Weißer Turm
The Weißer Turm stands at Nuremberg’s western pedestrian-zone end as a surviving piece of the city’s medieval fortifications.
Its origins reach back to around 1250. Brick and sandstone form the tower, while its pointed-arch gate marks the former Inner Spittler Gate. The gate once served as a customs point.
The name recalls a former whitewash coating, which post-war renovations later removed from the tower’s surface. Bells once carried Nuremberg time across the city.
This local system adjusted the hours to extend daylight work before private clocks became common, linking the tower with civic timekeeping. The structure once joined the second city wall.
The freestanding tower stands near the Hans-Sachs-Brunnen, known affectionately as the Ehekarussell, and the Weißer Turm subway station. An escalator entered the gate during the 1970s, and construction placed the fountain nearby.
Plans for demolition after Nuremberg joined Bavaria met local resistance, preserving this architectural landmark for the city.
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