Strolling through Nuremberg’s postcard-perfect streets, you’d scarcely believe that beneath your feet lies a vast subterranean world shaped by war. Hidden nearly 20 m underground is the city’s network of rock-cut tunnels and bunkers—spaces that became unlikely guardians of Europe’s artistic treasures during WWII.
Descend into the depths and the temperature immediately drops to around 8-10°C. Stretching across nearly 25,000 sqm, the Historische Felsengänge (historic rock-cut cellars) form a labyrinth carved into sandstone beneath the city. Though originally created in medieval times, these tunnels took on an entirely new purpose during the WWII, when they became shelters during Allied bombing and storage sites for priceless cultural artefacts.
A short walk away stands the Historische Kunstbunker—historic art bunker. Built on Hitler’s orders in 1939-40, it safeguards artworks, manuscripts, and relics from destruction.
The tour begins with wartime memorabilia—propaganda posters, gas masks, and emergency equipment once used by civilians sheltering in the tunnels. Guides explain how the bunker was transformed into a sophisticated preservation facility equipped with ventilation systems, and humidity control. Heavy shock-resistant steel doors were installed to withstand bomb tremors.
Inside the larger chambers, exhibits recreate how the artworks were stored during the war. Wooden crates line the walls, offering a glimpse into the painstaking efforts undertaken to save centuries of history. Particularly striking is the story of the stained-glass windows from churches like Frauenkirche and St Lorenz, which were carefully dismantled and packed into flat wooden cases.
Among the bunker’s most valuable holdings were the Imperial Regalia of the Holy Roman Empire—the crown, sceptre, orb, lance, and sword that symbolised imperial power. Also hidden here were masterpieces by Albrecht Dürer, Nuremberg’s most celebrated son, including portraits of Charlemagne and Emperor Sigismund adorned with the regalia. The museum also houses the Behaim Globe—the oldest surviving globe from the 1490s.
Walking through the bunker, it’s impossible not to reflect on the irony that while much of Nuremberg above ground was devastated, these historical treasures survived intact in the darkness below.