Pegnitz (river) Stream

The Pegnitz is a river in Bavaria that rises in the Franconian uplands and flows westward through Nuremberg before joining other waterways to form the Regnitz. It is an important local river around which towns and urban development have formed.

Through Nuremberg the Pegnitz passes the historic old town with timber-framed buildings, bridges and riverside promenades; several medieval structures and pedestrian bridges line its banks. Outside the city the river flows through agricultural and wooded valleys typical of the Franconian landscape.

Historically the river supported mills and local industry and has been subject to flood-control and urban river-management schemes. Today it is used for recreation, walking routes and as a scenic element of the cities and towns it traverses.

Geographically the river rises in northern Bavaria and runs roughly 115 kilometres before joining the river system that becomes the Regnitz downstream of Nuremberg.

• Length: The Pegnitz is about 115 kilometres long and is one of the principal rivers running through the Franconian region of Bavaria, including the centre of Nuremberg.
• Urban promenade: Nuremberg’s riverfront is a common route for urban walks; spring and summer floods have historically required regulation works along stretches of the Pegnitz.

What to See#

• Weinstadel (Nuremberg): Historic riverside structures in Nuremberg including the medieval Weinstadel, a long timber-framed riverside storehouse that faces the Pegnitz and is part of the old town view.
• Henkersteg and riverwalks: The Henkersteg footbridge and adjacent riverwalks in Nuremberg’s old town provide close access to the Pegnitz with pedestrian paths and historic bridges.

The Pegnitz River runs through the centre of Nuremberg (Nürnberg). To visit the river in the old town, arrive at Nuremberg Hauptbahnhof (main station) by regional train and walk into the Altstadt; the Pegnitz is a short walk from the station and from central squares such as the Hauptmarkt. Numerous city trams and buses also serve stops close to the river.

• Start your riverside walk in Nuremberg's old town and continue downstream toward Wöhrder Wiese and Wöhrder See to move away from the busiest tourist bridges and find quieter riverbank paths.
• Visit early morning or on weekday afternoons when locals use the riverside parks and beer‑garden stretches rather than the mid‑day tourist peak; walking further along the Pegnitz often reveals small historic mills and quieter architectural details.