The hunting lodge, 1752-1785, architects Friedrich von Kesslau and Balthasar Neumann, Karlsruhe, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany

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Schloss

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From the baroque-meets-neoclassical Schloss, Karlsruhe’s 32 streets radiate like the spokes of a wheel. Karl Wilhelm, margrave of Baden-Durlach, named his epicentral palace Karlsruhe (Karl’s retreat) when founding the city in 1715. Destroyed during WWII, the grand palace was sensitively rebuilt. In warm weather, locals play pétanque on the fountain-strewn Schlossplatz parterre. The palace harbours the Badisches Landesmuseum.

Edging north, the Schlossgarten is a popular student hang-out and a relaxed spot for walks and picnics.

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Nearby The Black Forest attractions

1. Badisches Landesmuseum

The treasure-trove Badisches Landesmuseum, inside the Schloss, shelters the jewel-encrusted crown of Baden's grand-ducal ruling family, and spoils of war…

2. Botanischer Garten

0.21 MILES

Lush with exotic foliage and ideal for a stroll, the Botanischer Garten is speckled with greenhouses, one showcasing a giant Victoria water lily.

3. Kunsthalle Karlsruhe

0.23 MILES

The outstanding State Art Gallery presents a world-class collection, from the canvases of late-Gothic German masters such as Matthias Grünewald and Lucas…

4. Museum beim Markt

0.26 MILES

At the northern tip of Marktplatz, Museum beim Markt presents an intriguing stash of post-1900 applied arts, from art nouveau to Bauhaus.

5. Marktplatz

0.31 MILES

The grand neoclassical Marktplatz is dominated by the Ionic portico of the 19th-century Evangelische Stadtkirche and the dusky-pink Rathaus. The iconic…

7. Mt Merkur

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8. Kloster Maulbronn

18.59 MILES

Billed as the best-preserved medieval monastery north of the Alps, this one-time Cistercian monastery was founded by Alsatian monks in 1147. It was born…