Travelling in Karlsruhe and the Alb Valley
Karlsruhe (313,000 residents) lies on the Rhine in the south-west of Germany, in scenic surroundings near the Black Forest, the Palatinate and the Vosges Mountains in neighbouring France. Germany‘s second-warmest city is known for its pleasant climate and joie de vivre. By Helen Cleary
Legend has it that Margrave Karl Wilhelm of Baden once had a vision of a star-shaped city in a dream, which gave rise to the idea for Karlsruhe‘s radial layout. The foundation stone for the lavish royal residence, much loved by Voltaire, Goethe and Napoleon, was laid on 17 June 1715. Like sunrays, all roads and avenues run to the Baroque palace which now houses the state museum. The Pyramid, the crypt of the Margrave and the city’s landmark, was built in 1823.
On 13 January 1719, the Badisches Staatstheater opened as a court theatre in the east wing of the royal residence. The theatre has something for everyone from drama to ballet, opera and concert with the Badische Staatskapelle, one of the oldest orchestras in the world, as well as the Junge Staatstheater and the local dialect folk theatre.
As the seat of the highest courts in the land, Karlsruhe will be celebrating the 75th anniversary of the enactment of German Basic Law with a Constitutional Festival from 15 August to 15 September 2024. The Baroque palace façade will be a projection surface for a festival of light and sensational media art.
In the international ranking of the world‘s largest database ‘ArtFacts’, the ZKM Centre for Art and Media comes fourth after the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Biennale di Venezia and the Centre Pompidou in Paris.
In the immediate vicinity of Karlsruhe, the Alb valley is a haven for those wishing to unwind. Alb valley railway S1 takes you into the middle of the Black Forest where a wide range of activities and first-class restaurants await lovers of art, culture and culinary delights in towns like Ettlingen, Dobel, Karlsbad, Marxzell and Bad Herrenalb.
Every summer the historic town of Ettlingen hosts a festival of classical and modern drama and musicals in the courtyard of the Baroque castle.
Halfway between Ettlingen und Bad Herrenalb is Marxzell, the ‘heart’ of the Alb valley, where a healthy climate, an idyllic recreational landscape and bubbling mountain streams await. Marxzell’s most famous landmark is the imposing twin towers of the ruins of the Frauenalb convent church dating from around 1180. Cultural events are held here every year.
Bad Herrenalb which also developed from a 12th century monastic settlement is a reputed health resort and spa in the valleys of the northern Black Forest.