Aplomb et joie de vivre : Fürth

Sommes-nous encore à Nuremberg ou déjà à Fürth ? On n'en est jamais vraiment sûr. Ces deux villes se sont soudées au fil du temps, et seuls sept kilomètres environ séparent leurs centres-villes. Raison de plus pour visiter Fürth, une ville qui se démarque par son histoire singulière, un grand caractère et un art-de-vivre convivial et serein.

More than 1,000 architectural monuments and a hint of Florence
It is clear that Fürth residents are very aware of their history and proud of their picturesque town. And their pride is not misplaced, as the delightful and historical old town proves. The Gauklerbrunnen fountain is set amidst beautifully preserved buildings from the 17th and 18th centuries. No two houses are the same here, and an extraordinary array of roof shapes, heights, styles and facades can be seen. Gustavstrasse and the surrounding streets are packed with pubs and bars, and the whole district seemingly transforms into one big beer garden during the summer. The town centre alone contains precisely 1,169 architectural monuments, one of the highest concentrations in Germany. A striking example is the town hall, whose style and 55-metre tall square tower, the town's landmark, closely resembles Palazzo Vecchio in Florence – another sign that Fürth's citizens don't suffer from false modesty. A number of streets lined entirely with 19th and early 20th century buildings are also a feature of the town centre and include Hornschuchpromenade with its beautiful homes built in the Gründerzeit and Jugendstil styles.

A trip down memory lane
Fürth's municipal museum is named after Ludwig Erhard, who was born in the town and engineered the German economic miracle of the 1950s. Visitors to the museum take an exciting journey back in time to gain an overview of the town's history, which stretches back more than 1,000 years. Fürth used to be a centre for the development of radio and television, as can been seen at the Radio Museum. Its twelve exhibitions relate the history of broadcasting, from the precursors and early days of radio in the 1920s, to radio and TV in East Germany, to the present and future of audiovisual media.

After a visit to the Radio Museum, a good place to retune your senses is the municipal park, which was laid out in 1951 for the 'Grünen und Blühen' horticultural show. It remains a garden of national historical importance and is also a meeting point for lovers and an oasis of calm that is likely to conjure up special memories for everyone from the town. And lovely memories are what all visitors to Fürth will take away with them.