What exactly are the Burgbasteien in Nuremberg?

They are defensive bastions built from 1538 around Nuremberg Castle to strengthen its fortifications against modern artillery.

Can you visit the inside of the bastions?

The internal galleries and casemates can only be seen on a guided tour, while the outer grounds and gardens are freely accessible.

Is the Burggarten part of the same site as the bastions?

Yes, the Burggarten and the Rosengarten are laid out directly on the former Burgbasteien.

Where are the entrances to the site?

The main entrance is near the Fünfeckturm on the castle grounds, with a second access point by the Neutor.

Burgbasteien

Nürnberg

Access

No visits on recordNo opening hours or ticketing found

Where: Nürnberg

To make a day of it

Open within 20 km

Sleep nearby

Burgbasteien stands in Nürnberg (Nürnberg), in Bavaria, Germany. The building is a listed Baudenkmal. No visits are on record for this building.

The Burgbasteien are a system of bastions built from 1538 onward to the west and north of Nuremberg Castle, at a time when developments in artillery forced a rethink of medieval fortifications. The complex includes the dominant Große Bastei, along with the Vestnertorbastei and the Tiergärtnertor-Bastei, linked by angled walls pierced with gun ports designed to leave defenders no blind spots. The moats and the internal casemate passages, with their firing positions and hidden sally ports, reveal a defensive system built for close control of the surrounding ditches. Today the former bastions house the Burggarten, a public garden laid out in the 19th century above the old town.

What to know

The main entrance is on the castle grounds itself, near the Fünfeckturm, with a second access point by the Neutor.
The Rosengarten occupies the Große Bastei, while the Burggarten proper lies on the Tiergärtnertor-Bastei.
The defensive casemate passages inside the bastions can only be visited on a guided tour.
Walking between the bastions and along the old moats involves sloped terrain typical of the fortified site.

Where this château is

Nürnberg · Nürnberg · Bayern

Loading the map…

This châteauChâteaux within 40 km

Address

Nürnberg, Nürnberg

Directions open from wherever you are, by car or public transport.

Get directions View on a map

Heritage status: Baudenkmal in Bayern

In pictures

Frequently asked

What exactly are the Burgbasteien in Nuremberg?: They are defensive bastions built from 1538 around Nuremberg Castle to strengthen its fortifications against modern artillery.
Can you visit the inside of the bastions?: The internal galleries and casemates can only be seen on a guided tour, while the outer grounds and gardens are freely accessible.
Is the Burggarten part of the same site as the bastions?: Yes, the Burggarten and the Rosengarten are laid out directly on the former Burgbasteien.
Where are the entrances to the site?: The main entrance is near the Fünfeckturm on the castle grounds, with a second access point by the Neutor.