KASSELsparkles
300 years of water features
in the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
The water features:
magnificent water displays between the palace and the
Hercules monument
The unique water features in Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe have fascinated thousands of guests for 300 years with their demonstrations that
start in May each year. The impressive Baroque system was created
at the start of the 18th century and records an extraordinary
achievement of architecture and engineering for the time. Nestling
between the palace and the Hercules monument, it became part of
an overall concept based on an English landscape garden.
The water features start at the foot of the Hercules monument. The
Giant‘s Head Basin (Riesenkopfbecken) marks the point at which the
Grand Cascades begin. Over a course of 250 metres, they conduct
230,000 litres of water to Neptune‘s Basin (Neptunbecken). Down
into the valley, the water overcomes a difference in altitude of 225
metres and passes stations such as the Steinhöfer Waterfall (this
station is not part of the illuminated water features), the Devil‘s
Bridge (Teufelsbrücke) and the Aqueduct. The water‘s course covers
1.9 kilometres. Without any pump and solely through natural pressure, the water rises up over 50 metres into the air with the Grand
Fountain (Große Fontäne).
Dates:
UNESCO World Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
The water features are celebrating their 300th birthday
in 2014
At its 37th meeting on 23rd June 2013 in Phnom Penh (Cambodia),
the World Heritage Committee included Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in
Kassel, one of the largest hill parks in Europe at 560 hectares, in
its list of cultural and natural world heritage sites. The committee recognised the area as a unique man-made landscape and
emphasised that the park‘s water features are a unique example
of monumental hydraulic engineering of the age of European
absolutism. Moreover, the 8.30 m high statue of Hercules on the
Octagon is the most technically and artistically ambitious large
sculpture of the Early Modern period. Nowhere else in the world
has anyone managed to present mastery over nature, using water
as an example, in such a monumental way, according to the committee. In 2014, the water features in Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe are
celebrating a special anniversary: their 300th birthday.
To the hill park with local public transport
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is an outstanding cultural treasure. This
cultural treasure is very easy to reach by public transport, especially
on the water feature days. Convenient and environmentally friendly.
Additional trips are offered to the illuminated water features – every
1st Saturday in the months of June to September.
From the city centre to the World Heritage Site at 15 minute intervals:
in the water feature season, tram line 3 runs from the city centre to
the Druseltal terminus at 15 minute intervals between 12:00 pm and
3:00 pm on Wednesdays, Sundays and public holidays. From here, you
then have a direct connection to bus line 22 to the Hercules
monument.
After a walk along the well-known water stations,
you can return to the city centre from the
Wilhelmshöhe Park stop with tram line 1 every
15 minutes from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.
You can find detailed information
at www.kvg.de
every Wednesday, Sunday and public holiday
from 1st May to 3rd October.
Timetable: 2:30 pm start at the Giant‘s Head Basin under
the Hercules monument
3:05 pm Steinhöfer Waterfall (this station is not
part of the illuminated water features)
3:20 pm Devil‘s Bridge
3:30 pm Aqueduct
3:45 pm Grand Fountain in the Fountain Pond
(Fontänenteich)
!
The water features can only be experienced on foot, as they are
situated within the heritage-protected hill park. The paths are
unfortunately not suitable for people with limited mobility and
wheelchair users.
Please note that there are no hand rails by the baroque cascade
system. We urgently recommend sturdy shoes. A sure foot and a
certain degree of physical fitness are required for a visit to the
water features or for a guided tour of the water features.
Landgrave Charles laid the foundations for the unique water
features in „Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe“ World Heritage Site, which
start at the Octagon with the statue of Hercules, in the 17th century
with the Baroque water features. To make the water appear to have
its source at the top of the hill, a water catchment area covering
several kilometres is used for the water supply. An ingenious system
of pipes, reservoirs, „underground water chambers“ and water
gates provides sufficient water for the individual water features. The
water flows over all the water feature stations solely according to
the laws of physics, without using pumps.
Until 2015, the water features start with the Baroque water features
at 2:30 pm at the water show below the Hercules monument with the
semi-circular cascades, the horn-blowing centaur and faun (a god of
the forest), and the fountain in the Giant‘s Head Basin. Then, the
water streams over the Grand Cascade, as it did for the first time
300 years ago on the first Sunday of June in 1714.
The Steinhöfer Waterfall is the first station of the Romantic water
features created under Landgrave William IX in the style of the
landscaped park. It represents a disused quarry, which is presented
through the unstoppable force of the water.
The rush of water under the Devil‘s Bridge emulates the bridge of
the same name over the Reuss, a river in the Saint-Gotthard Massif in
Switzerland, where there are huge quantities of water during the
thaw. Roaring and foaming, the water makes its way into the valley.
The Aqueduct with the highest waterfall in an artificially designed
park symbolises the conflict between the technical achievements of
man and the power of nature. Stone formations at the foot of the
huge structure testify to the destructive power of an earthquake, by
which this piece of ancient technology was apparently damaged, and
the water now falls approx. 30 metres.
The Grand Fountain that rises up like a geyser to a height of 50
metres and still has the largest volume of water of any fountain
today was created in around 1767 under Frederick II – but with a
lower height at that time. From the Fountain Pond, the water flows
over a number of waterfalls and cascades, as well as the waterfalls
on the Isle of Roses, on to the Fulda.
Verlauf der Wasserspiele
Course of water features
Wasserläufe
Water courses
W
Straße
Road
P
Haltestelle
Bus stop
Herkules
Hercules
Monument
Besucherzentrum
am Herkules
Visitor centre at the
Hercules Monument
22 „Herkules“
WC
Schlangenchaussee
(treppenlos)
Serpentine way
(no steps)
Parkplatz
Car park
525 m alt.
Kaskaden
Cascades
14.30 Uhr
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1001
Steinhöfer
Wasserfall
Steinhöfer
Waterfall
15.05
420 m alt.
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1002
Plutogrotte
Pluto's Grotto
The unique manner of expressing the absolutist claim to power
through the presentation of the elemental force of water also
justifies the inclusion of Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe in the World
Heritage List.
357 m alt.
Teufelsbrücke
Devil's Bridge
15.20 Uhr
Aquädukt
Aqueduct
Löwenburg
15.30 Uhr
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1003
Lion Castle
320 m alt.
Jussowtempel
Jussow TTemple
emple
Fontänenteich
Fountain Pond
15.45 Uhr
289 m alt.
Gewächshaus
Greenhouse
Schloss
Wilhelmshöhe
Wilhelmshöhe
P
Palace
Wi
lhe
lm
sth
al
Schlosshotel
Schloss Hotel
288 m alt.
e
traß
uss
ha
Kur
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1004
Besucherzentrum Visitor centre
Wilhelmshöhe
Wilhelmshöhe
Kassel City
Centre
Wilhelmshöher Allee
Water features
Endhaltestelle Tram
T
1
Wilhelmshöhe (Park)
(P
TTerminal T
at Wilhelmshöhe (P
(Park)
232 m alt.
Aquädukt Illuminierte Bereiche
Aqueduct Illuminated areas
The illuminated water features
Traditionally, the illuminated water features can be seen in the hill
park every summer. This spectacle is artistically illuminated, with
the effect that the cascades, the Devil‘s Bridge, the Aqueduct and
the Jussow Temple (Jussowtempel), as well as the 50 metre high,
geyser-like fountain at the end, are lit up (the Steinhöfer Waterfall is
not part of the illuminated water features). This is a romantic night
in the hill park, accompanied by classical music, with a strolling
„court society“, elegantly dressed in costumes from the Baroque
period.
Stationen der beleuchteten Wasserspiele
Illuminated water feature stations
Verlauf der Wasserspiele
Course of water features
Wasserläufe
Herkules
Water courses
W
Hercules
Straße
Monument
Road
SchlangenHaltestelle chaussee
(treppenlos)
Bus stop
Serpentine way
WC
(no steps)
The illuminated water features can be seen on the first Sunday of
every month from June to September; the Kassel Museum Night is
also in September. On this day, more than 40 museums and cultural
institutions open their doors between 5:00 pm and 1:00 am and invite
visitors into the museums, where a varied programme is on offer,
or to open air music performances.
Parkplatz
Car park
Dates: the illuminated water features can be seen on the first Saturday
of the month in June, July, August and September.
Start (Hercules monument)
June / July
August
September
10:00 pm
9.30 pm
9.00 pm
Devil‘s Bridge
approx. 10:30 pm approx. 10:00 pm approx. 9:30 pm
Aqueduct
approx. 10:40 pm approx. 10:10 pm approx. 9:40 pm
Fountain
approx. 11:00 pm approx. 10:30 pm approx. 10:00 pm
22 „Herkules“
525 m alt.
Kaskaden
Cascades
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1001
Steinhöfer
Wasserfall
Steinhöfer
Waterfall
Waterfall
Plutogrotte
Pluto's Grotto
357 m alt.
Teufelsbrücke
Devil's Bridge
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1003
Löwenburg
Lion Castle
320 m alt.
Aquädukt
Aqueduct
Jussowtempel
Jussow Temple
Fontänenteich
Fountain Pond
289 m alt.
Wi
lhe
Gewächshaus
Greenhouse
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1004
Besucherzentrum Visitor centre
Wilhelmshöhe
Wilhelmshöhe
So that you can enjoy the whole hill park in all its glory, we
recommend that you bring a torch and sturdy shoes with you. The
extensive paths are only partially illuminated. Therefore, the hill
park is not suitable for people with limited mobility.
You can find possible restrictions due to construction measures
at www.beleuchtete-wasserspiele.de
Kassel City
Centre
Wilhelmshöher Allee
!
Schlosshotel
Schloss Hotel
288 m alt.
e
traß
uss
ha
Kur
lm
sth
al
Schloss
Wilhelmshöhe
Wilhelmshöhe
P
Palace
You can find programme details under:
www.beleuchtete-wasserspiele.de
420 m alt.
Rettungspunkt
Rescue point
KS 1002
On these evenings, the Hercules monument is open to visitors
until 8:00 pm; the illumination in the hill park starts when
dusk falls.
Stations of the illuminated water features:
P
Besucherzentrum
am Herkules
Visitor centre at the
Hercules Monument
Endhaltestelle Tram
T
1
Wilhelmshöhe (Park)
(P
Terminal T
at Wilhelmshöhe (P
(Park)
232 m alt.
REGISTRATION
NECESSARY!
Guided tour of the water features –
experience the World Heritage Site close up
Every year, between 1st May and 1st October, the Baroque water
features can be seen in Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, which has been
a UNESCO World Heritage Site since summer 2013. Thousands of
visitors from throughout the world are impressed, time after time,
when the bubbling water gushes over the cascades, the Steinhöfer
Waterfall, the Devil‘s Bridge and the Aqueduct into the valley and
finally rises up into a 50 metre high fountain in the Fountain Pond
to the applause of the visitors. With the guide, follow the course of
the water from the Hercules monument to the Fountain Pond – this
guarantees that you will arrive punctually at all the stations and
also find out interesting facts about the hill park and the history and
creation of the water features.
Guided tour of the water features
Meeting point: Visitor Centre at the Hercules
monument (lower entrance)
Start:
2:00 pm, duration: approx. 2 hours
Info:
www.kassel-marketing.de
Important:
sturdy shoes!
Start and end point are not identical.
Price:
€ 7.00 (concessions: € 5.00)
with KasselCard € 3.00.
Please reserve your place by telephone at 0049 (0)561 7077-07
or by e-mail to [email protected]
Due to the limited parking available in the hill park,
we recommend the use of public transport.
Information and times for public transport at:
www.kvg.de and www.nvv.de
!
Recommendations and advice
The water features can only be experienced on foot, as they are situated within the heritage-protected hill park. The paths are unfortunately not suitable for people with limited mobility and wheelchair users.
Please note that there are no hand rails by the baroque cascade
system. For participation in this tour, we urgently recommend sturdy
shoes. A sure foot and a certain degree of physical fitness are required. Guests with dogs may, unfortunately, not take part in this tour
– for the good of the animal, in particular.
Group tour
of the water features
LIMITED NUMBER
OF TOURS
We offer you this unique guided tour every year in the period between
1st May and 3rd October, every Wednesday, Sunday and public
holiday. For it is only possible to experience a very special spectacle
on these days. Hundreds of visitors eagerly follow how the water
moves through historic pipes in the park and appears at picturesque
stations, such as the cascades in front of the Hercules monument,
the Steinhöfer Waterfall, the Devil‘s Bridge and the Aqueduct. During
our tour, you will receive exclusive background information and will,
of course, be punctual for the finale of the water features, when a
fountain rises up more than 50 metres into the air.
Please note that there are only a limited number of guided tours of
the water features. Due to the local conditions, this is the only way
to ensure that their quality satisfies your and our requirements. This
may result in there being no more tours available on individual dates.
So please register with us in good time.
Since the park became a World Heritage Site, the water features have
enjoyed even greater popularity and massive increases in the number
of the visitors. At this point, we would like to point out that you are
following the course of the water in the water features together with
thousands of visitors of the hill park. Due to necessary renovation
work, some of the paths are, unfortunately, currently unavailable,
which may also result in restrictions to this guided tour – we appreciate your understanding.
Dates: every Wednesday, Sunday and public holiday
between 1st May and 3rd October | 2:00 pm
Prices: € 85.00 per group of up to 25 people
Meeting point: Visitor Centre at the Hercules monument
(lower entrance)
End: Wilhelmshöhe Palace (Schloss Wilhelmshöhe)
Duration: 2 hours
WORLD HERITAGE DAY
FIRST SUNDAY IN JUNE
Guided tour through Karlsaue Park
Close to the city centre, in the form of Karlsaue Park, a Baroque park,
created in around 1700, opens up, the centrepiece of which – the
Orangery with the nearby Marble Bath (Marmorbad) – was once the
summer residence of the landgrave and a greenhouse at the same
time. In spite of its transformation into a landscaped park at the end
of the 18th century, it bears the signature of the French garden designer Le Nôtre. Water basins and fan-shaped canals emphasise vastness
and space. Our guide also allows you a look into the Marble Bath.
Dates:
dates and times at www.kassel-marketing.de
Prices:
€ 7.00 normal | € 5.00 concessions
Meeting point: entrance of the Orangery
Duration:
2 hours
Guided tour through
Europe‘s largest hill park
Enjoy an inspirational guided tour through
Europe‘s largest hill park, which has been
a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013,
with its unique botanical treasures and
architectural creations. The guided tour
is divided into two main areas. First, it
gives insight into the history of the park
and its architectural monuments, which is
frequently closely associated with the history of Kassel and its landgraves. The second
main area of the guided tour is the botany
in the park.
Dates:
dates and times at www.kassel-marketing.de
Prices:
€ 7.00 normal | € 5.00 concessions
Meeting point: main entrance of Wilhelmshöhe Palace
Duration:
2 hours
We recommend sturdy shoes.
Bildquelle: Arno Hensmanns, MHK
Guided tours
Water gods and technical sophistication.
Behind the scenes of the water features (2.5 h)
In the season: 1st May - 3rd October, every Saturday
Duration:
2:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Costs:
€ 9.50 per person, children € 5.00
Meeting point: Visitor Centre at the Hercules monument
Registration at +49 (0)561 / 316 80-123
or [email protected]
In this tour, you take a look behind the scenes: how do the internationally
unique water features in Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe work? Start by climbing
to the Octagon‘s platform and learn more information about the water
catchment area here. Then we show you underground water chambers
and explain the course of the pipes, some of which are 300 years old.
Please note: the water features are not operated during this tour!
Water features and Hercules monument with a visit
to the viewing platform (2.5 h)
From the Hercules monument to the old masters
Wilhelmshöhe Palace, Lion Castle (Löwenburg), Hercules monument,
Old Masters Picture Gallery (Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister), Collection
of Antiquities (Antikensammlung), Collection of Prints and Drawings
(Graphische Sammlung), Weissenstein Wing (Weißenstein Wing), Great
Greenhouse (Großes Gewächshaus), Ballroom Building (Ballhaus) – all
these collections and institutions can be found in the UNESCO World
Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe. In the gesamtkunstwerk, there is
a varied cultural programme to be discovered, including the Wilhelmshöhe Palace Museum, which accommodates the Old Masters Picture Gallery and one of the most important collections of antiquities in Germany.
The Old Masters Picture Gallery is famous, above all, for its collection of
Dutch baroque painting, including an extensive collection of Rembrandt.
In the Weissenstein Wing of Wilhelmshöhe Palace, visitors can admire
the royal apartments with their high-quality early Classical and Empirestyle furnishings. The picturesquely situated Lion Castle was only built
between 1793 and 1801 as a pseudo-medieval castle.
Visit these institutions of Museumlandschaft Hessen Kassel and discover
something new, admire originals or encounter something familiar.
Come to the hill park and enjoy the diversity of this unique man-made
landscape.
In the season: 1st May - 3rd October, Wednesdays, Sundays
and public holidays
Duration:
1:30 pm – 4:00 pm
Costs:
€ 9.50 per person, children € 5.00
Meeting point: cash desk in the Visitor Centre at the Hercules monument
Registration at +49 (0)561 / 316 80-123
or [email protected]
Timeless beauties: from the Hercules monument to the old masters
Special guided tours give you an overview of the extraordinary link
between the art treasures in the museums and the sites of natural beauty
in the park. The MHK Visitors‘ Service would be happy to advise you with
regard to the guided tours offered in attractive locations in the Berkpark
Wilhelmshöhe World Heritage Site.
Visitors‘ Service
Information, advice and booking tours
Monday to Saturday 9 am – 3:00 pm
Tel. 0049 (0)561 / 316 80-123 or [email protected]
www.museum-kassel.de
Places to go: to have a rest and a bite to eat
Visitor Centre at the Hercules monument
Incl. toilet with wheelchair access
Tues - Sun 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wilhelmshöhe Visitor Centre
Incl. toilet with wheelchair access
April - Oct: Tues - Sun 10:00 am - 5:00 pm,
Nov - Mar: Sat + Sun 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm
Café Jérôme in Wilhelmshöhe Palace
Coffee, cakes, snacks, with a terrace
Tues - Sun 10:00 am - 5:00 pm, Wed 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Schlosshotel Bad Wilhelmshöhe
Traditional and international food, with a terrace
Mon - Sun 12:00 pm - 10:00 pm
„Old Guard House“ (Alte Wache) Schlosscafé on the palace plateau
Coffee, cakes, snacks, with a terrace
Tues - Sun 12:00 am - 6:00 pm
Kaskaden Wirtschaft, Schlosspark 20
Dining à la carte, with beer garden
April - Nov: Tues - Sun 12:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Dec - Mar: altered opening times
Herkulesterrassen, Schlosspark 26
Lounge restaurant with a panoramic view and a terrace
Mar - Oct: Mon - Sat 11:00 am - 10:00 pm, Sun 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
Route 66 American Restaurant & Bar-B-Q, Burgfeldstraße 2a
American food
Tues - Sun 5:00 pm - 11:30 pm. In the summer, from 12:00 pm at weekends.
Kurhessen thermal baths (Kurhessen Therme),
Wilhelmshöher Allee 361
German and international food
8:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Kurparkhotel Wilhelmshöhe, Wilhelmshöher Allee 336
German and international food
11:00 am - 3:00 pm, 6:00 pm - 11:00 pm
Gutshof Wilhelmshöhe, Wilhelmshöher Allee 347a
German, Hessian and international food
Mon - Sun 12:00 pm - 12:00 am
discoverKASSEL
Visit us at the Innenstadt (inner city) Tourist Information: Here you will find
information about attractions in and around Kassel, all you need to know
about our museums, as well as info and tickets for events. Naturally, we can
also provide you with guided tour services, all-inclusive packages and gift
ideas related to Kassel.
Visit us:
Tourist Information Innenstadt, Wilhelmsstraße 23
Office hours: Monday – Saturday 9:00 – 18:00 hours
www.kassel-marketing.de
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Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel
Postfach 410420, 34066 Kassel
Tel.: +49 (0)561 31680-119
[email protected]
www.museum-kassel.de
Kassel Marketing GmbH
Obere Königsstraße 15, 34117 Kassel
Tel.: +49 (0)561 7077-07
[email protected]
www.kassel-marketing.de
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