Darmstadt Tourist Attractions
|
|
SituationDarmstadt, the former capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, lies at the end of the Upper Rhine plain amid the foothills of the Odenwald. From here the Bergstrasse runs south to Heidelberg.
Luisenplatz
The Luisenplatz is in the center of Darmstadt.
Kollegiengebäude
The former Kollegiengebäude (1780) in Darmstadt is now occupied by the Regierungspräsidium (district administrative offices).
Ludwig Column
The 33m/108ft high Ludwigssäule, in Darmstadt's Luisenplatz, is topped by a bronze statue of Grand Duke Ludwig I (by Schwanthaler, 1844).
New Town Hall
The New Town Hall in Darmstadt's Luisenplatz has the Congress Center.
Hesse Regional Museum
The Hessian Landesmuseum in Darmstadt has a picture gallery, collections of sculpture and graphic art, a department of applied art, a rich Art Nouveau collection and a mineralogical section.
Herrngarten
The Herrngarten in Darmstadt contains the burial mound of Landgravine Henriette Caroline (1721-74).
White Tower
The White Tower in Darmstadt is a relic of the town's fortifications.
Town Church
The Town Church (15th-18th C.) in Darmstadt has a burial vault containing the tombs of Landgraves of Hesse.
Ludwigskirche
The neo-classical Ludwigskirche in Darmstadt was modeled on the Pantheon in Rome. In front of it is an obelisk commemorating Princess Alice, wife of Grand Duke Ludwig IV.
Old Theater
The neo-classical Old Theater (1819) in Darmstadt now houses the State Archives.
Pädagog
In the southern part of the central area of Darmstadt is the Pädagog (restored), a Renaissance building of 1629 which originally housed the first Latin School (grammar school) in Hesse; it is now occupied by various educational institutions.
College of Technology
The College of Technology in Darmstadt borders on the east side of the Herrngarten.
Kekulé Room
The room at the College of Technology is dedicated to August Kekulé and includes many personal effects of the chemist. Of particular note is a book containing the names and photos of various donors.
Prince George's Palace
The Prinz-Georg-Palais (17th C.) in Darmstadt has a valuable collection of porcelain and a Roccoco garden.
Old Town Hall
The rebuilt Old Town Hall (Renaissance) in Darmstadt has a staircase tower on the facade.
Orangery
In the south of Darmstadt is the Orangery (1719), now used for conferences and social occasions.
Mathildenhöhe
In the east of Darmstadt is the Mathildenhöhe, on which Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig established an artists' colony (Art Nouveau houses and artists' studios) in 1899. In the center of the settlement are an exhibition building (temporary art exhibitions) and the 48m/157ft high Hochzeitsturm (Wedding Tower; views).Adjoining are the Russian Chapel and, a short distance away, the Ernst-Ludwig-Haus (German Academy of Language and Literature; Art Nouveau Museum).
Frankenstein Festival
Mary Shelley's novel is based in Frankenstein Castle in Darmstadt. Every year the castle is opened up for a festival to celebrate the famous monster. The events take place during the three weekends around Halloween.
Surroundings
Zoo and Botanic Garden
On the eastern outskirts of Darmstadt are the Vivarium (Zoo) and the Botanic Garden.
Steinbrücker Teich
To the northeast of Darmstadt (reached by way of Dieburger Strasse) lies the Steinbrücker Teich recreation area (Wild West village; mini-golf; boat hire, etc.).
Schloss Kranichstein
5km/3mi northeast of Darmstadt is the old hunting lodge of Kranichstein, an imposing Renaissance building with an interesting Hunting Museum. There is a Railway Museum at the railroad station.
Wixhausen Village Museum
In the former village, Wixhausen, north of Darmstadt, there's a Village Museum (country life).The museum is housed in a Franconian half-timbered farmhouse.
Map of Darmstadt Attractions
Map - Darmstadt
