Sights in Karlsruhe
Friends of art and culture will find a multi-faceted offer in the fan-shaped city of Baden with numerous, changing events and guided tours.
The Karlsruhe Palace with its adjacent palace garden and the Baden State Museum promise a special treat. Also interesting is a visit to the world-famous Majolika ceramics factory and the State Art Gallery with Orangery or the Centre for Art and Media in the centre of the city.
If you are looking for peace and nature, you will also find it in Karlsruhe. The Black Forest just outside the city invites you to do so.
The city also has excellent transport connections. The Schlosshotel Karlsruhe is located directly at the main railway station and is the ideal starting point for the most beautiful excursions.
Baden-Baden is just around the corner, Stuttgart, Mannheim or Heidelberg are a "stone's throw" away and Frankfurt Airport is also not far away thanks to the direct ICE train connection.
Karlsruhe is located in the centre of the economically strong region of Baden-Württemberg, rich in sights, leisure activities and cultural offers. There are therefore many good reasons to come to Karlsruhe.
- Town park – ZOO: about 0,1 km
- Thermal bath Vierordtbad: about 1,0 km
- Europa-Bad Karlsruhe: about 1,0 km
- Convention Center Karlsruhe: about 0,7 km
- Trade Fair Center / dm-Arena: about 8,0 km
- Center for Modern Art and Media (ZKM): about 2,5 km
- Badisches Staatstheater (Baden State Theater): about 2,0 km
- Staatliche Kunsthalle Karlsruhe: about 3,0 km
- Thermal baths and lakes: about 5,0 km
- Baden-Baden casino: about 40,0 km
- Baden State Museum
- Karlsruhe Castle
- Botanical Garden/ Palace Garden
- Federal Court of Justice
- Natural History Museum
- Weekly markets in Karlsruhe
Discover the sights of Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe Castle
The city's landmark is the Karlsruhe Castle, which was built at the beginning of the 17th century. For almost 200 years it served as the residence and seat of government of the margraves, electors and grand dukes of Baden. Balthasar Neumanns finally had the Karlsruhe Palace rebuilt and extended in the mid-18th century by the architect Albrecht Friedrich von Kesslau in baroque style. The Karlsruhe palace is famous above all for its fan-shaped ground plan. 32 axes lead from the central castle tower in all directions.
Today the castle houses the Baden State Museum, one of the most active cultural-historical museums in Germany. Those interested in culture can follow the traces of prehistory and early history through antiquity, the Middle Ages and the baroque period up to the 21st century and admire impressive art treasures of that time.
After a visit to the museum, a walk through the palace garden is a must. The large garden was laid out in 1967 on the occasion of the Federal Garden Show in the style of an English landscape park. The people of Karlsruhe meet here to relax or to do sports together. In addition to the beautiful Stadtgartensee lake, several statues, monuments and fountains from different eras decorate the palace garden. On weekends you can also explore the area around the Karlsruhe castle with the Schlossgartenbahn.
Zoological city garden
Another great attraction in Karlsruhe is the Zoologischer Stadtgarten, which stands out for its unique combination of park landscape and zoo. Colorful flower landscapes, extensive green and water areas and old trees make the Zoologischer Stadtgarten a great oasis to experience nature. In addition, countless animal species can be discovered and got to know. Among the highlights of the zoo are the exotic house, which is home to a great variety of tropical plants and animals, the mountain world of the Himalayas or the underwater worlds. Those who prefer to observe the animals from a distance can take a leisurely gondoletta boat trip across the Stadtgarten and Swan Lake.
An absolute must-see in the area of the Stadtgarten is the Japan House, where visitors can participate in a traditional tea ceremony during guided tours.
Center for Art and Media
Karlsruhe is also home to one of the world's most important art institutions, the Center for Art and Media - ZKM for short. In addition to classical art exhibitions such as photography, painting or sculpture, the ZKM focuses primarily on media arts such as film, music, dance and theater. Also called the "electronic Bauhaus", the Center for Art and Media is intended to offer the perfect combination of museum and event. With the mission Digital Dependance, classical arts are to be continued into the digital age. From exhibitions and guided tours worth seeing, to film and radio play, to festivals - visit one of the exhibitions or festivals at the ZKM during your stay in Karlsruhe.
Gottesauer Castle
Gottesaue Castle is also one of the most beautiful sights in Karlsruhe. The Renaissance-style castle, which was destroyed several times but has been rebuilt again and again, is located in the Otto Dullenkopf Park. After it was initially designed as a "pleasure house" by the Strasbourg council architect Johannes Schoch at the end of the 15th century, it served as a fruit store for the margravial chamber estate and as barracks, among other things, before it was destroyed in a bombing raid during the Second World War.
In 1982 the castle was rebuilt for the purpose of the University of Music in Karlsruhe. The façade was intended to remind us of the history of the castle, while a modern building for use as a modern music academy was created inside. Today, concerts of the musicians of the University of Music take place regularly in Gottesauer Castle.
Turmberg
In the district of Durlach is the 256 meter high Turmberg. It forms the most northwestern peak of the Black Forest at the transition between the hilly landscape of Kraichgau and the low mountain range. The Turmberg is a popular excursion destination and is one of the top sights in Karlsruhe-Durlach. The mountain can be reached by the Turmberg cable car or via the "Hexenstäffele", a stairway from Durlach. At the top you can visit the Turmberg ruins and enjoy a breathtaking view of Karlsruhe and the Rhine from the Turmberg terrace.
Viewpoints in Karlsruhe
The most beautiful viewpoints in Karlsruhe are the Turmberg and the Karlsruhe Castle Tower. From the top you not only have a fantastic view over Karlsruhe, but you can also let your gaze wander over the Rhine plain and the Palatinate mountains. Especially recommended on warm summer nights is the sunset.
Please ask the respective Tourist Information for current opening hours and guided tours of the Karlsruhe sights, as some dates will not be available due to the Corona Pandemic.
