May 1, 1878
From CASSEL to Wilhelmshöher
Carriage to the Pensionshaus 8 to the Hôtel Schombardt and tho Palace 9, to the Cascades 12, to the Riesenschloss 15 m., including the drive back and fee. Cab with one horse (’Droschke’) to the Hôtel Schombardt or Pensionshaus, 1 pers. 2 m., 2 pers. 2 m. 20, 3-4 pers. 2 m. 50 pf.; returnfare one-half; the driver is bound to wait 1/2 hr. without extra charge. On Sundays more is demanded.
Steam Tramway from the Königs-Platz at Cassel, through the Obere König-Str. and the Wilhelmshöher Alle to Wilhelmshöhe (terminus near the Hôtel Schombardt) in 1/2 hr., starting every 15-20 min.; fare in the forenoon 20, afternoon 30 pf.
Railway from Cassel to stat. Wilhelmshöhe in 7 min. (fares 40, 30, 20 pf., return tickets 70, 50, 30 pf.); thence to the entrance of the park nearly 1 M. (tramway).
Donkeys may be hired at the tramway terminus at the Pensionshaus at the Hôtel Schombardt, and on the Löwenburg. From the tramway to the hotel 25 pf., to the Löwenburg 70 pf., to the Cascades 1 m., to the Hercules 1 1/2 m., to the Elf Buchen 1 1/2 m. Ponies about 25 per cent more. The drivers must show s printed tariff and give check tickets, Payment is made in advance.
Guides (unnecessary except to save time), per hr. 75 pf. and fee (to be found at the hotel).
Hotels. Schombardt’s Hotel, in the park, R. 3 m. and upwards; ‘pension’ in April and May 36 m. a week from June to September 42 m. Just outside the park, below the Grosse Lac, is the Pensionshaus Wilhelmshöhe, R 10-25 m. a week, ‘pension’ 3 m. a day; also suitable for passing travellers, R., L., & A. 2 1/2 m., D. 2 m. -- A little farther on, near the Löwenburg, are several villas (Dr. Wiederhold's, etc), in which apartments (with or without board) may be obtained for a longer stay. -- Near the tramway-terminus: BAD WILHELMSHÖHE, a hydropathic, R. from 1 1/2 ‘pens” from 3 m. -- At the foot of the hill: Hötel Pensionn Wilhelmshöhe Hof, on the tramway line, ‘pens.’ 33035 in per week.
Restaurants at the Octagon and at the foot of the Cascades.
The Fountains play from the beginning of May till October (the ‘Cascades’ and the ‘New Waterfall’ on Sun. only) on Sun. at 3 and on Wed. at 3.30 pm. The visitor is recommended to be at the foot of the Cascades in good time (thence to the Teufelsbrücke, Aqueduct, Great Fountain, and New Waterfall), as the supply of water is limited and the exhibition therefore of brief duration.
From the Wilhelmshöher Thor a fine avenue of limes, flanked with handsome new houses in the villa style (to the right the Barracks and an Institute of Deaconesses, to the left a Prison), leads by the village of Wahlershausen to (4 M.) Wi1he1mshöhe, formerly the summer residence of the Electors of Hessen, and celebrated for its park and fountains. The beautiful grounds partly laid out at the beginning of the 17th cent., are chiefly indebted to the Landgrave Carl (d 1730) and the Elector William I. (d 1821) for their present extent.
The Schloss, erected since 1798, and occupied by Napoleon lll, when a prisoner during the latter part of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870-71, is a somewhat heavy building, the body and wings of which are disposed in the form of a semicircle. The interior is sumptuously fitted up. The castellan lives on the groundfloor, close to the entrance. Near the Schloss are the Guard-house, the Marstall, or stables, which have been converted into a hussar-barrack, and Schombardt’s Hotel.
A visit to the finest points in the Park, which requires about 4 hrs., may be made in the following order.
From the Hôtel Schombardt winding paths lead to the New Waterfall, 130 ft in height. We ascend thence to the left to the Temple of Mercury, and proceed by wood paths to the Riesenschloss, or Octagon, the highest point in the grounds, 1360 ft above the Fulda, a bold structure consisting of three vaulted stories, the highest of which is borne by 192 clustered columns 48 ft in height. The platform, which is easily ascended, and commands a beautiful Panorama, bears an obelisk 98 ft in height, surmounted by a colossal statue of the Farnese Hercules in copper (33 ft in height; room in the club for 8 pers.; fee 50 pf.’ when the fountains are playing, free). The Grotto in front of the Octagon, to the right, contains a water-puzzle. -- The Eleven Beeches, 1 1/2 M. to the N. of the Octagon, command a fine view (tower); the route to them passes the restaurant and crosses the plateau of the Habichtswald.
The Cascades descending from the Octagon are 300 yds in length, with large basins at intervals of 50 yds. On each side are long flights of steps (842 steps in all). Pleasant walks descend to the right passing the Steinhöfer’sche Wasserfall, to the Löwenburg, a modern imitation of an ancient castle. The view from the platform of the tower is the chief attraction here (fee).
To the W. of the Schloss is the Great Fountain, one of tho highest in Europe, and the chief boast of Wilhelmshöhe, which sends up ajet of water 1 ft in thickness, and 200 ft in height. Near it to the left is the Tcufelsbrücke; to the right the Aqueduct, with a fine waterfall. The Grosse Lac, another large pond to the E. of the château, near the road to Cassel, is one of the finest points.
The Fürsten-Allee or Rasen-Allee leads from Wilhelmshöhe to (5 M.) Wilhelmsthal.
Bædeker Northern Germany, 1884, page 103