The story of this place
The Kaiserburg crowning Nuremberg was one of the most important imperial castles of the Holy Roman Empire; from the 11th to the 16th century every emperor stayed here, and by a Golden Bull of 1356 each newly elected emperor was required to hold his first Imperial Diet in the city. Behind its walls the imperial regalia — crown, orb and sceptre — were kept safe for nearly 400 years. The 'Deep Well' inside the castle plunges some 50 metres to groundwater, its depth demonstrated to visitors by lowering a light and pouring water into the darkness. The Sinwell Tower gives a commanding view over the medieval city. Badly damaged in 1945, the castle was carefully restored and remains the emblem of Nuremberg's imperial golden age.