Zeppelinfeld (Zeppelin Field), Nuremberg

Zeppelin Field is one of the most imposing surviving sites of Nuremberg’s former Nazi Party Rally Grounds. Located east of the Great Road, it features the monumental Zeppelin Main Grandstand, which stretches about 360 metres and was designed by Albert Speer, drawing inspiration from the ancient Pergamon Altar. The field takes its name from Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, whose airship LZ6 landed here in 1909.

Between 1935 and 1937, the Nazis transformed the site into a vast parade and assembly ground. It was used for mass rallies and became famous for the dramatic spectacle of hundreds of thousands of people gathered before the grandstand. The site is also associated with the iconic image of the swastika being demolished from the grandstand in 1945, symbolising the collapse of Nazi Germany. To imagine the scale of the rallies that once took place here, make sure you walk up the wide stone steps onto the central tier of the Zeppelin Main Grandstand and look out across the vast grassy arena.

After the war, the field was used for American sports and military activities and became known as Soldiers Field. From the 1980s, it also hosted the German leg of the Monsters of Rock festival. Today, the grounds continue to be used for sporting events, including American football, as well as other activities.

Before you leave, stroll along the grandstand to view the weathered stone façade and examine the informational plaques detailing the site’s post-war history.

Zeppelin Field offers a powerful opportunity to understand the scale of Nazi propaganda architecture and mass spectacle.