One of my favorite churches in Nuernberg. I believe it is also the largest. I'm not going to state…read moreall the history and facts about this church, others have already done so. Just one little anecdote that always amuses me is that the builders could not agree on the style of the towers and this is why each tower is different. A feud that is permanently displayed on the towers of a church no less... Anyway, take a close look at this church both inside and out. There are so many details to see, that even after years coming here, I still seem to discover new details. A must see for sure.

This is the largest church in Nuremberg. To my surprise, I thought I was entering in a Catholic…read moreGothic style church (built circa 1250) to find out it was a Lutheran one. In any case, amazing church with so much art to see in just an hour I spent there (I was with a colleague and did not want to spend the usual amount of time I would do in this type of sacred buildings with so many details and art in every corner). I can't believe it was bombarded during WWII, then rebuilt with great effort. The stained glass art is amazing and I was happy to see that during our visit it was an exhibit about the artist who created all of them originally. It was a very well paid 2 euros visit (I dont like to pay to enter in a church, I am more pro-donations, but still it was worth it). One suggestion is that I would prefer not to have a gift shop inside the church. That devalue both the religious experience and the artistic value, converting the whole thing in a theme park. That is the only part I disliked during my visit as well as the attitude of the young girl that was collecting the money...I got confused of door of our way out and she started yelling at me: no, not there, stop stop...which made me feel weird. Anecdotes apart, a must visit.

The Frauenkirche, Church of Our Lady, is a stunning Gothic church. However a brutal past lies…read moreburied beneath its foundation. The Gothic church was built by Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV between 1352 to 1362. The church was constructed directly on the ruins of one of Nuremberg's main Jewish synagogues. During the Black Death in 1349, a brutal pogrom was orchestrated to remove Nuremberg's medieval Jewish quarter. The local community wanted the prized area for a new marketplace. They petitioned and were granted legal immunity to demolish the Jewish ghetto and confiscate the space. Over 500 Jewish residents were massacred. Homes destroyed. The local Jewish synagogue torn down to rubble. A thriving Jewish neighborhood erased almost overnight. The Holy Roman Emperor then commanded that this church be constructed on the site. A reminder of Imperial and Christian dominance. One of the most notable features of the church is the Männleinlaufen (little men's procession). This mechanical clock commemorates the Golden Bull of 1356. The clock mechanism is activated at midday, when a bell is rung to start the sequence and is followed by the trumpeters and drummer. Then a procession of the electors marches around the figure of the Holy Roman Emperor. Although the church itself is stunning, the history is dark. It stands as a sober reminder of how medieval politics, plague scapegoating and the Holy Roman Emperor collided to change the course of history in Nuremberg. Hundreds of years later, Nuremberg again was the center of history again.

I am not going to go through the history and facts of the church. Clearly another example of…read moreNuernberg's rich history as a medieval city. What makes this church stand out is the fact that it overlooks the main market place with it's many fruit and veggie stands, most with locally grown produce. Of course there are also food trucks and household wares to be had. The market place turns into a giant Christkindl Market and at its opening the Christkindl (which by the way is a Christmas angel - child of Christ) stands atop the church balcony and officially opens the Christkindl Market with a speech and blessings. Definitely worth attending, if you can squeeze in somehow, because be aware that it will be super crowded. Just before 12 noon you will see crowds gather looking up towards the top of the church. They are all waiting for the "Maennleinlaufen" were the figures start moving and the electors turn and face the Roman emperor. There are also musician figures that move as if playing their instruments.

Roman Catholic church in Schwabach. It's not particularly a large or old (only less than 200 years…read moreold) one, but what you can see inside is very remarkable--certainly worth your visit while you're in Schwabach. Here's the history of the church gathered from various websites: 1839: Sebastian Ablassmayer (1806 - 1882) became Schwabach's first Catholic pastor since the Reformation. Only around 140 Catholics lived in the city, about two percent of the population. With the construction of the railway, many Catholic workers moved to Schwabach. 1848-50: The Catholic Church is built next to the monks' gate in neo-Romanesque style. The interior of the church is decorated with paintings in the "Neubeuron style," which was shaped by the Archabbey of Beuron near Sigmaringen. The characters look like icons. It's a little reminiscent of Eastern Church paintings. 1885: The two stained glass windows were created. One is reminiscent of St. Sebald, the church's namesake. The motif with St. Sebastian was chosen as an honorable reminder of the city priest Sebastian Ablassmayer. 1925/26: The congregation grows, the plan is to build a new large church on the site of what later became the Ring pharmacy. But the economic crisis ruined the plans. In this way, the existing church will at least be expanded and given its current form. The apse was demolished and replaced by the extension. It is totally unfortunate that the old church painting was destroyed. The new plaster would not have held properly on the oil paints. Only in the chapel is plastering and painting done over the painting. 1948/50: After the World War, many Catholic refugees came to the city. The church is embellished by today's wall paintings.

St Peter's Cathedral is a Roman Catholic Church located in Regensburg, Germany. It was too…read moredifficult to take a photo ofnthe exterior, because of the vast size of the church. The church is 104 Feet high and 114 Feet wide. This historical church was completed in 1520. We toured the interior, which was free of charge. The most impressive thing of all were the gorgeous stain glass windows throughout. The colors were so vivid, my photos don't do them justice. I am always struck by the sheer feeling of peace and holiness inside churches. The church is magnificent and I wish I could hear the organ ( HUGE- see photo). With everything going on in our world right now, I appreciated the opportunity for some time for reflection and tranquillity

Dom St Peter or Regensburger Dom (St. Peter's Cathedral, also known as Regensburg Cathedral) is…read morewell-known for her Gothic architecture in Bavaria. It is a landmark for the city of Regensburg, and the seat of the Catholic Diocese of Regensburg. The structure is considered the most significant Gothic work in southern Germany. This impressively preserved church is notable for its two 105-meter-high spires. Its spacious interior is of great beauty, and its most notable feature being its superb 13th- and 14th-century stained glass windows. Therefore, it's recommended as the top attraction to visit in Regensburg. You will not be disappointed for sure. The original church called Niedermünster, which was built west of where the current cathedral stands, was built around the year 700. That fact itself is amazing, but unfortunately it was burned down in 1273. The new one was built in 1280 with an incorporation of French Gothic architectural themes. By 1320, the three choirs of this cathedral were ready for use, and between 1385 and 1415 the main entrance to the West was completed. Most of edifice was finished around the year 1520, and this was also the opening year for the cathedral. It's amazing to be able to sit in this historical cathedral and imagine how the worship service was like with its great choir and organ vibrating through this massive structure. That's one of the reasons I like to visit these cathedrals.

I went to school here when it was an international catholic high school. Amazing memories. This is…read morethe church we attended every Sunday. I'm happy to see that it's well taken care of and nicely preserved.

This former Benedictine monastery--originally named Jakobskirche or St. James Abbey--was founded in…read morethe 11th century by Irish missionaries and for most of its history was in the hands of first Irish, then Scottish monks. In Middle Latin, Scotti meant Gaels, not differentiating Ireland from Scotland, so that the term Schottenstift dates from the Irish period. That's a bit confusing to me, but it was eventually renamed after the numerous Scottish monks and missionaries who called it home from 1560 to 1860. In 1577, shortly after the Scottish Reformation, a papal bull transferred the monastery from Irish to Scottish monks. The monastery was in decline by that time with only one monk and one novice. The first Scottish abbot was Ninian Winzet (1518-92), an opponent of the reformer John Knox. Mary Queen of Scots ordered Abbot Winzet to train priests for Catholic missionary work in Scotland; the first priests were sent long after his death in 1623. The monastery managed to avoid dissolution during the Napoleonic period, a rare accomplishment. It was demoted to a priory in 1820, but monks remained in residence until 1862, when the Bavarian government bought the property and turned it into a seminary for training Catholic priests. A highlight of a visit is the spectacularly ornate north doorway (photo). Known as the Scottish Doorway (Schottenportal) constructed in the 12th century. It is the most famous architectural element of the church which occupies a full third of the north wall and is richly decorated with both ornamental and figural sculptures. It has resulted in the church being named one of Germany's most important Romanesque ecclesiastical buildings.

Easily overlooked by tourists (and slightly out of the old centre), the "Scots Church of St Jacob"…read moreis a stunning example of Romanesque architecture and a wonderfully quiet and spiritual counterpoint to the busy cathedral just 5 minutes' walk away. The name is, at first sight, rather odd: the church was founded as an Abbey by Irish monks. This reflects the fact that the word 'Scoti' was used by Roman authors to describe Gaelic tribes, whether from Ireland or what is now Scotland - the migrations of which in the Dark Ages were quite complex. But suffice to say that, in this case, the monks hailed from Ireland. An earlier Church to the South was established around 1070 but soon proved too small, and the present site was acquired around 1100 and a new Church dedicated in 1120. This was further enlarged around 1150-1185; only the east end (apse and towers) of the original church survives, the nave, Western transept and celebrated North portal dating from the later rebuilding. The monastery remained under Irish control until the Scottish reformation, when it was transferred by the Pope to Scottish monks: no less a figure than Mary, Queen of Scots sought monks from the Abbey for missionary work in Scotland. The church takes the form of a long, narrow nave with aisles, an apsed sanctuary flanked by aisle chapels, and a west transept. Unusually, the twin towers are at the eastern end. The north portal is a celebrated example of Romanesque architecture in Germany, but the meaning of its decoration has been long debated. As well as Christ and rows of seated apostles, it features a wonderful array of beasts (some real and some fantastical) including a crocodile, a mermaid entwined with a mer-man, and griffin-like winged animals, a dragon eating a lion and many more - all surrounded by classic Celtic interlaced decoration. The downside is that the portal is protected by the ugliest modern glazed canopy imaginable - and it needs a serious clean. Back inside however, the rhythmic pattern of rounded nave arcades of pale stone have exquisite Romanesque capitals and lead the eye effortlessly to the high altar. The effect is sublime.

Technically funded by the Catholic church, the Immer Hin is anything but religious and is what…read moreyouth centers should be. There's a full kitchen and a wine/beer bar that serves simple dishes but easy on the wallet. Bamberg's youth come here to learn, work, congregate and meet. Grab a beer and see a live show or just gather and mingle with the next generation of Germany's best.