On our trip to Germany in October, we stayed in Nuremberg and were not too far from the home, castle, store and factory of Faber-Castell. I wasn't able to book ahead for the official castle and factory tour, but I was able to spend the morning shopping in their store and walking around the castle grounds.
Here is a great view of the back side of the castle. The family hasn't lived here since 1939 when they left at the outbreak of WWII.
At the front of the castle is this beautiful clock tower.
This metal sculpture caught my attention as I enjoyed my walk around the grounds.
Imagine all the history that took place at this location. According to the website, they housed the lawyers here during the Nuremberg trials in 1945. They said that Ernest Hemingway and John Steinbeck were among those who stayed there while reporting for US newspapers during the trials.
What's a castle ground without a requisite fountain? Lovely.
Here's one of the two grand staircases at the back of the castle with wrought iron railings, sculptures and another water fountain built into the wall (bottom right).
I spotted this adorable cottage while walking around the walking path on the caste grounds.
Some more views of the castle.
This hidden alcove was actually a hallway that housed a public restroom. On this slightly chilly day they had on the water-filled cast iron radiators which were making their distinct radiator sounds as they emitted welcoming heat. Heaven. I stayed a little longer just to enjoy the warmth and the atmosphere.
Below is the factory that sits across the street from the museum, shop, castle and offices of Faber-Castell. The Rednitz River runs under the road and alongside the factory.
As I walked over the bridge to go further into Stein, Germany, I stopped to take this scenic photo. The factory (above) is to my right and the castle, shop and museum are to my left.
It was a beautiful day in Germany- about 60 degrees with occasional sunshine, but mostly light gray skies. I walked to a nearby coffee shop and enjoyed a strong cup of coffee while I wrote some postcards to friends and family back in the states and wrote some highlights of the morning's events to be copied into my travel journal.
Stay tuned for Part II where I highlight some photos of the coffee shop, postcards, etc. and then in Part III I will feature pictures of the inside of the Faber-Castell shop where I spent over an hour and about $100.
