Hitler's megalomaniacal intention was to turn the National Socialist regime into an Empire that would last a thousand years. To legitimize the regime, imposing buildings had to be built to demonstrate to the world the grandeur of Nazi ideology and the power of Germany and the Aryan race.
The Luitpoldhain facilities allowed for large events, but were not grand enough by Nazi standards. To remedy this problem, in 1935 the foundation stone of a large building, the Kongresshalle, was laid. This 70-meter-high building would allow 50,000 people to gather in a covered space. The design of the building would be based on the Colosseum in Rome, so it would have a great imperial aspect.
Although construction was going on apace, the Kongresshalle was still under construction in 1939, at the start of World War II. At this point, construction was halted pending the end of the conflict. Germany's defeat in the war prevented its completion.
After World War II, the German Federal Republic authorities attempted to erase the city's Nazi past by planning to convert the building into a shopping mall and destroying surrounding buildings. The local leaders had belonged to the Nazi party, so it was a matter of covering up the past. However, after much pressure, a local university student association managed to get the complex saved so that future generations could learn what had happened there.
How to get to the Kongresshalle in Nuremberg
The Kongresshalle is one of the buildings found in the Luidpolthain park. To get there we can take tram lines 6 or 8 from the city center to the Doku-Zentrum stop. . You can check Nuremberg transport HERE.
Visit the Kongresshalle in Nuremberg
The Kongresshalle building is now partially open to visitors. Here is the documentation center on Nazism "Fascination and Terror". The exhibition allows you to discover all the ins and outs of the regime that ruled Germany for 12 years and that led the planet to the Second World War.
You can check timetables and ticket prices on its official website.
