- the media city
A city for people interested in culture, gourmets and families. Karlsruhe obtained its «fan-shaped» cityscape from city founder Margrave Karl Wilhelm, who in 1715 built his palace as the centre, with 32 streets stemming out from it like beams. With more than 800 hectares of open parks and green areas, the number of individual parcels of land for peace and recreation in Karlsruhe are unique in Germany. The botanic garden, palace garden and zoological garden alone are worth a visit.
Street cafes, beer gardens and squares invite you to unwind and relax. Baden’s longest shopping street, Kaiserstraße, and the largest indoor shopping centre in southern Germany, Ettlinger Tor, ensure sheer shopping enjoyment.
The symbol of the city is situated in the market square: the pyramid that marks the grave of the city founder. The Via Triumphalis, with its unique collection of classical buildings, begins here and leads to the palace. The world-unique, interactive ZKM Centre for Art and Media Technology, Germany’s answer to the Pompidou centre, is a special experience that the whole family can enjoy.
In addition, the city has other noteworthy museums and collections, such as the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Baden State Museum in the palace or the State Art Gallery. And of course, Karlsruhe also offers superb dining: Baden cuisine is world-renowned.
The view over the district of Durlach from the local mountain, the Turmberg, is magnificent. You can get up the mountain on the Turmbergbahn, the oldest funicular railway in Germany. From it you can see the Black Forest, but also the picturesque market square and the narrow alleys of the old town.
Attractions in the city
- Baroque Palace: centre of the «fan-shaped» city.
- Market square with pyramid: symbol of the city.
- Botanic Garden: over 20 special types of tree, cacti and orangeries.
Excursions from Karlsruhe in the tri-national region
- Trifels Castle: medieval fortress in the Palatinate Forest
- Baden-Baden: Frieder Burda Museum of Contemporary Art 27
- Strasbourg: Gothic Cathedral, European Parliament
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