33. From Heidelberg to Baden.
Railway in 2 ¼ — 3 1/2 hrs. (fares 3 fl. 54, 2 fl. 39, 1 fl. 39 kr.; express higher). Carriages generally changed at Oos, the junction for Baden.
The line traverses a wide and fertile plain, bounded on the E. by a low range of hills, and here and there passes villages peeping from among innumerable fruit-trees. As soon as the train has quitted the station, the cemetery-chapel appears on the slope to the l., with the tower on the Königsstuhl rising above it. Stations St. Ilgen, Wiesloch (the village ¾ M. from the line); then Langenbrücken (Ochs ; Sonne), with sulphur baths, near which, to the r. of the line, is Kislau, formerly a hunting-seat of the archbishops of Speyer, and now a penitentiary for women. Opposite, at some distance, lies Mingolsheim, where Count Ernst Mansfeld, the ally of Elector Frederick V., defeated the Bavarians under Tilly in 1622.
Bruchsal (*Badischer Hof, R. from 48, B. 30 kr.; *Rose, near the station ; *Rail. Restaur.), a town with 9786 inhab., was formerly the residence of the Archbishops of Speyer, whose Schloss, a handsome rococo structure, elegantly fitted up and adorned with frescoes by Zick, merits a visit. Opposite the Schloss is a large Reservoir built in the form of a small château , and supplied with water from the mountains. The castellated building to the l. of the line is a Prison, containing 408 cells for solitary confinement, part of which was destroyed by fire in 1871. The Church of St. Peter contains the burial vault of the last bishops.
Bruchsal is the junction of the Wurtemberg line (to Stuttgart in 2—3 1/2 hrs. ; to Friedrichshafen in 9—12 1/4, hrs.).
On the Michaelsberg, near stat. Unter-Grombach, stands the old Michaels-Capelie; on an eminence near stat. Weingarten rises the tower of the ruin of Sehmalenstein.
Durlach (*Carlsburg), the ancient capital of the Duchy of Baden-Durlach, was burned by the French in 1688, with the exception of five houses. The lofty and conspicuous watch-tower on the Thurmberg commands a splendid view, as far as Strassburg. The line to Pforzheim, diverging here to the l., runs thence to the S. to Wildbad, and E. to Mühlacker, a station on the Wurtemberg line.
The train next passes the old Benedictine monastery of Gottsau (r.), now a barrack, and soon stops at
Carlsruhe. The Railway Station is a handsome structure, worthy of inspection. On the W. side of the town there is a small station for the trains to Maxau and Mannheim. Railway to Mannheim direct, see p. 184; to Maxau, see p. 193; to Baden and Bâle, see below.
Hotels. *Erbprinz (Pl. a), Lange-Str., R. 1 f., L. 18, B. 30, A. 24 kr. *ENGLISCHER HOF (Pl. b) and *HÔTEL GROSSE (Pl. c) in the market-place, similar charges, *HÔTEL STORRLETH (Bär) (Pl. f), Carl Friedrichs - Str., near the Ettlinger Thor. — *GOLDNER ADLER (Pl. d), near the Ettlinger Thor, unpretending. *GRÜNER HOF (Pl. e), BADISCHER HOF, and PRINZ MAX, all at the station.
Café-Restaurants (beer at all). *Däschner, Katholische Kirchenplatz ; *Hoeck (Grüner Hof), with garden; *Iffland (Erbprinz Hotel); Badischer Hof, Schioss-Platz; concerts are frequently given at Klever’s, Schrempf's, and Geiger’s. — Newspapers and restaurant at the Museum, a private club to which access may be obtained through a member.
Cabs. One-horse, 1—2 pers. for 1/4, hr. 18 kr., 3—4 pers. 24 kr.; two- horse 30 kr. To the station to meet the early train (before 6) 1 fl.
Post and Telegraph Office (Pl. 17), Kreuz-Str., No. 14.
Theatre (Pl 22) on Sund., Tues., Thurs., and Frid.; closed from 1st June to ist Aug.
Baths in the Rhine, at Maxau, to which special morning and evening trains convey bathers in summer. — Warm Baths: Hemberle, at the corner of the Lange-Str. and Wald-Str.
English Church Service in the Chapel of the Stiftung, by the Mühiberg Gate.
Carlsruhe (318 ft.), the capital of the Grand Duchy of Baden (38,004 inhab., 2/5 Rom. Cath.), situated 3-M. from the Rhine, on the outskirts of the Hardwald, is a clean well-built town, which is indebted for its origin to some differences between the Margrave Charles William and the townspeople of Durlach. In 1715 that prince began to erect the town round his hunting-castle, which soon gave place to the present palace. The plan of the town resembles a fan, the streets radiating from the palace. Three distinct architectural styles may be observed: 1st, that of the beginning of last century, the older French style; 2nd, imitations: of the Greek and Roman styles; 3rd, the modern Romanesque School, introduced. by the eminent architect Hübsch.
The broad Carl-Friedrichs-Strasse intersects the town from N. to S., extending from the Ettlinger Thor (to the.l. of: the egress from the station, near the bronze statue of the Baden minister Winter) to the palace, a distance of ½ M. Most of the sights of Carlsruhe are situated in this street in the following order: Obelisk (PI. 6) with arms of Baden and bust of the Grand Duke Charles (1811 —1818), with inscription; to the r. of the monument the Markgräfliche Palais (Pl. 18); on the l. side of the market~- place the Town Hall (Pl. 18), and r. the Prot. Church (Pl. 19), resembling a Greek temple; Statue of the Grand Duke Lewis (1818—1830); Pyramid in honour of Margrave Charles (d. 1738), founder of Carlsruhe; in front of the palace *Bronze Statue of the Grand Duke Charles Frederick (d. 1811), by Schwanthaler, with four female figures at the corners of the pedestal, emblematical of the four divisions of the Duchy, the whole well designed and executed, especially the statue itself. .
The Schloss (Pl. 20), erected about 1750, is in the form of a semicircle, and surmounted by the Bleithurm (150 ft.; open on Frid. 4—6 p. m.), which affords a good survey of the town and the Hardwald. The dining-hall, ball-room, and other apartments are sumptuously fitted up. The E. wing contains the Court - Library 70,000 vols.) and a Natural History Cabinet (open Wed. and Sat. 10—12 and 2--4 o'clock), The latter contains remains of antediluvian animals, a valuable collection of shells, etc. The well- appointed ducal *Stables are on the same side.
In the crescent on the W. side of the Schloss ‘is the *Court- Theatre (Pl. 22), a handsome modern building , erected in 1847— 1853, to replace one which had been burned down. The pediment contains (r.) reliefs of Goethe, Schiller, and Lessing, and (l.) of Mozart, Beethoven, and Gluck; in the centre the Muse of the Drama; all by Reich.
An arched passage in the W. wing of the Schloss leads to the Palace Garden, which extends into the Hardwald. About 200 yds. N.W. of the Bleithurm, in a small avenue, is a bust of the poet Hebel (Pl. 5) with quotations from his poetry. To the l. of the entrance to the garden are extensive hot-houses fitted up as a *Winter Garden (PI. 24), containing a palm-house, pond for the Victoria regia, orangery, green-houses, &c. The adjoining Botanic Garden (Pl. 1) is open daily (Sund. excepted) before 12 and after 2 o'clock; the hot-houses on Tues. and Frid. only, 9—11 and 3—5 o'clock; admission at other times on application to the committee.
Adjacent to the botanic garden is the *Hall of Art (Pl. 12), by Hübsch (1836—1845) in the modern Romanesque style, containing collections of pictures, casts, and antiquities (open Wed. and Sund. 11—1 and 2—4; at other times fee 30 kr.). The sculptures at the entrance by Reich represent the arts of sculpture, poetry, and painting in the central section of the arch; at the sides, Italy on the l. and Germany on the r.; below, on the l., Michael Angelo and Raphael, on either side of the torso of a Venus; on the r. Dürer, Holbein, and Vischer. Frommel’s catalogue (42 kr.) fully describes everything in the Hall. ‘The eminent painter K. F. Lessing is the director.
[See Text for Details of Holdings]
The Botanical Garden adjoining the Kunsthalle is open on Mond. and Frid., 10—2 and 2—4 o'clock.
The Polytechnic School (Pl. 16), an excellent institution attended by about 800 stud., near the Durlacher Thor at the E. end of the Lange-Strasse , was erected by Hübsch in 1836. Over the entrance are stone statues of Keppler, who represents mathematical, and Erwin of Steinbach architectural science, by Raufer. Near the Durlacher Thor, a little way back from the street, stands the Arsenal (Pl. 25), which was bravely defended in 1849 by the townspeople against the insurgents.
The Finanz-Ministerium (Pl. 9) at the E. corner of the Schloss- Platz, was. also erected by Hübsch. The Landesgestüt (‘national stud’) near the station, should be visited by persons interested in the rearing of horses.
The Industrial Hall in the Carl-Friedrichs-Strasse , near the station (open daily 10—12, on Sund. 11—12 and 2—4), contains a good collection of machines, implements, utensils, and manufactures of all kinds. A large lecture-room adjoining the library contains casts of classical sculptures for the instruction of students.
The Friedrichs-Platz, the finest at Carlsruhe, has recently been formed by the erection of a number of new buildings. On the S. side is the handsome museum of the Vereinigte Sammlungen (Pl. 23), with its conspicuous central portion somewhat resembling a triumphal arch, erected by Bergmüller in 1865—72. The interior is still unfinished. The N. side of the Platz is occupied with handsome bazaar buildings; on the E. side are the offices of the railways and diligences within the Duchy. The modern Rom. Cath. Church (P}. 11), with its Ionic portico, is in the style of the Pantheon.
The Cemetery (P). F, 3) of Carlsruhe displays great taste. The Preussen-Denkmal, in memory of Prussians who fell in the revolution of 1849, was erected in 1851 from designs furnished by the late king Frederick William IV.
From Carlsruhe to Landau by railway in 1 1/2 hr, (fares. 1, fl, 18, 48, and 33 kr.). Stations Mühlburg, Knielingen, Maxau (baths, see p. 198), where. the Rhine is crossed. by a bridge of boats; then Mazimiliansau, Worth, Kandel, Winden, and Landau (p. 225).
As the train quits the station of Carlsruhe, Kessler’s extensive Engine Factory is seen on the r. Then to the r., at. some distance from the line, the two towers of the church of Bulach (erected by Hübsch, frescoes by Dietrich). To the l., on the slope of the wooded hills, lies the industrial:town.of: Ettlingen (Hirech; Krone), with thriving velvet and paper manufactories. Next stations Malsch, Muggensturm.
The mountains of the Murgthal bound the view on the l. The heights of the Black Forest gradually come in sight, the most conspicuous being the Mercuriusberg with its tower. In the foreground the ruins of Ebersteinburg (p. 198). As the train approaches Rastatt, the statue of Jupiter on the palace is seen high above the green ramparts of the town.
Rastatt (407 ft.),(*Post; Kreuz. — *Löwe; *Laterne), a town with 11,559 inhab., formerly an insignificant place , burned by the French in 1689, but soon afterwards rebuilt in a superior style by the celebrated Imperial general Margrave Lewis of Baden (p. 200), was. the residence of the Margraves till the line became extinct. It was fortified by the Austrians in 1840, and was a fortress of the Confederation down to. 1866. Since the annexation of Strassburg to the Empire of Germany, Rastatt has lost its importance as a fortress, and the demolition of the works is contemplated.
The handsome Palace, completed by the Margravine Sibylla Augusta (p. 200), now partially converted into a barrack, the garden being used as a drilling-ground, stands on an eminence and is crowned with a gilded statue of Jupiter. It contains a col- lection of Turkish trophies, taken by Margrave Lewis William, arms, caparisons, etc. The tower commands an extensive view (castellan’s fee 24 kr.). In one of the apartments the preliminary articles of the peace concluded at Baden in Switzerland between France and Austria, which terminated the Spanish War of Succession, were signed by Prince Eugene of Savoy and Marshall Villars. A congress held here in 1797—1799 led to no result, and at its close the two French delegates were barbarously murdered by Austrian hussars in an adjacent wood, but at whose instigation, it was never discovered. The Baden revolution began at Rastatt in 1849 with a serious mutiny of the soldiery, and it was also terminated here by the Surrender of the fortress to the Prussians after a siege of three weeks,
From Rastatt to Gernsbach by railway in 3/4, hr. (fares 48, 33, 21 kr.). Stat. Kuppenheim (Ochs); r. the Favorite (p. 200). The line enters the valley of the Murg, here upwards of 3 M in width. Stat. Rothenfels, with a small château of the Margrave William, a mineral- spring (*bath house), and well-kept grounds, Near stat. Gaggenau rises a monument to M. Rindeschwender, a patriotic native of Baden. Gernsbach, see p. 199.
The train now crosses the Murg. Farther on, between Rastatt and Oos, the hunting-seat Favorite (p. 200) lies in the midst of shrubberies. Oos is the junction for Baden-Baden, which is reached hence in 10 min.