Following in my travel plans on Els footprints, I ventured to Darmstadt on the same weekend as my visit to the Ice Age Caves.

During my visit the Mathildenhöhe was fairly busy with plenty of tourist groups roaming the area. Several parts of the site were closed and undergoing renovations. In addition, the wedding tower was closed for … weddings. Still, I feel I managed to get a good look.

OUV

On the one hand side I get Els overall point. This is a consistent ensemble of Jugendstil buildings. The museum on site provides a great overview of the art objects created in the artist's colony. And while several of the buildings are off limits, you still get to see a lot of the Jugendstil interior design by visiting the museum and the wedding tower.

On the other hand side I left the site having taken less than ten pictures during my visit, all of them mediocre at best. Now, admittedly, I wasn't in the best possible shape. During the previous night there had been an oversupply of drinks and an undersupply of sleep. Still, I really tried to find a nice shot on a sunny day with blue skies and couldn't.

Part of it was due to the ongoing repair works of the site. In preparation for the world heritage site bid, the authorities have started renovating several of the buildings. Especially the artist houses seem in dire need of some construction work. Knowing Germany in a few years this will look shiny and new.

Part of it, though, was due to the ensemble not working for me. The outside space and the landscape architecture didn't feel nice or organic. The architecture itself (not the interior design) still felt kind of stuck in the past. Take away the fancy decorations and the wedding tower is a generic brick tower. What the Bauhaus movement did afterwards feels like a way more consequential step in architecture. Indeed, the Russian chapel on the premise goes to show that a lot of the ideas already existed as it blends in perfectly with the Jugendstil surroundings.

Getting There

Darmstadt can be reached by train from Frankfurt or Heidelberg. Via Frankfurt you are connected to all of Germany by train or plane. Darmstadt Hauptbahnhof is located on the western side of the city while Mathildenhöhe is on the eastern side, so it's a bit of a walk (40min). Alternatively, you can just take a bus or tram. Every 15min or so there is a direct connection to the Mathildenhöhe. Alternatively, take a bus/tram to Schloss and walk from there.

While You Are There

Darmstadt was a residence town and some of its former glory still shows. A terrible bomb raid in 1944 destroyed most of the old town. Today Darmstadt is probably best known for it's technical university that you find covering large swaths of the city area.

Darmstadt is also the hub to get to Grube Messel. Rather frequent buses can take you there. A 45min train ride to the south lies Kloster Lorsch (you have to change trains once in Bensheim). From Lorsch you can continue along the Bergstraße to Heidelberg. Heidelberg, albeit not making the list, is still a pleasant and popular tourist destination.

Speyer Cathedral and the tentative site Shum Cities can be reached by traveling westwards, all accessible by public transport.