Page 135 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

DRIVE 12: In the Land of the Brothers Grimm 133

Far left Grand façade of Schloss Wilhelmshöhe,
Kassel Left Karlsaue garden and orangery,
Kassel Below Majestic Herkules-Oktagon, Kassel

VISITING KASSEL
Parking
Street parking is available in front of the
Hessisches Landesmuseum, a short
walk from the tourist information office.
once the seat of the counts of following signs to Kassel and Kassel- Tourist Information
Waldeck. The views over the lake from Wilhelmshöhe, then to Zentrum. Wilhelmsstrasse 23, 34117; 0561 70
its battlements are breathtaking. 77 07; www.kassel-marketing.de;
ª Leave Waldeck via Bahnhofstrasse. r Kassel open Mon–Sat
Turn right on to the B485 towards Bad Hesse; 34117
Wildungen, before turning left at the Ravishing garden landscapes are
roundabout on to the Lieschensruh the legacy of Kassel’s 18th­century EAT AND DRINK IN KASSEL
through Bergheim to Fritzlar. Parking heyday. The most impressive is the Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe
is available outside the town walls. Neo­Classical Schlosspark Wilhelms- moderate
höhe (open daily), dominated by the The chef and his team delight with
e Fritzlar Herkules-Oktagon, a hilltop folly from their regional and international
dishes at this restaurant. Every month
Hesse; 34560 which the Wasserkünste cascade there is a different culinary highlight.
The beautiful town of Fritzlar has flows downhill to power a 52­m Schlosspark 8, 34131; 0561 308 80;
preserved its original, nearly com­ (170­ft) high fountain (May–Oct: www.schlosshotel-kassel.de;
plete ring of medieval walls with operates Wed & Sun pm; Jun–Sep: oper­ open daily
watch towers and bastions. Snug ates first Sat). The castle houses the Kaskadenwirtschaft Grischäfer
behind these lofty walls, Fritzlar has Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister (closed expensive
over 450 half­timbered houses Mon), a gallery whose collection of A strategically located restaurant and
from various periods, the grandest Old Masters is particularly strong café at the foot of the Wasserkünste,
Kaskadenwirtschaft Grischäfer has a
of which is the Renaissance on Flemish and Dutch artists. wide terrace and a prettily furnished,
Hochzeitshaus or wedding house. ª Take the B3/ Frankfurter Strasse, formal interior. It serves a broad menu,
Built between 1580 and 1590, it now briefly joining the A49 towards from coffee and cake to rustic regional
houses the Regionalmuseum (closed Frankfurt and Hannover before fare and refined international cooking.
Schlosspark 22 am Kaskadenteich,
Mon). In the 8th century, the Anglo­ exiting for Kassel-Waldau signposted 34131; 0561 288 77 44; www.kaskaden
Saxon apostle St Boniface had the Melsungen. Then turn right on to the wirtschaft.de; Jan–Mar: open Wed–
holy oak of the Germanic god Donar B83 for Melsungen. Sun; Apr–Dec: open Tue–Sun
cut down to build a chapel here.
This was later replaced by the St Petri
Dom (open daily), built in a handsome
blend of the Romanesque and
Gothic styles. The church’s interior
is rich in historic treasures. Adjacent
to the church is a lovely 14th­
century cloister and the Domschatz
or cathedral treasury (open daily);
tickets for the Domschatz also
allow a visit to the beautiful
Romanesque crypt.
ª Leave Fritzlar along Kasseler
Strasse, following the yellow signs
for Kassel and Gudensberg, avoiding
the A49 Autobahn. At Gudensberg,
take Besser Strasse past Besse,

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