The best city hikes and walks around Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg

Originally, the square west of the castle was called "Reitbahn" and was used for riding the horses that were housed in the hunting lodge (built in 1704 by Landgrave Ernst Ludwig) and the Old Stables on the west side of the square. Tournaments also took place on the square, and fireworks were set off here during court festivities. After the drill hall was built north of the castle (on the site of the Hessian State Museum), the square was used for drills, but above all for festive parades, and was therefore called Paradeplatz. Soldiers from the Leibgarde barracks on Alexanderstraße also used the square for drills (Leibgarde, barracks). It was completely level and cordoned off with wooden planks, later with chains hung on round stone pillars. The southern part of the square by the White Tower was called "Weißer-Turm-Platz", and since the construction of Ernst-Ludwig-Straße, "Ernst-Ludwig-Platz". From 1897, it was spatially separated from Friedensplatz by the tramway and the Schloss stop. The square was first built upon when the monument to Grand Duke Ludwig IV was erected in the center in 1898 and enclosed with a small garden. At the same time, Friedensplatz was considerably reduced in the north by the new construction of the State Museum, whose south facade extended about 20 meters south opposite the old drill hall. The State War Memorial (Landeskriegerdenkmal), erected in the center of the square in 1879, therefore came too close to the museum's staircase and was moved in 1906 in front of the museum tower, where it stood until its demolition in 1952. Designs by Alfred Messel and Friedrich Pützer for a kind of hall of honor behind the monument to Ludwig IV were not realized. Source: https://www.darmstadt-stadtlexikon.de/f/friedensplatz.html

The Kunsthalle Darmstadt has made a name for itself with national and international exhibitions and is a fixture in the city's cultural life. Since 1957, the Kunsthalle in the now heritage-listed Theo-Pabst-Bau has been showing regional and international thematic exhibitions and solo shows. As an exhibition venue, the Kunsthalle Darmstadt stands for a diverse program that addresses current trends in art across genres. The focus is equally on established and young artists, whose promotion is a particular concern for the Kunsthalle. In addition to "classical" genres, the Kunsthalle also focuses on new developments, such as the expansion of art into virtual space, and offers a platform for discourse on the social significance and relevance of art. Its diverse supporting program, including guided tours, film evenings, and regular evening events, rounds off the Kunsthalle's offerings.

The Kunsthalle Darmstadt has made a name for itself with national and international exhibitions and is a fixture in the city's cultural life. Since 1957, the Kunsthalle has been showcasing regional and internationally represented thematic exhibitions and solo shows in the Theo-Pabst-Bau, which is now a listed building. As an exhibition venue, the Kunsthalle Darmstadt stands for a diverse program that is dedicated to current trends in art across genres. The focus is equally on established and young artists, whose promotion is a particular concern for the Kunsthalle. In addition to "classic" genres, the Kunsthalle also highlights new developments, such as the expansion of art into virtual space, and offers a platform for discourse on the social significance and relevance of art. Its diverse supporting program, including guided tours, film evenings, and regular evening events, completes the Kunsthalle's offerings.

The core of the planning is the narrow passage between the city wall and the former prison wall. Here, the stone surroundings, which have been renovated from the ground up in accordance with monument protection regulations, had to be freed up and allowed to have an impact. In front of the passage, a green seating area with a tree and a bench was created.

Sometimes there's a good art exhibition

With the words, “The Mathildenhöhe in Darmstadt is a unique Gesamtkunstwerk – a place where people live and at the same time a milestone of architectural modernism. From 1899 onwards, a visionary artists' colony was established here, whose Art Nouveau buildings continue to impress. Since the ensemble of iconic buildings and the historic plane tree grove was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2021, it has attracted visitors from all over the world. But how can tourism be reconciled with the everyday lives of the residents?” the description invites readers to discover the “Mathildenhöhe” as a “cradle of modernism.” ``` As part of the series "Wonders of the World in Hesse," the corresponding film segment (in German / duration 44 minutes) is available in the ARD media library at the following link =>> https://www.ardmediathek.de/video/weltwunder-in-hessen/mathildenhoehe-wiege-der-moderne/hr/YTU1NzEzMDQtN2ZkYi00MzFiLWI2YmQtNmNiZWIzY2FjODg1

Renovated historic city wall

A piece of city history.