Kassel is the third largest city in Hesse after Frankfurt and
Wiesbaden. With 200,000 inhabitants, the documenta city is the
cultural and economic center of northern Hesse. Another 120,000
people live in the immediate vicinity of the city.
The
historic old town was largely destroyed in World War II. Many intact
buildings were also demolished because Kassel was converted into a
"car-friendly" city. For those interested in architecture, Kassel's
city center offers typical functional buildings from the 1950s, such
as the state theater, Germany's oldest pedestrian zone or the
regional council. Nevertheless, there is an entire district with old
buildings from the Gründerzeit in the Vorderen Westen. This is
clearer for the tourist than the functional inner city.
With
the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe and the Karlsaue, Kassel has two important
parks that are definitely worth a visit. In particular, the Bergpark
with Wilhelmshöhe Castle, Löwenburg Castle and Hercules Castle is
unique in the world. Since June 2013, the Bergpark has had the title
of World Heritage Site. The extensive and varied museum landscape is
also worth a visit. Kassel is also a "green" city. Due to its
location in the densely wooded Habichtswald, but also due to the
greenery in the urban area, Kassel is a big city with many
attractive recreational areas.
The Brothers Grimm worked in
Kassel for a long time. As a result, Kassel is now one of the most
important stations on the German Fairy Tale Route.
From
Kassel you can easily explore the surrounding countryside of the
North Hesse region with its green mountain ranges, tranquil river
valleys and cozy half-timbered towns.
1 Tourist Information City Center,
Wilhelmsstraße 23, ☏ +49 561 707707, fax: +49 561 7077169, ✉
info@kassel-marketing.de.
M-Sa 09: 00-18: 00.
2 Tourist Information Wilhelmshöhe,
Willy-Brandt-Platz 1, ☏ +49 561 34054, fax: +49 561 315 216, ✉
info@kassel-marketing.de.
M-Sa 09: 00-18: 00. at the train station Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe
3
Visitor Center Wilhelmshöhe, Wilhelmshöher Allee 380, ☏ +49 561
31680751, ✉
besucherzentrum@museum-kassel.de. 1 May-3 October: daily
10: 00-17: 00; 4 October-30 April: Sa Su 10: 00-16: 00.
4 Visitor
Center Hercules, Schlosspark 28, ☏ +49 561 31680781, ✉
besucherzentrum@museum-kassel.de. Tu-Su 10: 00-17: 00; 15
March-15 November: daily 10: 00-17: 00.
The city was first
mentioned on February 18, 913 as "Actum Chassella". The document
bears the signature of King Konrad I. At that time there was
probably a royal court at the site of the city palace (today the
location of the regional council). In 1189 Kassel received city
rights. In the 12th century Kassel belonged to the Landgraves of
Thuringia. In 1274 the Landgrave died: Heinrich Raspe IV. Despite
three marriages childless. His niece Sophie insists that her young
son Heinrich Hessen should become an independent Landgraviate. In
1378 the independent "cities" Altstadt, Freiheit and Neustadt, which
were geographically close together, were merged into one city. In
1576 Philip the Magnanimous divided the Landgraviate of Hesse among
his four sons as Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Marburg, Hesse-Darmstadt and
Hesse-Rheinfels. As a result, the position of Hesse in the empire
was permanently weakened. Around 1700, Landgrave Karl von
Hessen-Kassel shaped the city to this day through intensive
construction work in the Bergpark and in the Karlsaue. In 1936, in
the last wave of "incorporation", the urban area received its
present size. In contrast to many other major German cities, Kassel
was not expanded again after the Second World War. During the Second
World War, Kassel was badly damaged, especially in the devastating
air raid on October 22, 1943, the half-timbered architecture that
had previously prevailed in the old town was almost completely
destroyed. Since the reconstruction, modern, functional architecture
has shaped the city center. In the new city center in the functional
post-war style, the first pedestrian zone in Germany was set up in
1953 with the stairs street. In 1955 the Federal Garden Show was
opened in Kassel. In 1981 there was another federal horticultural
show. The Fuldaaue location at that time is still a popular local
recreation area today. In 2013 the "Metropolis of North Hesse"
celebrated its 1100th anniversary with a diverse program of events.
Those who are interested in the w: history of the city of Kassel
should visit the city museum.
Worth seeing: City maps with
various old city views from before the destruction in 1943. For the
HNA project "Kassel before the bombing night on October 22, 1943" on
step.de
Historical city maps and maps of Kassel and the Kassel
Basin, which date back to the 17th century, can be found on
Wikimedia Commons in the "Historic Maps of Kassel" category.
The linguists and literary scholars Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm worked in Kassel for a long time. From 1812/1813 they also published their well-known collection of children's and household tales here. For the Grimms, collecting fairy tales was just a professional activity. The brothers also achieved great merits through their work on German studies. For example, Jacob Grimm published an extensive work on German grammar. In Leipzig they later worked on the creation of a German dictionary. The Grimms lived in Kassel u. a. a few years in the northern gatehouse on Wilhelmshöher Allee. Today, the Grimm Memorial is right across from the State Museum. Dorothea Viehmann (1755-1815). She told the Brothers Grimm about 40 folk tales. The Brothers Grimm added 36 of them to their well-known collection of fairy tales. Dorothea Pierson was born as the daughter of an innkeeper in Rengershausen. In 1777 she married the tailor Nikolaus Viehmann. In 1787 she moved with him into a small half-timbered house in Niederzwehren. By the way, her father's inn and brewery is now located directly on the A 49 motorway and belongs to the Hütt brewery (access by car via the Baunatal-Nord exit).
The city of Kassel is structured into 23 districts. The smallest
district in terms of population is the village-like Nordshausen with
about 2000 inhabitants. The densely populated Vorderer Westen district,
which is also a popular nightlife district, has the most residents with
around 15,500 people. But if you want to find out more about the entire
city area, you will find some background information in the article
"Kassel districts". Most of the districts listed here are not
interesting for visitors.
Neighboring municipalities see list of
places in the article "Region Kassel"
A comprehensive dialect dictionary with 3000 terms, which was created on the occasion of the city's anniversary in 2013, can be found at www.dwkm.de. Another dialect treatise with more than 200 explained expressions for "Kassel" can be found in the Regiowiki Kassel.
Some abbreviations for streets, squares and buildings are sometimes
used in the city:
Aue - Karlsaue (baroque park in the heart of the
city).
Buga - Large, semi-artificial lake landscape on the other side
of the Fulda (next to the Aue) where you can swim for free. It was
created for the Federal Horticultural Show in 1981.
Göthe - For
Goetheanlage, a park in the Vorderen Westen
Hopla - Holländischer
Platz - is located north of the city center at the university (the
abbreviation is therefore also often used by students), is a square only
in name due to the widening of Holländische Straße. Actually, the term
crossing would be more appropriate. The name Hopla is also used
synonymously for the location of the university at Holländischer Platz.
Kö - for Königstrasse, the city's main shopping street.
KuBa -
Kulturbahnhof (former main station, which is now the hub of local rail
transport in the region; many cultural institutions have been located in
the former main station since the 1990s, hence the "cultural station").
A constant source of confusion for tourists: the KuBa is Kassel's main
station, but the Wilhelmshöhe station actually fulfills the role of a
main station.
Nordstadt - For the district officially called North
Holland
Willi-Allee - Wilhelmshöher Allee (main axis of the city
between Bergpark and city center)
Willi-Bahnhof - Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe
long-distance train station (ICE stop in the Wilhelmshöhe district).
Incidentally, the NVV timetable information service also uses the term
"Willibahnhof". Locals also call it "Palace of the Winds" or simply
"Wilhelmshöhe Train Station".
At 240 hectares, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is Europe's largest mountain
park. At the end of June 2013, the park was awarded the title "World
Heritage Site" as being unique in the world. A highlight of the park are
the trick fountains from the time of absolutism. You can follow the path
of the water from the octagon on Hercules to the fountain pond via
several stations on foot. Outstanding is the large cascade, at the top
of which stands Hercules, Kassel's symbol. From the Neptun basin, the
mountain park merges into a landscape garden. The Löwenburg is a bit
reminiscent of a "Disneyland of the 18th century", a 1:2 scale replica
of the Gothic-style castle ruins for the romantics, the aqueduct, which
was also built as a ruin, for the fans of antiquity and a series of
smaller temples for the Hellenists.
Wilhelmshöhe Castle, once the
residence of the landgraves and later electors of Hesse-Kassel, is right
in the middle and in the center of a visual axis that leads from
Hercules via Wilhelmshöher Allee to almost Kassel town hall.
It
is of course interesting to see the water games in action, which always
start on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays from May 1st to October
3rd at 2.30 p.m. on Hercules. The free mountain park app from the park
administration provides a lot of information for on the go. Outside the
times of the water games, the watercourses are dry.
Friedrichsplatz
Friedrichsplatz It is located on Königsstraße and,
at around 340 x 112m, is one of the largest inner-city squares in
Germany. The square, laid out in the 18th century, was named after
Landgrave Friedrich II of the House of Hesse-Kassel. A historical model
of the then magnificent Friedrichsplatz, which is well worth seeing, can
be found in the Stadtmuseum. With the Second World War, Friedrichsplatz
also lost its historic buildings.
The Kunsthalle Fridericianum is
located on the square (see Museums section). Incidentally, inconspicuous
names carved in stone can be found directly on the stairs to the
Fridericianum. These names are part of a memorial for people who died of
AIDS.
Monument to Landgrave Friedrich II - The monument stands
opposite the Fridericianum. The statue was begun in 1783 by the sculptor
Johann August Nahl the Elder and then completed by his son. The monument
originally stood in the middle of the square. After the Second World War
it was moved to its current location on the south side of the open
space.
The State Theater and the Documentahalle are located on the
eastern part of the square. You can also find the work of art
"Framework" (also known as the "Auefenster" in the vernacular). The
walk-in work of art was erected for documenta 6 in 1977. When you climb
the iron footbridge, you leave the "big view through the first frame"
and look through a second, smaller steel "picture frame" at the central
building of the orangery. Incidentally, the planetarium of the
astronomical and physical cabinet is located in the central building of
the orangery. The Friedrichstor or Auetor, built in 1782, stood in this
area until 1907. After that, it had to make way for the Royal Theater.
Incidentally, you have a nice view of Friedrichsplatz from the upper
parking deck of Galeria Kaufhof (see section "Viewpoints").
The
stairs street is the first pedestrian zone in Germany. It was opened on
November 9, 1953. The down-to-earth flair of the 1950s still prevails in
the staircase street. As a post-war building, the street is also a
listed building. On the green platforms you can watch the hustle and
bustle of the big city while having a coffee. The "road" is 275m long
and has 104 steps with a height difference of 15.5m. If you are
wondering about the somewhat inappropriate steps: the stairs do not
comply with the building standards for public staircases that are valid
today. Today, however, the building is not only viewed positively: the
direct pedestrian connection from the main station to Friedrichsplatz is
not usable for wheelchair users due to the steep platforms. Furthermore,
in spite of its function as an important pedestrian connection in the
city center, the staircase street often appears to be relatively
unlived. Location: The staircase leads from Scheidemannplatz south-east
of the main train station to Friedrichsplatz on Königsstraße.
The
castle-like town hall at the beginning of the upper Königsstraße is
worth seeing. The building was erected between 1905 and 1909 in the
neo-baroque style based on plans by the architect Karl Roth
(construction costs 3.2 million Reichsmarks).
The central
shopping street is a pedestrian zone, starts at the town hall
(Königsplatz), runs along tram tracks and offers a wide range of
shopping opportunities.
Every 15 minutes, Königsplatz is the
central meeting place for trams in all relevant directions. On the
circular square are cafes, pubs and the modern shopping center "City
Point". The square is lined with plane trees and in the summer months
the water features are in operation (also called "elephant's trunk").
During the Advent season, the Kassel Fairy Tale Christmas Market takes
place on the square every year.
The Königsplatz was laid out in
1767 by the Kassel chief court architect and architect Simon Louis du
Ry. Simon Louis du Ry is considered one of the most important architects
of classicism. The square is named after Landgrave Friedrich I
(1676-1751). Landgrave Friedrich I was King of Sweden between 1720 and
1751.
The Druselturm north-east of Königsplatz is one of the last
major remains of medieval Kassel. He served i.a. as prison. The building
was erected in 1415 and was part of the city fortifications. The
building is not accessible during regular opening hours. Incidentally,
the building takes its name from the Drusel Canal. This small canal used
to branch off from the course of the Drusel stream at about the height
of today's long-distance train station during the times of Kassel's city
fortifications. At the highest point of Kassel's city fortifications,
the water was fed into the defensive ditches in front of the walls.
That's where today's Druselturm stood. Fulda water would have had to be
pumped into the ditches, some of which were quite high above the river
level, at great expense. The use of water from the Habichtswald using
the natural Drusel slope was a clever solution to the problem. The water
from the reservoir at the Druselturm was also used to flush the streets.
Many churches in Kassel were destroyed in the destruction of World
War II. This is one of the reasons why the churches today play a
subordinate role in the ranking of Kassel's sights compared to other
cities. But there are still some buildings worth seeing for those who
are interested:
Martin's Church not far from Königsplatz - built
from 1330. Today the building is the largest church in the city with
space for 1,400 believers. After the destruction of the Second World
War, the church was rebuilt with modern elements. The landgraves of
Kassel were buried in the crypt of the church between the 14th and 18th
centuries. Visitable daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Luther Church -
today a church ruin on Lutherplatz: built from 1897 in neo-Gothic style.
The building was destroyed in World War II. At 76m, the preserved tower
is still the tallest building in the city. In the past, the church tower
could be climbed over 156 steps for special events. As of February 2019,
access is unclear (the website of the Förderverein zum Turm no longer
exists). As of February 2019, you can actually save yourself a visit to
the Luther church tower.
Brüderkirche - a rather inconspicuous
building on Steinweg, but the oldest church in the city. The
construction was completed together with the monastery in 1376. Today
the church is used for music events, among other things.
The Karlsaue is a baroque park in the heart of the city. Together with the Fuldaaue it represents the "green lung" of Kassel. the orangery with marble bath, the Aueteich and the flower island of Siebenbergen.
Kassel has quite a large and varied museum landscape for its city
size.
During the Kassel Museum Night, many museums are open until
1 a.m. (next date September 2, 2023). There is a special ticket for
Museum Night that entitles you to enter all participating houses and to
use the bus and train. Further information with program notes can be
found at www.museumsnacht.de.
Good to know: If you visit another
museum in the Hessen Kassel museum landscape on the same day, you get a
25% discount on the admission price for the second museum.
Wilhelmshöhe Castle with the "Old Masters" picture gallery and antique
collection. at Wilhelmshöhe Castle.
Greenhouse at Wilhelmshöhe
Castle. On dreary, cold winter days you can escape to the warmth here.
It is only open in the winter months. For information, see the article
on Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe.
Fridericianum . The Museum Fridericianum,
today the Kunsthalle Fridericianum, was opened in 1779 and is considered
the first public museum building on the European continent. There are
changing art exhibitions. The KasselerKunstVerein also presents its
exhibitions in the Fridericianum. These can be visited during the
regular opening hours (no additional admission). The Fridericianum is
also the exhibition venue for the Documenta. Open: Wed-Sun 11am-6pm;
Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays, December 24th, 25th and December 31st.
Price: €5; Reduced: 3€ (with proof for pupils, students, the unemployed,
the severely disabled, those doing military and community service);
Admission is free on Wednesdays.
Stadtmuseum Kassel, Standeplatz 16,
34117 Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 787 14 00, email: stadtmuseum@kassel.de .
The museum, which reopened in June 2016 after renovation and expansion,
shows a three-storey collection of Kassel's history from the Middle Ages
to modern times, arranged according to epochs, with particularly
interesting insights into the time before the city was destroyed in
World War II. The vivid collection includes some interesting models of
the city. In a small cinema hall, films on different topics about Kassel
are shown every hour on the hour. Special exhibitions are shown in the
new extension, and there is a viewing room at the top. Open: Tue,
Thu-Sun 10:00-17:00, Wed 10:00-20:00. Price: adults: €4, concessions: €3
(free under 18 years).
Museum of Sepulchral Culture, Weinbergstrasse
25-27, 34117 Kassel. The only German museum for tombstones, coffins and
burial culture is located on the vineyard. Sepulcrum is Latin for
"grave" (sepelio = resting place). Open: Tue–Sun 10:00–17:00, Wed until
20:00, Mon is closed. Price: adults: €6, reduced: €4/€2.50, family
ticket: €10 (two adults with children up to 16 years)
The Hessian
State Museum, reopened in 1916, Brüder-Grimm-Platz 5, 34117 Kassel.
offers a 4000m² tour through 300,000 years of Hessian history from the
beginnings of human settlement to the present day. After the renovation,
the tower can now also be climbed, which offers a beautiful view of the
city. Open: Tues - Sun and public holidays: 10:00 - 17:00; Thu until
20:00. Exceptions: December 24, 25 and 31 closed; 26-30 December
10:00-17:00; 1 January 12:00 - 17:00. Price: Adults: €6, concessions €4,
free for under 18s.
The German Wallpaper Museum founded in 1923.
which today includes more than 23,000 objects, was last housed in the
Hessian State Museum. It has been homeless since the renovation, a new
building has been decided, and completion at the site of the former
administrative court is planned for the end of 2025. Small parts of the
museum holdings are presented in irregular special shows at different
locations. An online catalog can be found on the museum website.
Collection of applied arts, Wilhelmshöher Allee in the gate guard of the
Hessian State Museum. Here you can see exhibits from the art epochs of
Historicism, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, Art Deco, design objects from the
1950s and postmodernism. Open: Tue-Sun 10am-5pm. Price: €2, students €1;
Children up to 18 years free.
New Gallery, Nice View 1 . The
completely renovated museum was reopened in November 2011. The museum
building was erected between 1871 and 1877. The building was badly
damaged during World War II. The modern collection focuses on art from
the 19th-21st centuries. Century, including a number of documenta
acquisitions. The centerpiece is a room personally furnished by Joseph
Beuys in 1976 with an installation and a number of other exhibits.
Guided tours: in November and December: Saturday and Sunday at 11:30
a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Open: Tue - Sun and public holidays: 10:00 - 17:00,
Thu until 20:00. Price: €4, students: €2, children under 18 free.
Grimmwelt Kassel, Weinbergstrasse 21. Tel.: +49 (0)561 5986190 . Since
September 5, 2015, the new, multimedia adventure museum "Grimmwelt" has
been open on the vineyard. The new building houses an extensive
exhibition about the works and creativity of the Brothers Grimm. The
visitor is guided through the show at 25 stations using the letters of
the alphabet. The exhibition has many multimedia exhibits, but also
classic collection elements up to areas that resemble an art exhibition.
The museum is intended to appeal to all target groups - from families to
Grimm friends who are interested in the subject. In addition to the
permanent exhibition, there is a special exhibition area. Gastronomy can
be found directly in the building. On the new building there is a freely
accessible viewing terrace with a view over the southern Kassel basin.
Reviews: Tour of the exhibition on HNA.DE; Frankfurter Rundschau:
"Adventurous knick-knack cosmos. Open: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, Friday until
20:00, Monday closed. Price: adults €8, concessions €6, family ticket
€20; as a combined ticket with special exhibition 10 € / €7 / €25.
Natural History Museum in the Ottoneum, Steinweg 2. Tel.: +49 (0)561
7874066. The house shows an exhibition on the history of the earth and
nature in northern Hesse, and there are also regular special
exhibitions. Many taxidermied native animal species can be seen in the
permanent exhibition. These animals are presented behind glass in
beautiful dioramas (habitat models). "Star" is certainly the full-size
replica mammoth and cub found in the Ice Age exhibit. Some interactive
elements can also be found in the museum (including films and bird calls
that can be heard at the touch of a button). Another rarity in the
museum is the famous wooden library by Carl Schildbach, which was given
a new frame as part of a documenta13 project, and the Ratzenberger
herbarium from the 16th century, which is considered the oldest
systematic herbarium in Europe. You can also see the so-called Goethe
elephant, a complete elephant skeleton, which J.W. Goethe for study
purposes. The building itself was erected in 1603-1606 under Landgrave
Moritz as the first permanent theater building in Germany. Moritz gave
the building the name "Ottoneum" after his favorite son "Otto". From
1690 the house served as a hostel for the landgrave's art and natural
history collection. After the destruction in World War II, in which
large parts of the collections were lost, the city of Kassel rebuilt the
building and used it as a natural history museum from then on. The last
remodeling/renovation took place in 1994-97. Open: Tue−Sat and public
holidays 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m., Sun until 6:00 p.m., Wed until 8:00 p.m.,
on 24.12. and 31.12. and always closed on Mondays. Price: €2.00, for
special exhibitions sometimes higher admission of mostly €4.50, children
6-16 years and other reductions: €1 (special exhibition €2), children up
to 6 years free.
Orangery with Astronomical-Physical Cabinet. The
museum is located in the Orangery in the Karlsaue State Park. Historical
clocks, telescopes and old items on geodesy, physics or mathematics and
information technology are on display in five exhibition areas. Due to
renovation and redesign, the collection has been closed since March 2021
until further notice. There is also a 50-person planetarium which will
continue to be operated. Open: Museum closed.
Technology Museum
Kassel, Wolfhager Straße 109 . The museum, which opened in August 2010,
is based in the halls of the former Henschel factory in Rothenditmold,
in the district of the same name. The museum presents the regional
technological history of the last 300 years on 2500 square meters.
historic rail vehicles (locomotives) from the production of Henschel, a
complete fire engine made of Henschel fire engines, but also the
Transrapid. Other collection areas of the museum are mobility, aviation
and energy technology. Electrical, measurement and control technology as
well as computer science are also dealt with in the museum. Furthermore,
exhibits on construction and mechanical engineering technology are
collected. Since November 2014, the exhibition has been expanded to
include a further hall, in which numerous historic trams from Kassel's
public transport company, which have been rusting away in depots up to
now, are on display. This area can only be visited as part of a guided
tour. Open: Wed-Fri 2pm-5pm, Sat-Sun 11am-5pm; last admission 16:15; Mon
and Tue is closed Look here to be sure. Price: adults €6, concessions
€2.
Spohr Museum, Franz-Ulrich-Strasse 6 (South Wing Culture
Station). Tel.: +49 (0)561 766 25 28, e-mail: info@spohr-museum.de . The
museum shows an exhibition about the outstanding musician and composer
Louis Spohr. Louis Spohr (1784-1859) was court music director in Kassel
from 1822. The modern exhibition also has some interactive elements.
There is a conducting station, a magic violin and a station for
synaesthetic perception. Opening times: Sat - Mon from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Open Tuesday to Friday by appointment.
Murhardsche Library,
Brüder-Grimm-Platz 4A. The famous manuscript collection is located in
the historic building of the Murhard Library, which belongs to the
University Library in Kassel. A small selection of important writings -
including the w:Hildebrandlied and an early Gutenberg Bible - can be
viewed in the exhibition vault. Due to renovation work, the manuscript
collection is expected to be closed until 2020[obsolete]. Open: Safe
opening hours: Mon, Wed, Fri 2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m.
Kassel Bathing
Museum, Sternbergstrasse (on the Fulda). The Kassel bathing museum is
located in the former spa town of Jungborn, directly on the Fulda. The
remains of the last Kassel river bathing establishment were renovated
between 2005 and 2011. The river bathing establishments on the Fulda
emerged at the beginning of the 19th century. They reached their peak at
the beginning of the 20th century. The bathing museum shows an
exhibition on river and private cleaning baths. You can see, among other
things, a replica of a private bathroom from the 1830s. There is also a
collection of bathroom-themed items. There is also a café with a
riverside terrace in the building. Open: in the summer months: Wed-Sun
2:00 p.m.–5:00 p.m. Price: Admission free, a donation is requested.
Museum of Energy Technology "Neue Mühle hydropower plant", Neue Mühle 8,
34134 Kassel-Niederzwehren. Phone: +49 (0)561 782-2149. The museum is
located on the southern outskirts of Kassel in a historic hydroelectric
power station. The plant that can be viewed is still in operation today.
The exhibition also provides information on Kassel's electricity, gas
and water supply. The museum is a nice destination for a short bike ride
from the city center during opening hours. By the way: If you are in the
museum, just talk to the supervisors, they will be happy to provide
information, start the old water pumps in the pump house and also guide
you to the areas that are still in use. Open: Wed 10:00 a.m. to 4:00
p.m. and every first Sunday of the month from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.,
group tours on request also at other times. Price: Admission free.
Henschel Museum + Collection, Wolfhager Straße 109. Tel.: +49 (0)561
8017250. The museum and the collection deal with the eventful history of
the Henschel works, in particular the railway industrial history from
the dragon to the Transrapid. The collections include models and above
all the construction drawings of the locomotives built by Henschel, as
well as old photos and historical books. Open: On the first Sat+Sun of
the month from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. or by appointment. Price: Admission
free.
Museum Fuldaschifffahrt, Am Hafen 15. The "Museumsverein
Fuldaschifffahrt e.V" opened the small museum in autumn 2013 in premises
at the old Kassel port. You can see a model of the old Kassel port when
it was still "properly" in operation with goods handling An old wooden
barge can also be seen. Historical information boards and a multimedia
station with a "Fulda boat trip” complete the small exhibition. Open:
every first Saturday of the month from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and every 3rd
Sunday from 1 p.m -17:00 From December to March by appointment only.
Tram Museum Kassel, Sandershäuser Straße 23, 34123 Kassel (in the KVG
Depot Leipziger Straße) . The museum of the Kassel local public
transport interest group is based in the KVG depot at Leipziger
Strasse/Sandershäuser Strasse in Bettenhausen. You can see a model tram
layout as well as u. a. a small collection of uniforms, tickets and
"photo albums from back then". The club's historic vehicle collection
has been on display in the Kassel Technology Museum in Rothenditmold
since autumn 2014. Open: every first Saturday of the month from 10:30
a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Hessencourrier museum railway, Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Süd museum
station. The train, operated by an association, runs on a few weekends
in the summer months from the Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Süd museum station to
Naumburg. Steam trains are used on the 33.4 km long museum route. The
timetable with fares can be found on the website.
Banana Sticker
Museum Kassel (BAM). Online museum on the website.
Incidentally, all
state museums in the "Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel" are presented on
the official website at museum-kassel.de
town hall . The initiative for the construction went back to the
industrialist Sigmund Aschrott. He made the building site available to
the city of Kassel free of charge. After 3 years of construction, the
town hall was inaugurated on April 1, 1914. During World War II the
building was only slightly damaged. If you are particularly interested
in architecture, you can stop by here with the tram 4. The neoclassical
building has an imposing south-facing portico. Today the town hall is
used as a conference center. The building can therefore not be visited.
Access is only possible during events and conferences. A virtual tour of
the building can be found at kongress-palais.de/de/raeume.
Building
of the Federal Social Court. Email: pressestelle@bsg.bund.de. A
destination for architecture lovers. The building in the style of Nazi
architecture dates from the 1930s. The building, which was modernized in
2012, was provided with a modern conference extension in the inner
courtyard, which is architecturally worth seeing. The building is open
to the public in the foyer. From here you can also look into the inner
courtyard of the Elisabeth Selbert Hall. The court also offers guided
tours for groups by prior arrangement. See the court website for
information.
Access to the tunnel system at the vineyard (guided
tours by prior arrangement only). Phone: +49 (0)561 7884-103. The fire
brigade association conducts a guided tour through the underground
facility in the vineyard on Mondays at 6 p.m. by prior arrangement. More
information can be found here or contact the Kassel fire brigade. Price:
€5.
Hiking is an amalgamation of several initiatives and the adult
education center and organizes multi-hour adventure tours into
underground Kassel at irregular intervals. There is the opportunity to
get to know and experience unknown underground structures. The tours
vary and can include old bunkers, rock cellars, wine cellars or an
underground, disused tram stop. The whole thing is accompanied by actors
and eyewitness accounts. Participation is highly recommended, but it is
quite difficult to get tickets. The tours are not suitable for the
disabled, children under the age of 10 should not participate.
Especially in the city center you will find a wide variety of
monuments and sculptures, most of which are freely accessible in public
space. Many of these are Documenta works of art that the city bought so
that they could remain in Kassel permanently. Some of the purchases were
also made possible with donations from the population.
pickaxe .
The work of art is on the Fulda. The 12m high sculpture is located east
of the Orangery. The American artist Claes Oldenburg exhibited the work
of art in 1982 on the occasion of documenta 7. With the sculpture, he
anchored the Wilhelmshöher Allee on the Fulda and thus created a new,
virtual end of the city axis on the river bank. In its extension, the
road would meet the Fulda here.
Penone tree. The bronze tree with the
granite boulder weighing 3 tons was the first work of art at dOCUMENTA
(13) and was set up in 2010. The tree was bought with the help of
donations and will remain in Kassel. Location is the meadow to the right
of the Gustav-Mahler-Stairs near the Orangery.
Sky Striker . The
sculpture (official name "man walking to the sky") stands on the
forecourt of the main train station. The work was created by Jonathan
Borowsky for documenta 9 in 1992. It was on Friedrichsplatz for
documenta 9 and was only set up at the main train station after it had
been purchased by the city of Kassel (which was partly financed by
donations).
Vertical Earth Kilometer. The work of art can be found on
Friedrichsplatz. Walter De Maria drilled a 1,000m deep hole on the site
for around six months. The occasion was the documenta 6 in 1977. He
filled the hole with 5 cm thick, 1,000 m long, solid brass rods. The
front of the top bar can be viewed on Friedrichsplatz (in the middle of
the square in front of the Fridericianum). With his project, Walter De
Maria wanted to create a connection to the Fridericianum as a "House of
Enlightenment". also "hid historical instruments for measuring the
world". It is not known how the vertical kilometer of earth behaves
structurally with the underground car park built later under the square.
The strangers . Thomas Schütte's work was created in 1992 for documenta
IX. Location: Located on the building on the north side of m
Friedrichsplatz.
frame construction . The walk-in work of art
(popularly also called Auefenster) can be found at the State Theater in
the Documentahalle. For more information see paragraph Friedrichsplatz.
linear clock . The clock is read like a 6 digit digital clock (top to
bottom). However, reading only works if no lamps are defective.
Location: on the corner of Ständeplatz and Wilhelmsstrasse.
Artwork
“7000 Oaks” . The globally unique work of art was initiated by Joseph
Beuys for documenta 7. The oaks are distributed throughout the city and
are each marked with a basalt column. In 2005, the work of art was
placed under monument protection. The locations of the trees are shown
on the cultural city map (available from the tourist information
office).
Laserscape Kassel. The laser art is based on a concept by
the artist Horst H. Baumann and was erected in 1977 on the occasion of
documenta 6. A green laser goes into operation every Saturday at
nightfall between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., depending on the time of year. The
laser, which is in operation until 1 a.m., can be viewed from Hercules
on a clear day. The green laser is mounted with two other lasers on the
Zwehren tower at the Fridericianum. With a deflection at the State
Museum, it shines on Hercules. On a clear day, it can be seen from afar
over the city. Another laser beams to the central tower of the orangery
and is optically divided into 3 partial beams, each of which follows the
park axes 10m above ground: One beam shines into the central axis of the
park and one laser part each follows the two moats.
Aunt Olga's dream
ship. The polyester sculpture, which is reminiscent of a folded paper
boat, is now at the Heinrich Schütz School in the Vorderer Westen
district. The work of art by Anatol Herzfeld was created in 1977 for
documenta 6.
I. If you want, you can climb a platform with the
inscription "I" at the Brüder-Grimm-Platz and have your fellow travelers
take a picture of you. The platform with stairs is the work of the
artist Hans Traxler. Behind the work is the sentence: "Every person is
unique."[4] The work was set up in 2007 as an outdoor work of art for a
Caricatura exhibition. Location: The little wall is on the southern side
of Brüder-Grimm-Platz on Wilhelmshöher Allee and the corner of
Murhardsche Bibliothek.
Kassel has various old town centers that have long since become part
of the city. This "rural side" of Kassel is rather unknown. Some of the
village centers are quite cosy, but of course they cannot compete with a
real half-timbered old town. If you want to enjoy real half-timbered
flair, it is best to skip the visit and take a day trip to one of the
pretty half-timbered towns that can be found in large numbers around
Kassel. Easily accessible by train are z. B. Hann. Münden or Melsungen.
A small list of particularly attractive half-timbered towns around
Kassel can be found in the "Excursions" section. The most beautiful town
centers in Kassel:
Niederzwehren: One of the most attractive town
centers is the fairytale district in the Niederzwehren district. It
still has an almost complete townscape of half-timbered buildings. The
former home of Dorothea Viehmann, a well-known source of fairy tales for
the Brothers Grimm, is located in this pretty half-timbered quarter.
However, the small half-timbered building is privately owned and not
accessible. The small, winding fairytale district on the Grunnelbach is
certainly quite nice, but cannot compete with the half-timbered towns in
the Kassel area. However, if you don't have much time and would like to
see a few half-timbered houses, the fairytale district is the right
place for you. A visit to the Fairy Tale Quarter can also be easily
combined as a tram tour with a visit to the Botanical Gardens at Park
Schönfeld.
- Directions & location: by tram from the city center:
line 5 in the direction of Baunatal or line 6 in the direction of the
Brückenhof school center to the "Dennhäuser Straße" stop.
Wahlershausen: Wahlershausen is the "historical nucleus" of today's
Wilhelmshöhe district. Only a few meters away from the long-distance
train station, you leave the metropolitan sub-centre and immerse
yourself along the Langen Straße in the rural setting at the foot of the
Rammelsberg.
- Arriving by tram from the city center: Lines 1, 3
and 4 to Wilhelmshöhe station or tram 1 to Kunoldstraße
Kirchditmold:
The old village center lies on a small shell limestone ridge about 1.5
km north of the long-distance train station. Here on Brunnenstrasse is
probably the most stately surviving half-timbered building in Kassel -
the old vicarage (private residential building; no access). From
Mergellstraße you have a good view of the building from below. But the
same applies here: Hann has such houses. Münden, of course, to offer "by
the dozen". who in the evening But if you are looking for a leisurely
stroll off the beaten tourist path, Alt-Kirchditmold can definitely be
explored. It is best to complete the walk as a loop over the Rammelsberg
and Wahlershausen. Then you get the village of Kassel in a "double
pack".
- Arriving by tram from the city center: Line 8 in the
direction of Hessenschanze to the Teichstraße stop.
other parks
and gardens
Park Schoenfeld
Schönfeld Park is located between the
districts of Wehlheiden and Niederzwehren in the south of Kassel. A
stream in a small valley, which has been dammed up to form several
ponds, determines the landscape of the elongated park. The facility
partially has an old stock of trees, which invites you to take shady
walks, especially in summer. The park is named after the Schönfeld
castle, which is located up on the slope next to the botanical garden.
"Worth listening" is the Klangpfad (www.klangpfad-kassel.de). The park
is also home to the botanical garden (see below).
Getting there
Public transport from the city center: Tram line 5 in the direction of
Baunatal to the Park Schönfeld stop.
Anyone who has already seen everything "big" in Kassel can take a
look at the botanical garden. The garden, which was beautifully restored
in 2005, is located above the Schönfeld park about 2.5 km south-west of
the city centre. Already at the entrance you are greeted by an avenue of
linden trees that was planted in 2003. The botanical garden has a rose
garden, medicinal herb garden, perennial garden and two smaller ponds.
There is a small playground at the back of the garden. A small cactus
show house can also be visited. The show house is open Mon-Thurs 7:30
a.m. to 3 p.m., Fri 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. and Sun from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
There is a small cactus sale in the entrance area. Places to take a
break: The veranda by the herb garden is particularly suitable for a
break. But it's also nice to take a break on the benches in the
perennial garden. This is especially true when the plants unfold their
blossoms here. When it's raining and cold, you can also take a break on
the seating area in the cactus house. Since the summer of 2010, the
small fern gorge can also be visited again.
Opening hours: April
1st to September 30th: 8am - 7pm; 1 October to 15 November: 8am - 6pm;
16 November to 31 January: 8am - 3.30pm; 1 February to 31 March: 8am -
6pm; For more information see the website of the Friends of the
Botanical Garden Kassel e. V
Admission: The garden and the cactus
show house are accessible free of charge.
Public transport: From the city center, take tram line 5 to the "Park
Schönfeld" stop. From here you walk through the lower Schönfeld park
past the pond and the Schönfeld castle, about 700m to the main entrance
of the garden at 51° 17′ 55″ N 9° 28′ 21″ E. After visiting the gardens
it is a good idea , past the Schlösschen Schönfeld and through the lower
Schönfeld Park back to the tram. Depending on the route you choose, you
can also visit the sound educational trail along this route (see section
Park Schönfeld).
By road: Those arriving by car can reach the
botanical garden via Ludwig-Mond-Straße and Bosestraße. There is a free
parking space near the park entrance.
Rammelsberg Zoo
Rammelsberg Zoo. In the district of Wilhelmshöhe there is a small,
private small animal zoo on the Rammelsberg, which is primarily aimed at
families with children. In addition to many species of birds, there are
also goats, donkeys, alpacas and monkeys to see. By the way, the goats
like to eat dry spaghetti. In the entrance area there is a small café
with ice cream and drinks. Location & directions: The facility can be
reached on foot in 10 - 15 minutes from the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance
train station. To do this, walk down Wilhelmshöher Allee for about 500m
in the direction of the Bergpark. Then turn right at Kunoldstrasse. The
zoo is signposted from here. The next tram stop is "Kunoldstrasse" on
line 1 on Wilhelmshöher Allee. Address in the navigation system for car
journeys: Zoo am Rammelsberg, Roterkopfweg, 34130 Kassel. Open:
April-October Tue-Fri 2pm-6pm, Sat, Sun and public holidays 10am-6pm,
see zoo page for other opening times. Price: Admission is free -
donations are welcome (the porcelain donation goose is waiting for a fee
at the entrance).
If you are looking for a place to go for a walk or to relax near the
Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station, the parks in the "Vorderer
Westen" district are the right place for you. The green areas are not
particularly large or spectacular, but they are only a few minutes' walk
away from the long-distance train station and the congress center in the
town hall:
Junk Park . Park with old buildings on a hill. In the
complex there is the small Hercules view, the view of which is
unfortunately partially obstructed. Open: freely accessible.
Stadthallengarten . Smaller, but beautifully maintained green area,
which can be found behind the town hall. Colorful flower beds can be
found here in spring. Numerous benches invite you to relax.
Unfortunately, the high-rise backdrop somewhat spoils the relaxation
experience. But at least the buildings are optically separated from the
park by trees. Conference guests who have business to do in the congress
center can escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life for at least a
few minutes. Open: freely accessible.
Goethe facility. The popular
Goethe complex, which opened in 1933, is very popular with the residents
of the district. The attractive playground in the eastern part of the
Goethe complex is worth a visit for families. Otherwise, the large green
area of the facility is often used for sunbathing, picnicking and
barbecuing. Price: freely accessible.
Donche nature reserve
Donche nature reserve. The nature reserve, which is also a popular local
recreation area, is about 5 km southwest of the city center between the
districts of Brasselsberg, Süsterfeld-Helleböhn, Niederzwehren,
Oberzwehren and Nordshausen. Some beautiful hiking trails criss-cross
the grassland community. Benches invite you to linger. Two smaller
attractive creeks open up the area, which was formerly partly used as a
military training area. Arrival by public transport: Bus line 24 from
the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station to the "Holzgarten" or
"Westfriedhof" stop.
Kassel is a city on or in the low mountain range. With its eastern
foothills, the green hawk forest reaches far into the urban area. The
city axis of Wilhelmshöher Allee naturally represents a special
connection between the city and the mountains. The "star" among the
numerous views of Kassel is the well-known city axis view from Hercules.
If you have a little more time and want to get to know Kassel better as
a "city in the mountains", you have a free choice of vantage points.
Hercules - Even from the freely accessible base of Hercules above
the cascades you have a wonderful view over Kassel. In the summer
months, the octagon with pyramid can also be climbed for an additional
fee. For more see the article "Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe".
View over
Friedrichsplatz and the city center: Viewpoint "Parkdeck Galeria
Kaufhof" - The upper parking deck on the Galeria Kaufhof in Königsstraße
is curious, but definitely worth a visit, with a view of almost the
entire city center. Friedrichsplatz with the Fridericianum, Zwehrener
Turm, Ottoneum (home of the Natural History Museum) and the State
Theater can be seen from the north-east corner of the upper parking
deck. Furthermore, one can see the Obere Königsstraße with the town
hall, the state museum and the Druselturm. In the area of the horizon,
the view sweeps to the Kaufunger Forest and the Söhre. Those arriving by
car drive via a spiral from the new driveway to the parking deck
(location of the access road at 51° 18' 49″ N 9° 29' 34″ E). In 2011,
however, the parking fee was EUR 1.50 per hour started (you pay at the
machine after inserting the chip at the entrance). Anyone who goes
"shopping" in the Kaufhof can have the parking fee offset against the
purchase amount according to the notice (exact regulation no longer
known). As a traveler without a car, you can reach the parking deck via
two spacious, free elevators, which are located on the side of the
building facing Königsstrasse. However, if there is a risk of
thunderstorms, you should refrain from visiting the upper, exposed
parking deck.
View from the Grimm Museum on the vineyard - A few
meters south-east of the Museum für Sepulchralkultur you have a nice but
not spectacular view from the vineyard. The vantage point is above the
imposing retaining wall to Frankfurter Strasse (at 51° 18' 31" N 9° 29'
24" E). You have a somewhat more comprehensive view from the mostly
freely accessible viewing terrace on the Grimm Museum. The view
stretches east to the Karlsaue and to the south to the Südstadt
district. The Kassel power plant can be seen above the trees of the
Karlsaue. The plant, which consists of two blocks, uses lignite and hard
coal to generate electricity and district heating for the city. The
mountains of the Kaufunger Forest, the Söhre and the Habichtswald can be
seen on the horizon.
Tower of the State Museum - The 28m high tower
of the museum, built in 1913, is part of a visit to the museum. From the
top there is a beautiful view over large parts of the city center with
Wilhelmshöher Allee. There is also a view of Hercules with a hawk
forest.
Bismarckturm on the Brasselsberg above the district of the
same name - from the tower you have a beautiful view of the Kassel
basin. After extensive renovation of the staircase by the state of
Hesse, the tower has been freely accessible again since October 2010.
For more see the article "Habichtswald".
High grass (615 m) in the
Habichtswald - At 615m, the mountain is the highest elevation in the
city of Kassel and also in the Habichtswald. In the summit area you will
find a lookout tower with excursion restaurants, a climbing forest, as
well as a ski lift and a toboggan run for winter sports. For more see
the article "Tall Grass".
Luther church tower - the highest building
in the city at 76m could be climbed in the past on selected dates (e.g.
on Museum Night). See the "Churches" section for more information.
Every five years Kassel is the scene of the documenta, the world's
most important exhibition for contemporary art, which always lasts 100
days and attracts several hundred thousand visitors. The last documenta
15 took place in 2022. The next documenta 16 will take place from June
12, 2027 to September 19, 2027.
Official site of the documenta
worth reading: Wikipedia article on the documenta in general and
specifically on the penultimate dOCUMENTA (13).
Friends of the
Documenta - also some information worth reading.
Incidentally,
information about older exhibitions can be found in the documenta
archive.
Portal of the HNA to the documenta.
Culture tent Kassel. Music festival on the banks of the Fulda, every
year for 6-7 weeks in July/August. Nowadays in a specially constructed
tent with excellent acoustics surrounded by a beer garden.
Kassel
Museum Night. Annual Museum Night in early September, not in documenta
years.
Zissel. Homeland and water festival on the banks of the Fulda,
always at the end of July/beginning of August. Biggest festival in and
around Kassel.
Old Town Festival Kassel. In 2018, the Altstadtfest
Kassel replaced the earlier Stadtfest with a modified concept. It takes
place in parts of downtown in June, several stages with live music. Next
date 2023 and then every two years.
Tiger Duck Race Kassel. The
charity event takes place annually at the end of May (usually on
Ascension Day) in the area of the wire bridge. For €3 per duck (price in
2018) you can "adopt" one or more of the 12,000 swimming tiger ducks.
The ducks with numbers then take part in the race on the Fulda. The
ducks that the Fulda "flushes" first through the wire bridge win
non-cash prizes. The adoption fees come from Soziale Hilfe e. V. in
Kassel, which will use the money i.a. used to help the homeless. The
race is accompanied by an extensive supporting program on the shore.
Brothers Grimm Festival. The Brothers Grimm Festival usually takes place
from June to August. A musical based on one of the fairy tales by the
Brothers Grimm will be performed over a period of six weeks on an
open-air stage by one of the ponds in Schönfeld Park
Festival of the
best artists. For several years, the Circus Flic-Flac has set up its
tents on Friedrichsplatz during the Christmas season and at the turn of
the year and invited to the festival of the best artists. The
international program attracted around 55,000 viewers in 2012.
Mind
The Gap Open Air. This free & outdoor festival takes place at irregular
intervals at the end of August over a weekend in Kassel's Nordstadtpark.
The organizer is the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof.
Classic open air. For
several years, the local newspaper has been sponsoring a classic
open-air concert in the Karlsaue in front of the Orangery on a Saturday
evening in August, which also ends with fireworks in the style of the
Night of the Proms concerts. 25,000 - 30,000 spectators came to the
happening with a large picnic with free admission (does not take place
in documenta years).
Kassel Documentary Film and Video Festival. The
internationally renowned Kassel Dokfest takes place in November under
the auspices of the Filmladen.
Kulturhaus Dock 4, Untere Karlsstr. 4. Kulturhaus and cultural center
of the city of Kassel, many live events by various groups, live
concerts. Open-air cinema takes place in the courtyard in summer.
Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, Kemal-Altun-Platz, Mombachstr. 12. Cultural
center in Kassel's Nordstadt, regular live concerts.
CARICATURA, in
the Kulturbahnhof. CARICATURA has been running its successful exhibition
and event work in the areas of caricature and cartoons as well as
criticism and comedy for 15 years now. In doing so, she has made Kassel
an important satirical center in Germany. As early as 1987, CARICATURA
received the City of Kassel's Culture Advancement Award.
Temple of
Art, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 177 (to be found in one of the neoclassical
temples opposite the town hall). How to get there: Tram line 4, stop
"Kongress Palais".
UK14, Untere Karlsstrasse 14, 34117 Kassel.
Directions: Tram line 1,3,4,5,6,8,RT1,RT4, stop "Königsplatz", cultural
platform and event location right in the center of Kassel.
Kurhessen-Therme, Wilhelmshöher Allee 361, 34131 Kassel-Bad
Wilhelmshöhe (tram line 1, stop: "Kurhessen-Therme"). Tel.: +49 (0)561
180 80, fax: +49 (0)561 318 08 13, e-mail: info@kurhessen-therme.de .
The Japanese-style thermal bath is one of the most beautiful thermal
baths in Germany. 1,200 m² water landscape - inside and outside,
whirlpools, flow channel, springs, waterfalls, thermal brine pools,
bubble loungers and 106m long water slide. · Temperatures: indoor and
outdoor pools: 31ºC, therapy pool 35.5°C: whirlpool: 37°C, cold water
pool 21ºC or 25ºC. · Sauna world with 9 Finnish log cabin saunas from
45ºC to 100°C, adventure infusions with honey or salt, steam bath,
women's sauna every day. It lies at the foot of the Bergpark
Wilhelmshöhe. Feature: sauna.
Kassel has two outdoor pools and two
indoor pools. The outdoor pool at Auedamm was demolished in 2010 and
replaced by a large new building (combined pool with indoor and outdoor
pool). Kassel's new main swimming pool opened on July 20, 2013. It has
both a 50 m indoor pool and a long water slide. There is also a sauna
world. The official pool information can be found on the website
www.kassel-baeder.de.
Bathing lake in the Fuldaaue: The lake is
located directly on the Fulda in the former Federal Horticultural Show
grounds.
Mini golf oasis Kassel. The miniature golf course, which is small in
terms of area, is located in Bad Wilhelmshöhe on Baunsbergstraße /
junction with the Ederweg. At the kiosk there are little things for the
physical well-being. Take tram 3 in the direction of Druseltal to the
Wigandstrasse stop. There you can reach the square after 100m on foot
through the foot / cycle path in the extension of Wigandstrasse.
Miniature golf course at Auedamm. A slightly larger miniature golf
course can be found on the edge of the Karlsaue in the Auedamm area. The
place is right next to the Chinese restaurant "Dschingis Khan" in the
southern area of the Auedamm.
High Grass Climbing Forest. The courses lead from tree to tree. For
more information about the city's highest elevation, see the article
Tall Grass
Vertical World climbing hall, Lilienthalstr. 23. One of
the largest climbing halls in Germany
Climbing Center North Hesse,
Johanna-Waescher-Str. 4. The center of the DAV was opened in 2009.
Golf Club Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. Phone: +49 (0)561-33509. 18 holes, par
70; The course is beautifully situated between Hercules and high grass
in the middle of the hawk forest.
Gut Wissmannshof Golf Club. he
18-hole course is surrounded by greenery on the foothills of the
Kaufunger Forest about 12km as the crow flies northeast of the city
center (best to get there via the A 7 exit Staufenberg).
The Eschberg
golf course is also worth mentioning, although it is 20km west of the
city near Zierenberg. By the way, there is a smaller amateur golf course
(without club membership with low daily rates) in the town of
Gudensberg, 20 km south of Kassel.
Nordic skiing - In the Habichtswald, various cross-country trails are
groomed between 480 and 580m (3 circular trails with a total distance of
around 15 - 18km). If you don't know the Habichtswald as a Nordic skiing
area, you might be amazed at the variety of cross-country ski areas
close to town that are groomed here when the snow conditions are good.
For more see article Habichtswald.
Alpine skiing - On the 615m high
grass there is also a ski lift with a 510m long, easy to moderate slope
(80m difference in altitude; more information and a picture of the
descent can be found in the article Hohes Gras).
Tobogganing - In the
lower area of the ski lift on the high grass you will also find a 200m
long toboggan slope. A toboggan run that is easier to access can be
found on the Essigberg (large car park; nice view of the valley to the
west). Close to the city you can go sledding at the Hessenschanze
(terminus of tram 8 in Kirchditmold).
playgrounds
Here are some attractive, well-chosen playgrounds that
are central to the other sights in the city:
Karlsaue playground.
Location: northern Landaustraße on the edge of the Karlsaue.
Water
playground "Fuldaue". Location: you can reach it from Auedamm via the
Gärtnerplatzbrücke.
Goethe facility playground. Location: Larger,
popular playground in the Goethe complex in the Vorderer Westen
district.
Playground "Bremelbachstrasse". Location: Smaller facility
in the Wilhelmshöhe district, but only a 500m walk north-west of the
long-distance train station.
Schönfeld Castle playground. Location:
near the botanical garden
Here are some other destinations and
activities that are particularly suitable for families when visiting the
city:
Visit to the Natural History Museum
Visit to the small
animal zoo at Rammelsberg
Minigolf – There are two courses in Kassel:
a smaller one at Wilhelmshöhe and a larger one at Auedamm on the
Karlsaue (see the “Minigolf” section for more information)
Sound
educational trail in Park Schönfeld – The playable sound installations
may also be interesting for children. In this regard, a visit to the
Spohr Museum might also be a good idea for music-loving families. There
are some interactive "musical stations" to join in with.
For families
with slightly older children: a visit to the climbing forest on Hoher
Gras or a visit to a climbing hall.
For families with younger
children on rainy days: Hula Hupp children's adventure land - located in
the Kaufungen-papier factory industrial area on the eastern outskirts of
the city.
By the way, the official information of the city of
Kassel for children and young people can be found here (however, the
information is prepared more from the point of view of families living
in Kassel).
By plane
Kassel-Calden Airport (IATA: KSF) - It is located 15km
northwest of the city at Calden. There is a small range of flights to
well-known holiday destinations. Connection with bus line 100 to the
city center.
From Frankfurt Airport (IATA: FRA) the journey time with
the ICE to Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station is between
1:38 (direct ICE from the long-distance train station at the airport)
and up to a maximum of 2:30 h with a change in Frankfurt Hbf. Also well
connected by train is Hanover Airport. Here the travel time is even
shorter. It takes 1:25 to 1:30 hours to reach Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train
station by S-Bahn and long-distance trains.
Paderborn Lippstadt
Airport (IATA: PAD) is approximately 80 kilometers by road from Kassel.
It can be reached via the A44 in about 1 hour. The journey to Kassel by
bus and train is via Paderborn main station. Bus lines 400 and 460 run
from the airport to Paderborn main station. The journey to Kassel takes
105 minutes in total.
By train
Wilhelmshöhe long-distance
train station. Officially, the ICE stop is only called "Bahnhof
Wilhelmshöhe". In Kassel, however, there are often questions on the spot
as to how to get to the "Hauptbahnhof", where long-distance trains
depart. Therefore, in the Wikivoyage article Kassel, the "Wilhelmshöhe
train station" is referred to as Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe long-distance
station, or long-distance station for short, to better distinguish it
from Kassel main station. In the DB timetable information, the ICE stop
can be found under "Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe" in addition to "Bahnhof
Wilhelmshöhe, Kassel".
Kassel Central Station
Kassel Central
Station (Kassel Hauptbahnhof) . which also bears the name Kulturbahnhof,
is the hub for regional traffic in the region. There are direct
connections to Fulda, Frankfurt am Main, Hagen, Göttingen (does not go
via Wilhelmshöhe).
Since the end of 2007, this has been the
interface between the Regiotram and the railway network, a combination
of regional and tram that travels from the surrounding area from the
railway network into the city on the tram tracks. The trains have two
power systems, either direct current 600 volts and rail alternating
current 15 kV, 16 2/3 Hz or direct current 600 V and diesel drive. Most
lines run at least every hour. Among other things, Hofgeismar, Melsungen
and Wolfhagen can be reached.
By bus
A number of national and
international intercity buses go to Kassel. Cologne, Hamburg, Munich and
Berlin can be reached by bus several times a week, as can Croatia,
Romania or Spain.
Especially on the "Central Germany connection"
(Cologne - Dortmund - Kassel - Leipzig (airport) - Dresden), the
long-distance bus is more than just an inexpensive alternative to
long-distance rail travel. There is no continuous long-distance rail
service here. Therefore, the connections here are also competitive in
terms of time with the train.
Places of departure bze. Bus stops
in Kassel:
The small long-distance bus parking lot at the
Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe ICE train station is to the east of the station
building. Advantage: direct train connection; Disadvantage: The buses
have to meander through the slow city traffic to the long-distance train
station.
Long-distance bus stop at the Park & Rideplatz Kaufungen
Papierfabrik Advantage: fast connection to the A7 motorway and thus
shorter travel times; small disadvantage: no direct train connection.
However, this is not so dramatic for travelers with the destination
Kassel, as there is a direct tram connection to the city center and to
the long-distance train station.
Provider National with
long-distance bus stop in Kassel:
Eurolines - long-distance bus stop
at Park & Rideplatz Kaufungen-papierfabrik
- North-South route
Hamburg Airport Hamburg - Hanover Airport - Hanover - Kassel - Frankfurt
am Main - Frankfurt am Main Airport - Heidelberg - Mannheim
- Route
Stuttgart - Karlsruhe - Mannheim - Frankfurt - Giessen - Kassel -
Braunschweig - Magdeburg - Berlin
Flixbus - Departure point
long-distance bus stop at Park & Rideplatz Kaufungen Papierfabrik
-
"Central Germany connection" Cologne - Dortmund - Kassel - Leipzig
(airport) - Dresden
- North-South route Hamburg - Hanover - Kassel -
Giessen - Frankfurt am Main
Notes: alphabetical list; not all
individual stops of the lines are listed. Status 01-2014
Buses
and trams run by the North Hessian Transport Association (NVV) within
Kassel and its surrounding communities. For more information, see the
"Public Transport" section.
In the street
Kassel is located on
the federal motorways A7 (Hamburg - Würzburg), A44 (Kassel - Dortmund)
and A49 (Kassel - Neuental). The A49 is the “city autobahn”, the
“Auestadion” and “Waldau” exits are closest to the city centre. Bergpark
and Wilhelmshöhe Castle, the Herkules as well as the Wilhelmshöhe ICE
train station can be reached better via the A44 symbol: AS Kassel-Bad
Wilhelmshöhe, depending on the direction of travel.
By boat
From Kassel, the Fulda is also navigable for larger ships. Two companies
offer trips from Kassel to Hann. Münden. For more see here.
By
bicycle
Kassel is on the Fulda cycle path, which for cyclists can be
connected to the Weser cycle path from Hann. Münden, as part of the
national route D 9, represents an important north-south connection
through the German low mountain range.
Heading east to Thuringia
you can use the Herkules-Wartburg cycle path. The slightly mountainous
route ends after 110km in Eisenach. Here there is a connection to
Thuringia's long-distance cycle path network.
Local public transport
Kassel has a well-developed tram network
and a dense bus network. The network is operated by Kasseler
Verkehrs-Gesellschaft AG. The ticket machines are located in the trams
in the vehicles. In Kassel, the streetcar is often referred to as a
tram.
The Regiotram, on the other hand, connects the city of
Kassel with the surrounding area as a light rail system. Thanks to the
joint use of tram and train routes, you can get from the city center to
the region and vice versa without having to change trains.
Fares
tariff area Stadt-Kassel:
Single ticket adults: €3.00 (up to 3
children under 6 years are included).
Single ticket adult
short-distance: €1.70. The short ticket is valid for 4 stations in the
urban tram and bus network, and on railway routes up to 3 km (for
special regulations, see page 10). For the short distances in the tram
and bus network, it is often worth walking due to the short distances
between stops.
Single ticket children (6-14 years): 1.80€
Day
tickets for the "Stadt-Kassel" fare zone: MultiTicket Single €6 (valid
for 24 hours from validation) and MultiTicket €7.50 (see below for
regulations)
Fares tariff area Kassel Plus (city with surrounding
communities):
Single ticket adults: €3.90 (up to 3 children under the
age of 6 are included),
Single ticket children: (6-14 years): 2.30€
MultiTicket Single (one person; up to 3 children under the age of 6 are
included, other time regulations as for Multiticket): €7.10
Multi-ticket: If you are traveling as a couple or as a family at the
weekend, the inexpensive multi-ticket for €9.00 is particularly useful.
The ticket can be used by 2 adults alone and as a family ticket (2
adults and up to 3 children). The card is valid in the "Kassel Plus"
fare zone on weekdays for 24 hours after validation and on Fridays from
2 p.m., even for the whole weekend (more than two full days). If Friday
and/or Monday is a public holiday, the ticket is still valid on these
days, e.g. Easter for four days in a row. More expensive multi-tickets
are also available for further outlying zones of the transport
association. (Tarif Dec. 2018)
Line network maps, tariff area
Kassel-Plus (city with surrounding communities) & further tariff
information can be found on the NVV website.
Combination ticket
tram and state museums: Incidentally, combination tickets including
museum admission for the Hessen-Kassel museum landscape are also
available from the ticket machines in the trams (cheaper than the sum of
the individual prices).
KasselCard - The card is only sold through
the tourist information office, but is a cheap alternative, especially
during the week when two people are traveling for several days. It
grants free travel in the Kassel Plus fare zone for 2 people and
discounts, e.g. B in the museums. For more info, see the Getting Along
section).
On foot
From Kassel's main train station you can
easily reach all the sights in the city center on foot (maximum radius
of one kilometer). Large parts of the city center are pedestrian zones.
Even from the main train station to the orangery in the Karlsaue, it's
just under a kilometer via the staircase street and Friedrichsplatz.
From the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station, on the other
hand, you can walk to the Bergpark, which can already be seen from the
station forecourt (about 1.5 km, but going uphill). It is of course more
convenient to take tram line 1.
city tours
Since 2010 there
have been fixed, approximately 2.5-hour city tours in Kassel in a
double-decker bus. Boarding is possible at all 10 stations, and
"hop-on-hop-off" is also possible (get off at each stop and continue
with a later bus). Twelve languages are offered.
Period: late
March to late October, three trips a day from Wednesday to Sunday.
In
the summer months, the start is at Papinplatz in front of the Natural
History Museum at 10 a.m., 12.40 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. Partially limited
offer in the winter months. Fares: (16 €; children (4-16 years): 6 €;
family ticket: 35 €; as of 08/2015)
By bicycle
In Kassel, the
bicycle is slowly becoming an attractive alternative to exploring the
city by bus and train. However, the city still has some catching up to
do in terms of infrastructure for bicycles compared to other major
German cities. If you know the right routes away from the major traffic
lanes, you can already explore Kassel by bike today.
Bicycle
rental system "nextbike" in Kassel. The station-based rental system
offers a total of 400 bikes for rental at 56 locations in the city area.
Nextbike has been the successor to the first "Konrad" system since the
beginning of 2018. last change: Jun. 2018 (information may be out of
date) edit info
For city tours by bike, see the City Tours section
under "Getting Started".
Route network: In 2011, the route network in
the Kassel city area was re-signposted, so that even those unfamiliar
with the area can finally find the beautiful alternative routes away
from the dangerous and noisy main roads. Since autumn 2012, the cycle
routes in the surrounding communities around Kassel have also been
signposted. As a visitor to Kassel, you can also get the new official
bicycle city map, which contains the signposted city network (available
in local bookshops for €4.50).
Kassel discovery tour On the occasion
of the 1100th anniversary of the city in 2013, the city opened a 48 km
long, signposted cycle tour through the city area. The route is of
course a bit hilly. If you want to get to know Kassel better off the
beaten track, you can saddle up on a bike here.
Important
inner-city cycle routes from the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train
station:
Route Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station - city center
/ Fulda cycle path heading north: Never use the busy Wilhelmshöher Allee
here. To the north, parallel to the road, the Herkules-Wartburg cycle
path runs away from the main traffic. Here it is mostly in Tempo 30
zones through the attractive front west. Who from the long-distance
train station to Fuldaradweg R 1 towards Hann. Münden, it is best to use
this route as well. You finally meet the R 1 on the Auedamm at the
Orangery.
Route Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station - Karlsaue /
Fulda cycle path southbound: From the western exit of the long-distance
train station you can easily reach the island of Siebenbergen in the
Karlsaue along the cycle path on Bertha-von-Suttner-Straße and via quiet
paths in Schönfeld Park. On the way you can z. B. have a look at the
botanical garden. If you want to head south to the R 1, it is best to
stay on the western side of the Fulda until you reach the Neue Mühle am
Kraftwerk. At the Neue Mühle, the Fulda can then be crossed on a
pedestrian and cycle path bridge. On the other side of the Fulda you
come across the Fulda cycle path R 1. After a long period of rain,
however, the gravel paths in the park are littered with puddles.
In the street
Kassel has a well-developed road network. However, as
in many other cities, there is a lot of traffic here during commuter
times. It is therefore less stressful to leave your car in Kassel and
use the well-developed local public transport system. Many routes can
also be easily covered on foot, for example in the city center, provided
you have booked a room here. If you want to do sports, the bicycle is
also a possible alternative.
Park
Kassel's city center has
various parking facilities, but all of them are subject to a fee. The
city of Kassel provides information about the parking regulations and
fees of the municipal street parking zones here.
The multi-storey
car parks, which are mostly privately managed, have different fees. An
overview of the current occupancy of the multi-storey car parks in the
city center can be found on the website Shopping-kassel.de. If you click
on the names of the car parks, the opening hours and parking rates will
appear. On Sundays, there is usually a cheaper special rate on offer as
a daily flat rate. On the other hand, you can still park for free in the
large car park below Schloss Wilhelmshöhe at the Bergpark and at the top
of Herkules. You can also park your car free of charge on the Auedamm in
the Karlsaue area.
Architecturally, the Wilhelmsstrasse car park
is also worth mentioning. The building was planned between 1956 and 1957
by the two architects Paul Bode and Ernst Brundig. In the dark, the
colorfully illuminated facade towards the new drive is a remarkable
photo motif. For more information see www.parkhaus-wilhelmsstrasse.de.
Kassel has various shopping facilities. Some of the shopping centers
in the city center that are also worth seeing from an architectural
point of view should be emphasized.
Downtown
The pedestrian
zone of Oberen- und Unteren Königstrasse is the central shopping street
in Kassel.
Citypoint shopping mall. The modern shopping center on
Königsplatz is a great place to stroll and shop. In the basement there
is u. a. a supermarket (tegut, open Mon-Sat 7:30am-10pm).
King
Gallery . The gallery on Königstrasse has a high interior hall. In this
hall there is a lot of gastronomy that invites you to stop. In the
basement there is a supermarket (LIDL, open Mon-Sat 8am-9pm).
Kurfürstengalerie. The two-story shopping gallery offers some dining
options. At the end of the lower level there is a discount store (Aldi,
open Mon-Sat 8am-8pm). The gallery is above the Königsplatz.
Markthalle, Wildemannsgasse 1. The historic market hall in Kassel
extends over two floors. There are various stalls selling fruit and
vegetables, but also meat, fish, baked goods and flowers. There are also
a few places to stop off in the market hall. Open: Thurs and Fri from 7
a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Districts
dec.
The German shopping center is located in the Niederzwehren district in
the south of Kassel and offers a wide range. The shopping center can be
easily reached from the city center (Königsstraße) with tram lines 5 + 6
(get off at the Leuschnerstraße stop, approx. 300m walk from here), bus
line 24 goes directly to the shopping center. Open: Mon - Sat 9.30 a.m.
- 8 p.m.
Kasseler Ribchen, Kotelett is a cured and lightly smoked piece of
pork. The name has nothing to do with the city of Kassel, as one might
think. There are various theories as to where the name came from. Pork
ribs get their name from the Hebrew (kasser or Yiddish chaser means
pig). Another theory is that kasseler comes from casserole and may have
been introduced with the Huguenots. According to a third theory, the
term comes from a Berlin master butcher named Cassel.
Kassel's
"going out district" can be found around Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse in the
West district. Here you will find a larger number of popular scene
meeting places and restaurants.
Downtown
1 bolero, nice view 1a. Tel.: +49 (0)561 4501 0632.
spacious restaurant with bar on two levels; Terrace with a beautiful
view of the Karlsaue; Mexican food.
2 La Nuova Cucina, stairs street
9. Italian restaurant / pizzeria directly in the stairs street/city
center also with outdoor seating. "normal" price range for a pizzeria.
3 Il Convento, An der Garrison Church 2. Large café-restaurant in a
pleasant atmosphere with a beautiful outdoor area in the ruins of the
former garrison church.
Mid/Front West
4 Restaurant El Erni,
Parkstraße 42. Very nice, upscale Spanish restaurant with a nice
atmosphere.
5 Ristorante Da Vinci, Lassallestr. 1. Generously
designed Italian restaurant with fresh fish daily and an extensive menu.
6 Osteria, Jordanstraße 11. Popular Italian/Mediterranean
restaurant/wine tavern near the Ständeplatz with more sophisticated
cuisine. Open: from 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Welheiden
7
Solino, Wilhelmshöher Allee 91. Café, bar and restaurant right next to
the engineering faculty of the university. International cuisine with
pizza, tapas, casseroles.
Wilhelmshöhe
8 Ilyssia, Lange
Strasse 83, 34131 Kassel. In a side street you will find this well-known
good Greek restaurant in a medium price range. The menu clearly stands
out from the usual Greek cuisine. Feature: Greek cuisine.
9 Zum
Rammelsberg, Rammelsbergstr. 4. Spacious restaurant and pub in the
brewery style, very pleasant atmosphere and plentiful and very good pub
food.
10 Himalaya, Wilhelmshöher Allee 262 (in the atrium opposite
the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train station). dignified Nepalese /
Indian restaurant with a well priced menu. Features: Indian cuisine,
Nepalese cuisine.
11 Restaurant Kleine Konoba, Wilhelmshöher Allee
254. The Dalmatian restaurant “Zum Ritter” has moved from the city
center and is now called Kleine Konoba. Feature: Croatian cuisine.
Weser gate
12 To the Happy Mountain Pig, Weserstraße 2 . Vegan
restaurant. Especially the vegan doner kebab, called Vöner, and the
homemade fries are recommended. In general, a lot is made here by hand.
Downtown
13 Café Nenninger, Friedrichsplatz 8. Nice, popular café
with pastry shop, breakfast buffet, cocktails and much more. With
outdoor seating.
Mid/Front West
14 Café Lange,
Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 72. Long-established location with a café with a
good range of cakes and a bakery restaurant, reborn since mid-2014 with
cozy modern furnishings.
15 Cafe Westend, Elfbuchenstraße 18. Cafe
with a bistro offer in a cultivated, cozy Wilhelminian style; favorable
price range.
16 Café Buch-Oase, Germaniastrasse 14. The Buch-Oase
sees itself as a café and cultural project. There are exhibitions and a
small cultural program. An antiquarian bookshop is attached to the cafe.
17 MooN, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 1. Tel.: +49 561 85010574. Popular
waffle café with numerous hearty options, and live concerts from time to
time.
Wilhelmshöhe
Cafe / Konditorei Streiter, Wilhelmshöher
Allee (near tram stop Kunoldstraße of line 1). The bakery/pastry shop
has a cozy café on the top floor, where coffee and good cakes are served
(to be ordered downstairs in the bakery).
Mid/Front West
1 Lohmann Kassel, Königstor 8. Allegedly Kassel's
oldest pub with a beer garden, which is popular with visitors. There is
an extensive menu (available online). During the summer months, the
Lohmann's beer garden is popular.
2 Ulenspiegel, Goethestraße 30. The
rustic pub with a cozy beer garden in the Vorderen Westen is an
institution that spans generations. There is only a small menu here.
3 beer garden on the roundabout. You sit nicely under trees with a
panoramic view of the Fulda. In addition to "liquid food", there are
also solid foods such as bratwurst with grilled rolls. Incidentally, the
roundabout is a turret built in 1523 in the fortress of the former
landgrave's castle. The city palace has not been standing since a major
fire in 1811. Usable stones from the fire ruins were used between 1871
and 1874 in the construction of the New Gallery. Today the regional
council is located at the site. The beer garden is open in the summer
months.
4 bakery, Kochstr. 16. The pub's 200-person beer garden is
tucked away in the Wehlheiden district. In addition to liquids, there
are also meat dishes from the grill. In beer garden weather, it is open
daily from 3 p.m.
5 Podium, Kölnische Str. 34 (central location a
little southeast of the main train station near the city center). Pub
with a menu and a predominantly younger, student crowd.
The online
gastronomy guide Eating & Drinking in Kassel and North Hesse also offers
an overview of what is on offer in and around Kassel with a wealth of
addresses.
Bali Cinemas, Rainer-Dierichs-Platz 1, 34117 Kassel (in the
Kulturbahnhof). Multiple award-winning art house cinema, opened in 1995
with two halls.
Filmpalast Kassel, Karlsplatz 8. Tel.: +49 (0)561
701717, email: kassel@filmpalast.de. Formerly Cinestar, extensively
renovated and converted multiplex cinema with 15 screens near Karlsplatz
by 2020, now also with IMAX and a replica of the legendary Kaskade
cinema.
Cinemaplex Kassel. The Cineplex is located at Wilhelmsstraße
2A near the Ständeplatz.
Filmladen, Goethestr. 31st arthouse cinema
of the Filmladen Kassel e.V., on Wednesdays there are films in the
original with subtitles.
Gloria, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 3. Third
largest cinema in Kassel managed by Bali Kinos with a large hall in
1950's style.
Open air cinema. in the courtyard of the cultural
center Dock 4 - In summer usually from the second week of July to the
beginning of September.
Musikpark A7, Miramstrasse 74, 34123 Kassel. large complex with
several areas, open Thurs to Sat. Mainly hip hop and techno. Relatively
expensive, watch out for special offers! Admission (incl. minimum
consumption) 5 to 8 €.
YORK, Obere Koenigsstrasse 4, 34117 Kassel. On
Fridays and Saturdays you can dance to house and hip-hop in this classy
club. Not everyone gets in, so prices are correspondingly high. Price:
Admission €5-6.
Kassel Gold Mine, Iron Forge 85 . Live music club in
Nordstadt, near the main cemetery, with a focus on heavy metal, stoner
rock, alternative but also punk, as long as it's not mainstream.
Club
22, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 61a. Long-established dance club from 21
years old with a focus on the 80s and 90s, but also current charts.
Theaterstübchen, Jordanstraße 11. The Theaterstübchen has blossomed into
one of the most important live locations in Kassel, there are live
concerts almost every day, with lots of jazz and cabaret. However,
Friday and Saturday are reserved for discos.
Frau Tanz (formerly
Kleiner Onkel), Mombachstraße 47. Tel.: +49 561 40066251, e-mail:
at@frau-tanz.de. Originally a temporary club for documenta 2017, the
project has continued to exist relatively close to the university, first
as Little Uncle, now as Frau Tanz. Open: Fri, Sat 23-4.
SWAY,
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 12. Newly opened in 2018 at the beginning of
Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, parties every two weeks, usually on Saturdays.
Open: Sat 23-5.
Panoptikum, Leipziger Str 407. A rental location on
the outskirts of the city, but there are now plenty of parties and
concerts here.
Franz Ulrich, Franz-Ulrich-Strasse 19 . A brand new
small alternative stage opened next to the Kulturbahnhof in 2019 with
irregular live concerts.
Gray zone, Friedrich-Ebert-Str. 1. Email:
info@grauzone.club . At the beginning of Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, the new
club could only really start after Corona, mostly techno. Open: Wed
22-5, Fri,Sat 23-8.
Kasseler Staatstheater, Friedrichsplatz 15. The renowned state
theater is a three-section theater with an opera house, a theater and a
state orchestra steeped in history.
tic - Theater im Centrum,
Akazienweg 24. Small musical theater on the outskirts of the city
centre.
Cassalla Theater, Jordanstr. 11. Small OFF-Theater with 99
seats between the city center and Vorderes West, venue of the Small
Stage 70 and the Wehlheider Hoftheater.
Komödie Kassel,
Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 39. Comedy theater at the transition from the
center to the west.
Theater in der Wolfsschlucht, Wolfsschlucht 25.
Small studio stage of the Kassel drama school.
Studio Lev. Off-space
theater stage of the association of the same name with musical
productions, concerts, etc., currently again without its own venue.
UK14, Untere Karlsstrasse 14. Email: info@uk14.de. The culture platform
UK14, which opened in September 2019, offers a stage and workspaces for
a wide variety of cultural events. In addition to other events and
users, it also houses the North Hesse School Theater Center (Spielort
e.V.)
Venue, Untere Karlsstrasse 14. Email: info@spielort-kassel.de.
The North Hesse school theater center, which opened in November 2019, is
located in UK14 and offers performance opportunities for school theater
groups as well as workshops and training courses.
Cheap
1 Kassel youth hostel, Schenkendorfstr. 18. Tel.: +49
(0)561-776455. about 1.5 km from the main train station, 209 beds.
Price: from €25.
2 Kassel campsite, Giesenallee 9. Tel.: +49 561
707707, e-mail: info@campingplatz-kassel.de. Located on the Fulda.
3
RV park in Kassel, Giesenallee. The site with 14 parking spaces is
located in the south of the city near the Fulda. Contact: via the nearby
campsite in Kassel (see above). Price: Pitch: €12.50 per night.
4
Haus Riedwiesen, Riedwiesen 1. Tel.: +49 561 6029963. Small private
pension, quiet residential street in the district of Kirchditmold,
approx. 15 minutes on foot from Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train
station. Simple but cozy rooms on the top floor of the semi-detached
house (bathroom shared by all 3 rooms). Contact: Dorothee Moeller.
Feature: pension. Price: single room: from €25, double room: from €42,
breakfast can be booked for €10.
5 Lehmann holiday apartment,
Teiltriescherstrasse 11 (district of Harleshausen). 45 m2, quiet
location, ideal for hikers near the Habichtswald. Price: 1 person: €38,
€70 for 2 people.
Middle
6 Hotel Genius, Ludwig-Erhard-Str.
14. Tel.: +49 (0)561 70345743. The house is located in the modern
"Marbachshöhe" district, about 10 minutes' walk south of the
long-distance train station (4 minutes by tram). Price: Room depending
on the standard: SR 39 to 59 €; double room 49 - 79 €; Breakfast: 9€,
there is a fully equipped guest kitchen for self-catering (05-2012).
7 Logierhaus "fensterzumhof", Erzbergerstr. 55-57. Tel.: +49 (0)561
8616820, +49 (0)160 6121729. The artist guesthouse with 12 individually
designed rooms or apartments is located on an old factory site in the
old industrialized quarter near the main train station (away from the
touristy Kassel in the alleged, so-called "Red Light District"). Price:
for 1 person €48 to €52; 2 people €58 to €62; 10% surcharge for one
night, discount for longer stays (01-2014). Bed&Bike operation for
cyclists.
Upscale
8 Best Western Plus Hotel Kassel City
(directly at the Kurfürstengalerie), Spohrstraße 4, 34117 Kassel. Phone:
+49 (0)561 728 50.
9 InterCityHotel Kassel (next to
Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe train station), Wilhelmshöher Allee 241, 34121
Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 938 80, email: kassel@intercityhotel.de.
10
Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe, Schlosspark 8, 34131 Kassel . The
four-star hotel near Wilhelmshöhe Castle and the thermal brine
Kurhessentherme Kassel offers rooms with tasteful furnishings and eleven
common rooms for conferences, seminars and celebrations for up to 200
people. Every 1st Sunday of the month there is brunch with live music in
the hotel restaurant.
11 Golden Tulip Kassel Hotel Reiss,
Werner-Hilpert-Strasse 24, 34117 Kassel (near the Kulturbahnhof and
conveniently located towards the city center). Phone: +49 (0)561
52140-0. Superior 4-star hotel with 1950s-style exterior architecture.
The house was modernized inside and reopened for Documenta 2012.
Feature: ★★★★. Price: Standard single room from €90.
12 Renthof,
Renthof 3. Tel.: +49 561 506680, e-mail: info@renthof-kassel.de. The
historic Renthof, one of the oldest buildings in the city, was converted
into an upscale hotel in 2017.
1 University of Kassel, Mönchebergstrasse 19, 34125 Kassel. Phone:
+49 (0)561 8040 . The former Kassel University of Applied Sciences now
has around 25,000 students (WS 19/20) with an above-average proportion
of foreign guest students. There are several locations in the city, the
largest is at Holländische Platz, where the university campus is
currently being expanded considerably.
2 CVJM Hochschule,
Hugo-Preuß-Strasse 40. Tel.: +49 561 3087530, email:
info@cvjm-hochschule.de. Private, state-recognized denominational
university with around 550 students (2020) which celebrated its 10th
anniversary in 2019.
Economically, the city and surrounding area of Kassel are the driving
force of the North Hesse region. Some well-known companies have their
headquarters in the city (including Kali and Salz, Wingas and
Wintershall). Two other important economic pillars of the region are
located in the Kassel metropolitan area. These are the Volkswagen
factory in Baunatal and SMA AG in Niestetal. SMA AG in particular has
expanded significantly and created several thousand jobs in recent
years.
Kassel is also a city of administration and authorities.
Many associations and institutions have administrative offices in the
city. An increasingly important employer is the university, which was
founded in 1970 as a comprehensive university and is to be expanded
further.
If you are interested in the economy of the region, you
will find information on the website of the Kassel Region Economic
Development Agency. The Kassel employment agency (Grüner Weg 46; is
about 300m north of the main train station) arranges jobs.
Kassel is not crime-free, but there are no major abnormalities across
Germany compared to cities of a similar size. Of course you should
follow the known rules like everywhere else: don't leave valuables in
the car, always lock your bike; Carry bags or valuables securely on your
body to protect them from theft; be more alert in the dark and avoid
dark, unknown corners as much as possible, especially when alone; Avoid
unknown people or groups of people in dark, lonely areas or problem
areas.
In Kassel, "social hotspots" include: the Stern area, the
Mattenberg / Brückenhof settlements in the Oberzwehren district, the
large settlement in Waldau and also the Rothenditmold, Nordstadt and
Wesertor areas. These are usually areas that are not relevant to Kassel
visitors and are off the beaten track. As a visitor, you can easily
avoid these parts of the city.
Compared to well-known social
hotspots in other large cities such as Berlin, etc., Kassel is a
relatively small area with relatively minor problems. There are some
positive developments in the areas mentioned.
The only exception
as a problem area with a possible partial relevance for visitors is the
Stern area between Kurt-Schumacher-Strasse and Holländischer Platz. At
busy times of the day, however, you can largely easily z. B. walk from
Königsplatz to Uni am Hopla.
3 North Hesse Police Headquarters,
Grüner Weg 33, 34117 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 9100.
4 Kassel Police
Headquarters, Rolandstrasse 1C, 34131 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 9102012.
5 East Police Station, Leipziger Str. 242, 34123 Kassel. Phone: +49
(0)561 9102520.
Hospitals
1 Klinikum Kassel, Mönchebergstrasse 41-43, 34125
Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 980-0, fax: +49 (0)561 980-6988, e-mail:
info@klinikum-kassel.de.
2 Elisabeth Hospital, Weinbergstrasse 7,
34117 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 72010.
3 Marien Hospital, Marburger
Strasse 85, 34127 Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 8073-0, fax: +49 (0)561
8073-4000, e-mail: info@marienkrankenhaus-kassel.de.
4 Helios
Klinikum Kassel, Hansteinstrasse 29, 34121 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561
3086-0.
Pharmacies
5 Berlin Pharmacy, Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse
71, 34119 Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 770031, fax: +49 (0)561 719711,
e-mail: info@berlinerapotheke.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat 9
a.m. - 1 p.m.
6 Roundel Pharmacy, Mönchebergstr. 41-43, 34125 Kassel.
Tel.: +49 (0)561 9802870, fax: +49 (0)561 87058919, e-mail:
rondell@berlinerapotheke.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.
- 1 p.m.
7 Bären-Apotheke am Klinikum, Mönchebergstraße 50, 34125
Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 877979, fax: +49 (0)561 8700849, email:
mail@baeren-apotheke-kassel.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8.30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sat
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
8 Mohren pharmacy on Bebelplatz,
Friedrich-Ebert-Strasse 147, 34119 Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 14880, fax:
+49 (0)561 7392069, e-mail: service@apotheke-bebelplatz.de. Open: Mon -
Fri 8.30 a.m. - 6.30 p.m., Sat 9.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m.
9 Pharmacy on
Wehlheider Platz, Kirchweg 31, 34121 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 281733,
fax: +49 (0)561 9223370, email: apo.wehlheider@t-online.de. Open: Mon -
Fri 8 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat 8.30 a.m. - 1 p.m.
10 City Point Pharmacy,
Königsplatz 61, 34117 Kassel. Tel.: +49 (0)561 7013730, fax: +49 (0)561
7013732, e-mail: order@apotheke-im-city-point-kassel.de. Open: Mon - Fri
8.30 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sat 9.30 a.m. - 8 p.m.
11 Heinrich Heine
Pharmacy, Frankfurter Str. 81, 34121 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 282380,
fax: +49 (0)561 282749, e-mail: heinrich_heine_apotheke@t-online.de.
Open: Mon – Thu 8.30 a.m. – 6 p.m., Fri 8.30 a.m. – 2 p.m. + 3 p.m. – 6
p.m., Sat 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
12 Eichendorff Pharmacy, Holländische
Strasse 198, 34127 Kassel. Phone: +49 (0)561 84920, fax: +49 (0)561
9893807, email: team@eichendorff-apo.de. Open: Mon, Tue, Thu + Fri 8.30
a.m. - 1 p.m. + 3 p.m. - 6 p.m., Wed 8.30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Sat 9 a.m. - 12
p.m.
13 Primus Pharmacy, Wilhelmshöher Allee 91, 34121 Kassel. Tel.:
+49 (0)561 2079709, fax: +49 (0)561 2079716, e-mail:
service@primus-apotheke.de. Open: Mon - Fri 8.30 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat 8.30
a.m. - 4 p.m.
Various
Kurhessen Therme, Wilhelmshöher Allee
361, 34131 Kassel-Bad Wilhelmshöhe. Tel.: +49 (0)561 180 80, fax: +49
(0)561 318 08 13, e-mail: info@kurhessen-therme.de . The
Kurhessen-Therme in Kassel Bad Wilhelmshöhe is a health and recreation
pool with many opportunities to relax and unwind. The thermal brine bath
is built in Japanese style and has a spacious sauna area. Arriving by
tram: Line 1 in the direction of the Bergpark terminus to the
"Kurhessentherme" stop.
City Tourist Information, Wilhelmsstrasse 23. Tel.: +49 (0)561-70 77
07, Fax: +49 (0)561-70 77-169. About 100m walk from the "Rathaus" tram
stop (turn left from Königsstraße into Wilhelmsstraße). Open: Mon-Sat:
9am-6pm.
Tourist information in the Wilhelmshöhe long-distance train
station. Tel.: +49 (0)561-340 54, Fax: +49 (0)561-315 216. Coming from
the platforms, keep left at the top of the hall. The tourist information
is located opposite the DB travel center. Open: Mon-Sat: 9am-6pm.
Page of Kassel Marketing
official city map of Kassel
Some internet workstations are available in the city library. Location:
City Hall (entrance in the new building on the southern corner of the
building complex towards Obere Karlsstraße): upper Königsstraße 8
KasselCard
The KasselCard combines a discount card and a free
public transport season ticket for the Kassel Plus area between 24 and
72 hours. With 31 offers from the areas of museums, culture and leisure,
you also get discounts on the admission prices. Before buying the card,
however, you should calculate whether it is really worth purchasing for
the personal visit program that you would like to complete in Kassel
(e.g. question of using public transport). Variants: 24h for 2 people
€9, 72h for 2 people €12 (as of 2014; List of services and detailed
information on the KasselCard can be found on the Kassel-Marketing
website under "Service" -> "Information material".
Kassel Marketing offers a wide range of public tours. The offer
includes guided tours through the city center as well as walks through
the Karlsaue and the Bergpark. Thematic tours such as B. to the trick
fountains, a tour of the outdoor artworks of the documenta, the 1950s in
Kassel or a city tour with a historic tram can be visited. For groups,
separate dates and tours around the area can be arranged on request (www.kassel-marketing.de).
The guides are members of the "Guest and Museum Guides in Kassel and
Region e. V." organized. Here you can also search for dates under the
heading "Events".
City walks with the Kassel Greeters: Under the
motto "Discover Kassel with friends", the Kassel Greeters offer free
city tours. Guests get to know Kassel off the beaten track from the
perspective of locals. There are now 40 greeters, as the volunteers at
the Kassel Greeters are called, and are happy to show visitors their
city with all its rough edges in an authentic way. In this way, you will
experience up close your favorite places and hidden paths and corners
that you don't visit on normal city tours. But you will also learn
personal stories and experiences or tips for going out and leisure time.
If at all possible, topic requests are taken into account, which make
these walks a personal and individual encounter with the city. In order
to preserve individuality, the greets are only carried out in small
groups of up to 6 people. More information at kasselgreeters.de The
Kassel Greeters are members of the International Greeter Association
(formerly Global Greeter Network).
City tours by "self-balancing
scooter": To drive the single-axle electric scooter, which is mainly
known from the USA, you need at least a moped or car driver's license.
Participation in the 2-hour tours costs around 50€ per person. The
Wikipedia article on the vehicle is worth reading as a background. For
detailed tour information and booking, see the organizer's website.
There are two providers of city tours in Kassel: the company "time to
team" from Springe (information on this is available from Kassel
Marketing) and the company "funmobi" from Melsungen (information on the
company website). Incidentally, Funmobi also offers a night tour through
Kassel.
City tours by bus: Since 2010 there have been city tours in
Kassel with event buses. In the main season from April to October you
can take part in the city tours from Wednesday to Sunday in the Hop On
Hop Off service and thus get a first impression of Kassel. 11 languages
can be heard on the bus, so that foreign guests also have the
opportunity to get to know Kassel on an individual tour. You can get
tickets: directly from the bus driver, the city tours office:
Ahnatalstr.28, 34128 Kassel Tel.: 0561-62233 or via the online shop:
www.kasselstadtrundfahrt.de.
In 1978, a thermal water source was drilled in Wilhelmshöhe. Today
the Kurhessentherme is located here. The small spa area includes u. the
Habichtswald clinic. Today, Bad Wilhelmshöhe is entitled to bear the
title "Kneipp" and "Thermal brine spa". With around 1,000 spa guests,
however, the spa plays a very minor role in the city's tourism.
The resort tax in the spa district of Bad Wilhelmshöhe is €0.50 per day
and person. Those who spend the night outside of the spa district, which
begins roughly above the long-distance train station in Wilhelmshöhe,
pay nothing. Kassel does not levy a “bed tax”.
Toilets
A
central contact point in the city center are the freely accessible,
public toilets in the town hall - access: open at the usual times of the
day. If you are standing in front of the main entrance to the town hall
on Königsstraße, you will find the toilets in the right wing.
outhouse. at the bus parking lot at the Ottoneum with coin slot. Price:
50 cents.
outhouse. at the Goethe facility in the west with a coin
slot. Price: 50 cents.