The first impression created in the eyes of the visitors of Darmstadt is quite misleading: If you enter the city coming from the “autobahn” or leave the train at the central station, modern and rather sober buildings raised in the sixties or seventies spring in the front and produce something one would like to name “social democratic architecture”, as if, heaven forbid, something like this would exist.

A second glance reveals buildings and monuments much more appealing, stemming from the era of the Landgraves of Hessen-Darmstadt and the Grand Duchy of Hesse, during which Darmstadt was place of residence and also capital. Later on, while visiting the famous Mathildenhöhe, the astonished and joyful eyes of the visitor behold Darmstadt as the centre of art nouveau in Germany.

But back to step one, history: Darmstadt was founded as a small settlement of the Franks and developed into a town sometime in the Middle Ages, to become the capital of the Landgraves of Hessen-Darmstadt during the 16th century. In the 19th century it became the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hesse, and lost its rank as capital to Wiesbaden as late as 1945, when, after WW II, Wiesbaden was preferred to Darmstadt because it was much less destroyed by bombs. Since 1945 Darmstadt is the administrative centre of the government district Darmstadt and with 150,000 inhabitants the fourth biggest city in Hesse.

Darmstadt cannot only boast a vast number of attractive places and monuments of interest itself, but is also a very good place to start trips into the lush valleys and to the fascinating castles and half-timbered towns of the Odenwald – including Castle Frankenstein of sinister reputation. Moreover, Darmstadt also houses more than 41,000 students attaining courses at the Technical University and two colleges, making it a “city of science”, as Darmstadt officially is a allowed to call itself since 1997.

Visitors planning sight-seeing should first of all visit the Mathildenhöhe, situated on a hilltop looking over Darmstadt from a height of 180 metres and housing an English Garden, but also the Artisan´s Colony founded by Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig, and the “Marriage Tower” (Hochzeitsturm) and the Exhibition Hall (Ausstellungsgebäude), both planned by Joseph Maria Olbrich and famous examples of Art Nouveau architecture.

Well worth visiting are also the Prinz-Emil-Palace situated in the Prinz-Emil-Park, the Dianaburg (Diana Castle) and the Jagdschloss Kranichstein (a hunting seat). In the city proper the Altes Rathaus (Old Town Hall), the Luisenplatz (Luise Square) with the “Lange Ludwig” (Long Ludwig, a monument), and the Palace at the Market Square (Schloss am Marktplatz). Fans of modern arts should not miss the housing complex Waldspirale, designed by Friedensreich Hundertwasser.

Staying in Darmstadt, you should consider a trip to the former Quarry Messel, famous for its dinosaur fossils (especially if your boy should be afflicted by dinosaur mania). Also the hill region Odenwald with its woods, forests and numerous castles is not far away. People loving nature might want to visit the Kühkopf-Knoblochsaue, a bayou of the Rhine River and now a nature reserve with lots of rare birds and plants.

More information: http://www.darmstadt.de/?1528

Photo: Mathildenhöhe, Claudio Divizia/Shutterstock