museum's opening hours.

Ticket prices are as follows:

7,50 eur - Adults
2,50 eur - Children under 18 and students with ISIC card
2 eur - Nuremberg Pass holders

Tickets can also be purchased online.

Official museum website: museums.nuernberg.de/memorium-nuremberg-trials

How to get to the museum?

The museum with courtroom 600 is located in one of the buildings of the Palace of Justice at Bärenschanzstrasse number 72.

The quickest way to get here from the city centre is to take the U1 underground line, getting off at Bärenschanzstr. station, from where you can reach the museum in 3 minutes. You can also use the Maximilianstr. bus stop, where lines 35, 38 and 39 pass.

Detailed information on ticket prices or timetables can be found in the Transport chapter.