Nürburgring Nordschleife
The Nürburgring Nordschleife (North Loop) is the historic 20.830 km mountain circuit built in the 1920s in the Eifel mountains of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, winding around the medieval village and castle of Nürburg. Nicknamed “the Green Hell” by Scottish racing driver Jackie Stewart for its extreme demands on drivers and machinery, the Nordschleife is universally regarded as the world’s most challenging motor racing circuit, with more than 300 metres of elevation change, over 150 named corners, and a long history of both triumph and tragedy in international motorsport.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic mountain racing circuit / public toll road
- Period
- Built 1925–1927; opened 1927; continuously active
- Style
- Mountain circuit; 150+ corners; 300+ metres elevation change
- Location
- Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany (Eifel mountains)
- Coordinates
- 50.3342° N, 6.9416° E
Overview
The Nürburgring is a 150,000-person capacity motorsports complex located in the town of Nürburg, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, comprising both a modern Grand Prix circuit built in 1984 and the historic Nordschleife configuration built in the 1920s. The Nordschleife — the north loop — is 20.830 km (12.943 mi) long and winds around the medieval castle and village of Nürburg through the forested Eifel mountains, containing more than 300 metres of elevation change between its lowest and highest points. Scottish racing driver Jackie Stewart nicknamed it “the Green Hell,” a description that has endured as the circuit’s defining epithet for nearly six decades.
History
Construction of the Nürburgring began in 1925 as a public works project to provide employment in the economically depressed Eifel region, and the circuit opened on 18 June 1927 with an inaugural race. The German Grand Prix was held at the Nordschleife from 1931 until 1976, when Niki Lauda suffered near-fatal burns in a fiery crash at the Bergwerk section that prompted a drivers’ boycott and the circuit’s withdrawal from the F1 world championship. A modern Grand Prix circuit was built alongside in 1984 for the return of Formula One, while the Nordschleife continued as a test track, endurance race venue, and public toll road.
What you see
The Nordschleife begins at the Start/Ziel (Start/Finish) on the Grand Prix loop connection and immediately climbs through Hatzenbach into the dense Eifel forest, passing landmarks such as Flugplatz (where cars become briefly airborne), Adenauer Forst, the Karussell banked corner, Brünnchen, and the fearsome Pflanzgarten section before descending back to the Döttinger Höhe straight. The medieval Nürburg castle is visible from several points on the circuit. Outside dedicated race events the Nordschleife operates as a public toll road where ordinary vehicles and motorcycles may drive the lap, a tradition that draws enthusiasts from around the world.
Cultural significance
The Nürburgring Nordschleife occupies a singular place in global motor racing culture as the ultimate benchmark for road car performance — manufacturers have used lap times here as engineering targets for decades, and the phrase “Nürburgring-tested” carries recognised weight in automotive marketing. Its combination of heritage racing history, a still-active toll-road experience, and a living medieval landscape make it unique among the world’s motorsport venues.
Practical information
- Address
- Otto-Flimm-Straße, 53520 Nürburg, Germany
- Admission
- Public toll road sessions (Touristenfahrten): per-lap fee payable at the gate; check official website for schedule and current pricing
- Hours
- Public driving sessions subject to seasonal schedule and weather closures — check nurburgring.de for current Touristenfahrten timetable
Getting there
The Nürburgring is located near the village of Nürburg in the Eifel mountains, approximately 80 km south of Cologne and 60 km west of Koblenz. The nearest major city with rail connections is Adenau (regional bus from Adenau train station to Nürburg); most visitors arrive by car via the A1 motorway (exit Adenau/Nürburg). During major events including the ADAC 24h race, dedicated shuttle and rail services operate from Cologne and Koblenz.