The Schlosshotel in Kassel - starting point for many great exhibitions and cultural highlights! Kassel is internationally known especially for the world art exhibition "documenta", which takes place every 5 years since 1955.

More Info

• Frame construction: A documenta artwork from the d6 (1977) is the "frame construction" also "landscape in slide" of the artist collective Haus-Rucker-Co.
• The Strangers: From the d9 come the 3 figures on the columned portal. The German artist Thomas Schütte placed his ceramic glazed artwork "The Strangers" here in 1992.
• Himmelsstürmer: During the d9, the secret crowd favorite: "Man walking to the sky" - the Himmelsstürmer - by Jonathan Borowsky. This 25-meter-long steel tube with a man walking skyward stands on the square in front of the Kulturbahnhof.
• 7,000 oaks: The artwork "Project 7,000 Oaks" or "Action Urban Forestation" was realized by the artist and art professor Joseph Beuys. Directly in front of the museum the 1st tree with basalt block was planted to the d7.
• Pickaxe: Claes Oldenburg's pickaxe, created for documenta 7 in 1982, stands on the banks of the Fulda. The "pickaxe" is 12 meters high, looks as if it is floating light, but weighs 5 tons.

• Obelisk: For documenta 14, in June 2017, the obelisk was erected on Kassel's Königsplatz. In April 2019, it got its permanent location in the city center. The 16.20 m high monument entitled "The Stranger" bears the inscription in four languages: "I was a stranger and you sheltered me", a quotation from the Gospel of Matthew.

• and much more.

Images: Frame Construction © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield, The Strangers © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield, Skystormers © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield, 7,000 Oaks © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield

Kurhessen Therme

Escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, pamper yourself or let yourself be pampered, seek and find relaxation, enjoy moments of silence & contemplation - the unique possibilities of the Kurhessen Therme are as individual as you are! 1,200 square meters of water landscape - indoors and outdoors - with a variety of attractions for an all-round relaxing stay. With eight Finnish log cabin saunas from 45 to 100°C; experience infusions, Oriental sauna for women and more... Exceptionally gentle bathing experience in eight oases - in a magical atmosphere experience & discover your body completely new.
 

Learn more here 
 

MOUNTAIN PARK WILHELMSHÖHE

The Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe Conference & SPA is located in the middle of a dreamlike landscape - the UNESCO World Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, which is unique in the world as the largest mountain park in Europe. It has an area of 240 hectares and merges into the Habichtswald Nature Park. Part of the park is also a designated spa park. More info

• Wilhelmshöhe Palace: Under Wilhelm IX, one of the last large buildings of absolutism was built, the classicist summer residence Wilhelmshöhe Palace (1786-98), which today is one of the most attractive museum locations in Germany. Here you will find, among other things, the collection of paintings "Old Masters" with world-famous works by Rembrandt and Dürer.
• Unique water games in the Bergpark: For over 300 years, these have fascinated thousands of guests. The "Illuminated Water Games" are a special highlight, where the water flows over the illuminated cascades, Devil's Bridge, aqueduct and Jussow Temple, before coming to a brilliant conclusion with the over 50 meter high fountain. Learn more here!
• Lion Castle: Next to the Summer Castle, the Lion Castle (1793-1801) was built under William IX. It is one of the most important examples of neo-Gothic ruin architecture on the continent and contains valuable medieval, early modern and romantic furnishings.
• Hercules: Towering over everything is the 8.25-meter-high copperplate replica of the ancient Hercules Farnese, the first colossal figure of modern times north of the Alps. It was exemplary for later monuments such as the Hermann Monument or the Statue of Liberty. The visitor platform at a height of 28.5 m can be reached via a staircase.
• Ballroom: Directly opposite the Schlosshotel is the later Ballhaus, built under King Jérôme as a theater (1808-09). During the summer months, special exhibitions of the Kassel State Museums are held there.

Photo credits: Fountain Pond © Kassel Marketing GmbH | photographer Paavo Blåfield, Cascades © Kassel Marketing GmbH | photographer Paavo Blåfield, Devil's Bridge illuminated © Kassel Marketing GmbH | photographer Mario Zgoll, Jussowtempel © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Sascha Mannel

Karlsaue

The two neighboring parks Karlsaue and Fuldaaue together form one of the largest inner-city parks and one of the most extensive park-like recreational areas in Germany.

• Planetary hiking trail: Since 1996, a unique planetary hiking trail has turned walkers into globetrotters: a kind of "map of the universe" that miniaturizes the distances and sizes of the planets on a scale of about one to a billion. 

• Orangery: Landgrave Karl (1654-1730) had the Orangery Palace built at the starting point of the baroque axes into the park as a summer residence and place for overwintering Mediterranean potted plants. Worth seeing!

• Siebenbergen Island: Every year, a colorful sea of blossoms displaces the gray winter colors on the Siebenbergen Island of Flowers. Freshly planted beds with tens of thousands of early bloomers are a special attraction for walking excursions in the Auepark. More info here.

Pictures: Karlsaue © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Mario Zgoll, Aueteich © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Mario Zgoll, Orangerie © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Jörg Conrad, Marmorbad © Kassel Marketing GmbH

BOTANICAL GARDEN

You will find the Botanical Garden in the district of Wehlheiden. It is a beautiful place to stay. It changes its image with the changing of the seasons.

On the walks through the park one encounters a varied splendor of blossoms. It is not without reason that the award-winning Kassel city beekeeper Viktor Hernandez, whose bees also have a home with us at the Schlosshotel, has his honey "produced" here by many hard-working helpers. By the way, our mascots Wilhelm & Wilhelmine also like to stay here.

More info.

Pictures 1,4 Botanical Garden © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Mario Zgoll | Pictures 2,3 © Schlosshotel Betriebs GmbH

FULDA AND BUGA LAKE

Only a few minutes from the city center stretches the large nature reserve of the Fuldaaue with the Buga Lake.

The spacious landscape makes you forget that you are in the middle of the city. For sportsmen and recreationists there are many possibilities. Here you can find more information about Buga Lake zum Bugasee and more information about Fulda/Fuldaaue.

Picture 1 © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield, Picture 2+3 © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Angelica Jacob, Picture 4 © Kassel Marketing GmbH

Edersee

The Lake Edersee in beautiful Hesse is one of the most exciting destinations for the whole family.

• Treetop path

• Eder Dam and Aqua Park 

• Waldeck Castle

• The great house

• Waldeck mountain railway

• Wild animal park Edersee

• and much more.

Pictures 1,2 © Baumkronenweg Edersee, Pictures 3,4 © Schlosshotel Kassel Betriebs GmbH

CASTLES & PALACES

Great sights and excursion opportunities around the Schlosshotel await you. Whether the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe with the Wilhelmshöhe Castle and the Löwenburg or the Karlsaue as a green oasis in the middle of the city center - walk in historical buildings and parks on historical traces.

• Wilhelmshöhe Palace: The neoclassical summer residence Wilhelmshöhe Palace (1786-98) was built under Wilhelm IX, which today is one of the most attractive museum locations in Germany. Here you will find, among other things, the collection of paintings "Old Masters" with world-famous works by Rembrandt and Dürer.

• Lion Castle: Next to the summer palace, the Löwenburg (1793-1801) was built under Wilhelm IX. It is one of the most important examples of neo-Gothic ruin architecture on the continent and houses valuable medieval, early modern and romantic furnishings.

• Orangery: The Orangery was built at the beginning of the 18th century by Landgrave Carl (r. 1677-1730). Numerous orange and laurel trees wintered in the central building. 

• Wilhelmstahl Place: From Wilhelmshöhe, the path goes north along the lawn avenue. After about 9 km, the visitor encounters near the village of Calden, a gem of the Rococo - a piece of France on Hessian soil.

Photo credits: Wilhelmshöhe Castle © Kassel Marketing GmbH | photographer Paavo Blåfield, Löwenburg © Kassel Marketing GmbH | photographer Paavo Blåfield, Orangery © Kassel Marketing | photographer Jörg Conrad, Wilhelmsthal Castle © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Patrick Baensch

MUSEUMS & EXHIBITIONS

Kassel is documenta city and is considered one of the most important museum locations in Germany. Wilhelmshöhe Palace houses one of the world's most extensive Rembrandt collections and is located right outside the doors of the Schlosshotel.

• Old Masters" Picture Gallery

• Astronomical-Physical Cabinet

• Natural History Museum in the Ottoneum

• Grimm World

• Fridericianum Museum

• Collection of antiquities in Wilhelmshöhe Palace

• Artists' Necropolis Kassel

Gallery Wilhelmshöhe Palace © Kassel Marketing GmbH, Fridericianum © Kassel Marketing GmbH Photographer Paavo Blåfield, Grimmwelt © Hessen Agentur Florian Trykowski, Ottoneum © Kassel Marketing GmbH | Photographer Patrick Baensch

GERMAN FAIRY TALE ROUTE

Kassel, the capital of the German Fairy Tale Road
Fairytale-like, unique and somehow enchanted - in such a landscape you will meet many a fairy godmother at dusk. The Brothers Grimm, who spent 30 years of their lives in Kassel and collected their world-famous fairy tales and legends here, thought so too. The Brothers Grimm Museum bears witness to the life and work of the famous linguists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. 

More info about the German Fairy Tale Route here.

• Sleeping Beauty Tour in the Reinhardswald: Via Hofgeismar, the Sleeping Beauty Castle Sababurg in the Reinhardswald and Trendelburg with the castle of the same name you reach Bad Karlshafen. Along the river Weser you will reach the picturesque half-timbered town of Hann.-Münden. Through the idyllic Fulda valley you return to Kassel.

• Frau Holle tour through the romantic Werra Valley: The cherry town of Witzenhausen, the historic brine town of Bad Sooden-Allendorf with its salt museum, as well as Eschwege, Hessisch Lichtenau and Großalmerode lie within the catchment area of the High Meißner. This excursion to the "realm of Frau Holle" is a varied trip over hill and dale and along the Werra river.

• Red Riding Hood Tour through the Schwälmer Land: The first stops on this round trip are the Bartenwetzer town of Melsungen, Morschen with the former Haydau Monastery and Schwalmstadt, where a visit to the Schwalm Folklore Museum in the Ziegenhain district is the first highlight. A tour of the medieval imperial and cathedral city of Fritzlar is the crowning finale.

• Excursion to Lake Edersee with Waldeck Castle: From the castle of the same name, you can enjoy the magnificent panoramic view over Lake Edersee. Afterwards, you will stop at the dam wall before returning to Kassel via Fritzlar and Gudensberg, the realm of the "Chatti". Boat trip on Lake Edersee on request.

• Huguenot Experience Tour: The Huguenot settlements of Mariendorf, Carlsdorf, Schöneberg and Bad Karlshafen will be visited. There, there will be a guided tour of the Huguenot Museum. After a short tour of the town, the route leads through the idyllic valleys of the Weser and Fulda rivers back to Kassel. On an eight-hour tour, the day is rounded off with a historical tour of Kassel and a visit to the city museum.

CITY TOURS

Whether by bus, on foot, boat or streetcar, there are many ways to discover Kassel from our Schlosshotel. Take advantage of one of our many guided tours and join us on a discovery tour.

More info / all city tours

Brothers Grimm Monument © Kassel Marketing GmbH - Paavo Blåfield, City Tours © Kassel Marketing GmbH, Pickaxe © Kassel Marketing GmbH Photographer Paavo Blåfield

• Downtown: In the heart of Kassel is the pedestrian zone "Obere Königsstraße" with numerous shopping opportunities.

• Kletterwald Kassel: Whether with the whole family, as a group or as a couple - the Kletterwald Kassel in the Habichtswald is the perfect place for exercise and fun in the fresh air. Eight different courses with different levels of difficulty promise lots of action. You can find more information here.

• Auestadion/ Eissporthalle/ Rothenbachhalle: For soccer, ice hockey and handball fans, there is the opportunity to attend live games of KSV Hessen Kassel, the Kassel Huskies and the Bundesliga handball team of MT Melsungen. 

• Golfing in Northern Hesse: The delightful combination of unique scenery with a variety of challenging golf courses makes Northern Hesse a special destination for golfers. 

   

   

  Image 1,2 © Kassel Marketing; Image 3 © Kletterwald Kassel; Image 4 © Golfclub Kassel