Nuremberg Zeppelin Field Guided Tour

Leaving the bustling Hauptmarkt, the group travels by tram to Nuremberg's south-eastern esplanade, quickly passing the medieval city walls and the green of the Dutzendteich. Along the way, the guide tells the story of how the city went from being the craft capital of the Holy Roman Empire to the propaganda centre of the Third Reich.

As soon as you descend, the sight of the grey granite building is impressive: the podium of the Main Rostrum, inspired by the Pergamon altar, rises soberly against the Bavarian sky. Climbing its steps - today covered with moss - conveys the inhuman scale Speer was looking for. From the top, the guide invites you to imagine the "cathedrals of light" floodlights that pierced the night and the columns of banners that framed Zeppelinstrasse.

Beneath your feet, steel plates mark the places where the imperial eagles were bolted; one of them lies in the Dokumentationszentrum, admission to which is included so you can extend your visit on your own after the tour. The contrast between the bare stone and the present-day silence illustrates the collapse of the regime: from grandeur to ruin in just ten years.

Before returning, the guide points out the side stands and explains the logistics of the parades: built-in loudspeakers, propaganda cameras on rails and the strict choreography of uniforms that obsessed Goebbels. A brief moment of collective reflection allows us to appreciate the importance of preserving these spaces as a historical warning.

Back on the tram, the panorama changes: parks, cyclists and families remind us of Nuremberg's capacity to reinvent itself. You return to the city centre with a fresh look at the city and recommendations for a visit to the 600th courtroom of the Trials or the Documentation Centre if you want to go deeper into the city.