Schöner Brunnen

Situated at the heart of Nuremberg’s beautiful Old Town, the Schöner Brunnen is a stop on a variety of Nuremberg sightseeing tours—including private walking tours and self-guided audio tours, and it even features on scavenger hunt games. The fountain is typically showcased on itineraries that help tick off key city landmarks like St. Lorenz Church, the Hauptmarkt, and Nuremberg Castle. It’s also easy to get to the fountain on foot when exploring the Old Town independently.

• The Schöner Brunnen is located on the main market square, which is accessible to wheelchair users, but the surface may be bumpy due to its cobblestone nature.

• Shopaholics can enjoy browsing galore at the nearby Nuremberg Main Market (Nurnberg Hauptmarkt). There are also plenty of cafes and restaurants within walking distance and public bathrooms.

• Take a closer look at the fountain to find 40 figures that portray the perception of the Holy Roman Empire—including philosophers, church fathers, and the seven prophets.

Getting to Nuremberg’s main market square is easy on foot, as the Old Town is compact and very walkable. If traveling by bus, the Nürnberg Hauptmarkt bus stop (served by buses 36 and N11) is only a 1-minute walk away. Alternatively, you can get the U-Bahn U1 line to Lorenzkirche, around a 5-minute walk away.

As the fountain is situated on a public square, it’s accessible any time of day or night. However, because it's considered a lucky charm and highly photogenic—it can attract big crowds. To avoid these, it’s best to visit early in the morning and evening rather than in the afternoon when tour groups can often pass by.

There are multiple superstitions to do with the Schöner Brunnen, and in particular—these relate to its rings helping with luck and fertility. Tourists typically line up to spin its golden ring, as if you turn it three times and make a wish, it will come true. Locals, on the other hand, believe the iron ring has magical powers and wait to turn this one.