How about a stroll through Nuremberg’s Marienvorstadt, a district that might surprise you? Marienvorstadt stands as statistical district 02. It is an area that defies typical expectations.
Most central station areas are considered run-down. However, Marienvorstadt is one of the wealthier inner-city districts. Its prime location and proximity to the Wöhrder Wiese contribute to this. The Wöhrder Wiese is a green space north of the district.
When Nuremberg assigned numbers to its districts, the Old Town came first. St Lorenz received the number 01. But the number 02 was not given to St Sebald, the northern part of the Old Town. Instead, 02 went to Marienvorstadt.
Don’t think Marienvorstadt is the place to be like St Johannis or Gostenhof. It does not have as many pubs as the Old Town. Also, there are not as many art nouveau buildings as in the Uhlandstraße district. However, it offers a selection of pubs and restaurants from the Art Bar to an Ethiopian eatery.
People are drawn to the combination of central location and green spaces. The main train station sits in the neighboring Tafelhof district bordering Marienvorstadt. The Old Town is directly to the west. This part of St Lorenz near the Insel Schütt is attractive to night owls. There is a large cinema and many pubs here. For those who prefer a cozy night in, there is the city library. The Marienvorstadt also houses the music library with scores and musical literature. You can find the library of the university of applied sciences here too.
Just like its central location, the proximity to the Wöhrder Wiese attracts residents. The north of Marienvorstadt is a large green space. It connects to the Wöhrder See to the east. Young singles and childless couples particularly value this combination.
The proximity to the university of applied sciences and the faculty of economics and social sciences also plays a role. The location to major employers explains why young people live here. Unlike many station districts in Germany, Marienvorstadt is not a social hotspot. Fewer people than average in other inner-city districts rely on basic income support.
The special thing about Marienvorstadt is the combination of a central location and green space. If you live here, you can walk through greenery to the city limits. Despite this, you still live next to the main train station and the Old Town.
The Marienvorstadt was Nuremberg’s first planned expansion beyond the city walls around the 1860s. It was largely destroyed in the Second World War. Today, very little of the original character of the residential and commercial district remains.
The district is named after Marie Friederike von Preußen. Nuremberg owed the Bavarian queen nothing. Had these turn-of-the-century houses with their front gardens survived, the Marienstraße might be an upscale boulevard today. It could have handbag and perfume shops.
The Marienvorstadt is home to well-known addresses. These include the Kunstgewerbeschule, the Landeszentralbank, and the Autobahndirektion. There is also a rehabilitation center, the Amerika-Haus, and the printing house and publisher of two Nuremberg daily newspapers. Additionally, you’ll find municipal offices, the Grand Hotel and an army of new hotels. Also located here are the medical emergency service and part of the Ohm University of Applied Sciences. These places are all relevant but do not create a sense of home.
Residential buildings fill the gaps between these fixed points. It is the only Nuremberg district without a grocery store. It is a gastronomic desert. To survive in this district, you have to leave it regularly.
However, there is the consoling aspect of nature. Making the Wöhrder Wiese a public park after the war was the second-best idea in this area. The best idea was to revive the last pre-war villa. The charming Museum Kunstvilla was established within it. When you visit the Kunstvilla, you will understand the Marienvorstadt. Notice how brutally the neighboring houses break the idyll.