Although barely 20 minutes by train from Frankfurt am Main, many visitors to Germany simply look past Darmstadt in favour of her more famous neighbours such as Heidelberg. But Darmstadt is a city with lots of attractions, especially the array of pretty 18th century architectures, such as the grand Ducal Palace in the city centre, as well as the visually stimulating Jugendstil buildings in the affluent suburbs, just a short walk away from Darmstadt's city centre.
Darmstadt is well-known in Germany for its excellent technical university, as well as being the centre of high-tech research in the fields of chemical engineering and material sciences. Thanks to the presence of a sizeable student and researcher population, the city has many good cafes where people from difficult areas of study could sit down together and exchange ideas.
Being the seat of the Grand Duchy of Hessen, there is no lack of grand palaces and beautiful 18th century architectures throughout the city centre. Most sights are easily accessible either on foot or by using the city's convenient public transports system of trams and buses.
The inner city of Darmstadt also has some good shopping opportunities, especially in the area near the Luisenplatz (pictured below) and around the Ducal Palace.
Although Darmstadt is not on the road map of most travellers from outside of Germany, the city has a culturally refined atmosphere. Modern sculptures dotted the townscape alongside 16th century town houses and pretty open-air cafes. There is a youthful, vibrant touch to the town, yet at the same time being quite polished and elegant.
No decent German town goes without a real Biergarten, a place with lots of chestnut trees and pebble grounds where people can meet up in open air, have a drink or two between lectures or after work.
What I like about Darmstadt is the city's ability to reinvent itself. An industrial town, many former factory buildings in the city centre have been tastefully converted into shopping malls and cafes, preserving the city's cultural heritage without prejudicing the prospect of urban renewal and economic developments. This attention to details and respect to historical heritage and the overall asethetics of the townscape should be a lesson for all urban planners.
Copyrights@2010. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
Darmstadt is well-known in Germany for its excellent technical university, as well as being the centre of high-tech research in the fields of chemical engineering and material sciences. Thanks to the presence of a sizeable student and researcher population, the city has many good cafes where people from difficult areas of study could sit down together and exchange ideas.
Being the seat of the Grand Duchy of Hessen, there is no lack of grand palaces and beautiful 18th century architectures throughout the city centre. Most sights are easily accessible either on foot or by using the city's convenient public transports system of trams and buses.
The inner city of Darmstadt also has some good shopping opportunities, especially in the area near the Luisenplatz (pictured below) and around the Ducal Palace.
Although Darmstadt is not on the road map of most travellers from outside of Germany, the city has a culturally refined atmosphere. Modern sculptures dotted the townscape alongside 16th century town houses and pretty open-air cafes. There is a youthful, vibrant touch to the town, yet at the same time being quite polished and elegant.
No decent German town goes without a real Biergarten, a place with lots of chestnut trees and pebble grounds where people can meet up in open air, have a drink or two between lectures or after work.
What I like about Darmstadt is the city's ability to reinvent itself. An industrial town, many former factory buildings in the city centre have been tastefully converted into shopping malls and cafes, preserving the city's cultural heritage without prejudicing the prospect of urban renewal and economic developments. This attention to details and respect to historical heritage and the overall asethetics of the townscape should be a lesson for all urban planners.
Copyrights@2010. All text and photos by YC Cheng. All Rights Reserved.
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