St. Lorenz Church (St. Lawrence)

St. Lorenz in Nuremberg (St. Lawrence's Church) is the great Gothic church of the southern Old Town and one of the finest medieval churches in southern Germany. Its twin towers and huge rose window dominate the pedestrian zone, and inside you will find masterpieces of late Gothic art, including Veit Stoss's hanging Annunciation and Adam Kraft's soaring stone tabernacle. Admission is free, so it is an easy and rewarding stop on any walk through Nuremberg.

Where it is and how to get there

The church stands on Lorenzer Platz, about a 10-minute walk from Nuremberg's main train station along Königstraße. Subway line U1 stops at Lorenzkirche, right outside. Nuremberg is roughly 1 hour 10 minutes from Munich and 2 hours from Frankfurt by ICE train, so it makes an easy day trip; local transit is covered by the Deutschlandticket.

A short history

Construction began around 1250, and the bright hall choir was added from 1439, taking 38 years to finish. In 1525 St. Lorenz became Lutheran, one of the first churches in Germany to embrace the Reformation. Allied bombing in 1943 and 1945 destroyed much of the roof and vaults, but the precious furnishings had been moved to safety. The restored church was rededicated on August 10, 1952, the feast of St. Lawrence.

Highlights inside

• The Angelic Salutation (Englischer Gruß): carved by Veit Stoss in 1517–18, this 12-foot (3.72 m) Annunciation group hangs in the choir inside a wreath of 55 golden roses.
• The Sacrament House: Adam Kraft's sandstone tabernacle (1493–96) rises nearly 20 meters (65 feet) and curls over at the vault.
• The west rose window: about 9 meters (30 feet) across.
• The organs: three instruments with more than 12,000 pipes in total.

Opening hours and tours

As of October 2026, the church is open for visitors Monday to Saturday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sundays and holidays 1 to 3:30 p.m. Entry is free; donations help maintain the building. Free public church tours run daily at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in German; private tours in English can be requested from the parish. Tower tours take place on Saturdays at 2 and 3 p.m. (about 55 minutes, max. 15 people, €8, children €5), except between Christmas and Easter.

Is it worth visiting?

Yes. Even a 30-minute visit lets you see two of the most important works of German late Gothic sculpture without paying admission. Combine it with the Hauptmarkt and the Germanisches Nationalmuseum, both within a few minutes' walk.

Nearby

• Nassauer Haus, a medieval tower house opposite the church
• Hauptmarkt with the Beautiful Fountain, just across the river
• Germanisches Nationalmuseum, Germany's largest museum of cultural history
• Handwerkerhof, a crafts village by the city gate near the station