28. From Frankfort to Heidelberg and Mannheim.
Railway (station, see p. 176) to Darmstadt (17 M.) in ½ – ¾ hr. (fares 1 .# 90. 1 .# 25, 85 pf.; express fares 2 .# 30, 1 .# 55. 1 .# 10 pf. From Darmstadt to Heidelberg or Mannheim. 38 M., in 1 ¼ – 2 hrs. (fares 4 .# 25. 2 .# 80. 1 .# 85 pf.: express fares 5 .# 10 .3 .# 40 2 .# 45 pf). Seats on the left (E.) side of the train should be selected for the view.
The country between Frankfort and Darmstadt is unattractive.
17 M. Darmstadt. — (*Traube (Pl. a); Darmstadter Hof (Pl. b) Post (Pl. e); Railway Hotel at the Main and Rhine station, comfortable, R. and L. 2 .# 50 pf., B. 1, D. 2 #; Hôtel, Kôhler (PI e), at the sta- tion; Prinz Carl (PL d), unpretending Jochheim's Baths, adjoining the last hotel, — Restaurants: Danz, Louisen-Str., with garden, — Cafés Eichberg, and Stamm, in the Theater-Platz).
Darmstadt, the capital of the Grand Duchy of Hessen, with 44,000 inhab. (chiefly Protestants; including the suburb of Bessun- gen), a town with handsome broad streets, spacious squares, and tasteful pleasure-grounds, was the capital of the Upper Grafschatt of Katzenelnbogen, and a place of no importance, down to the close of the 18th century. The Grand Duke Ludwig I. (d. 1830) erected the new part of the town, and to him Darmstadt is indebted for its prosperity. A Statue (PI. 17), erected to him by his ‘grateful people’ in 1844, is borne by a column, 140 ft. in height, the summit of which affords a fine view.
The Residenzschloss (P1. 29) was begun in 1568 by the Land- grave George I.; the portals, belonging to that period and still preserved, are a good specimen of the German Renaissance. The present building dates chiefly from the middle of last century, but it has been frequently enlarged, and was restored in 1833. The tower contains musical bells, which play every hour. The valuable Library consists of 450,000 vols., some MSS., and typographical curiosities (open 9-12 a.m. and 2-4 p. m.). The other *Col- lections ( pictures, antiquities, natural history, costumes, and coins) are open on Tues., Wed., Ihurs., and Frid. 11-1, on Sund. 10-1.
(See text for Collection details)
To the N. of the Palace, at the entrance to the Herrengarten, or public grounds, is the Theatre (Pl. 31), burned down in 1871, and now in course of re-erection, (‘Temporary theatre in the former Landgraviate Theatre in the Herrengarten.) To the left is the Exercirhaus, or Magazine, now containing artillery waggons, etc. Before the erection of the new Saalbau it was frequently employed for various kinds of entertainments. Between the Exercirhaus and the Theatre are Statues (Pl. 18, 19) of the Landgrave Philip the Generous (d. 1567), and his son George I. (d. 1590), founder of the Grand-ducal family.
In the Herrengarten (PI. C, 1, 2), which is well laid out, with pleasant walks, to the right, is the ‘tomb of the Landgravine Henrietta Carolina (d. 1774), mother of the queen of Frederick William II. of Prussia; the unpretending urn erected by Frederick the Great bears the inscription : ‘Femina sexu, ingenio vir’.
The modern Roman Catholic Church (PI. 12) in the Wilhelminen- Platz contains the well-executed marble sarcophagus of the Grand Duchess Mathilde of Hessen (d. 1862), with recumbent figure of the princess by Widnmann, and the monument of Prince Frederick of Hesse by Hofmann. On the W. side of the Platz is the Palace of Prince Ludwig (Pl. 24).
The Palace of Prince Charles (Pl. 12) in the Wilhelminen- Strasse contains the celebrated **Madonna with the family of Bur- gomaster Meyer of Bale, by Holbein the Younger, executed in 1526 and ascertained since the Holbein Exhibition at Dresden in 1871, to be an original work of the master. (Visitors apply for ad- mission in the lobby at the head of the stairs ; fee 1 #.)
There is an excellent collection of early German, Dutch, and other paintings at No. 8 Zimmer-Str., the property of Dr. Schifer.
The Polytechnicum (P1. 26), in the Capell-Str. is uninterest- ing; a large new building is contemplated. The modern Gothic Stadt-Capelle beside it is an clegant structure. Opposite the new Main-Rhine Station are the Bank für Handel und Industrie and the Bank für Sitddeutschlund, both built in 1875.
The extensive woods near Darmstadt afford numerous pictur- esque walks, the favourite of which are to the shooting-lodge of Kranichstein (1 1/2. M.), to the Ludwigseiche, or Ludwig’s Oak (4'/o M.), and to the Ludwigshihe and Marienhöhe (2 M.).
From Darmstadt To Worms by railway in 1 1/4 hr. (fares 8 80, 2.4 55. or 1.4 65 pf.). Several small stations; then (15 1/2 M.) Gernsheim (Karpfen; Weisses Ross), a busy little town on the Rhine, the birth-place ot Peter Schöffer, one of the inventors of printing, to whom a statue was erected in 1836. From (24 M.) Hofheim a branch-line diverges to Lorsch and Bensheim (reached in 25 min.; p. 199). 26 1/2 M. Rosengarten (p. 219), connected with Worms, 1M. distant. by a bridge-of-boats; passengers are conveyed by a steam-ferry to the other bank of the river, where a train is in waiting, which makes a wide circle round Worms, and halts at the station of the Mayence-Ludwigshafen line (p. 246).
From Darmstadt to Erbach, see p. 202.
20 1/2 M. Eberstadt-Pfungstadt ; the latter, a busy little manu- facturing town, lies 1 1/4 M. to the W., the former 1 M. to the E. of the station. Near this point begins the Bergstrasse, an old road originally constructed by the Romans, skirting the fruit and vine-clad W. slopes of the Odenwald (to which the name ‘Berg- strasse’ is sometimes applied in a wider sense), and leading to Heidelberg. — On the hills to the left rises the handsome ruined castle of Frankenstein (1110 ft.), dating from the 13th cent. (*View).
25 M. Bickenbach is the station for (1 3/4 M. distant; post-omni- bus three times daily; during summer carriages await every train) Jugenheim (*Loos ; *Rindfuss ; pension at both), a favourite summer resort, with pleasant villas. Tour in the Odenwald, see p. 200.
— Ascent of the Melibocus, see p. 198, At Seeheim (*Hufnagel, carriages at the station), 1. M. to the N. of Jugenheim, there is a Grand-ducal château, the garden of which is open to the public.
— To the left of the railway, farther on, rises the pinnacled tower of the Alsbacher Schloss, which may be reached in 1/2 hr. from Zwingenberg.
27 M. Zwingenberg (*Löwe, with garden, pension 4.#), an old town, with 1700 inhab.
The ASCENT OF THE Melipocus takes 1 hr. from Zwingenberg, and 1 1/2 hr. from Jugenheim. Guide (unnecessary) 1 #; carriage to the top 10-12 #. — From Jugenheim viâ the Melibocus and the Auerbacher Schloss to Auerbach 3 hrs. (no refreshments to be had on the Melibocus). Besides the old and the new path ascending the mountain, there is a third, slightly longer, viâ the ruined castle of Jossa, These three paths unite about halfway up the hill 3/4 hr. from Jugenheim).
From Zwingenberg, the road leads E. from the ‘Löwe’ and ascends the hill; after 8 min. the path follows the water-conduit to the right, leads over the Luzieberg, and in 25 min. more regains the carriage-road, which is furnished with direction-posts.
The Melibocus, or Malchen (1679 ft.), is the highest point of the Berg- strasse and consists entirely of granite. On the summit is a tower (80 ft. high), erected in 1777 by Louis IX., Landgrave of Hessen. The view embraces the valley of the Rhine from Speyer to Mayence, the Vosges, the Donnersberg, and the Main as far as the Taunus and Vogelsberg. A little to the W. of the tower, and about 20 ft. lower, is the best point of view, which commands a prospect of the entire plain from Mannheim to Darmstadt. Key of the tower at the forester’s at Zwingen- berg, where enquiry should be made, but in fine weather he is generally on the spot (fee for 1 pers. 20-30 pf., a party 70 pf.- 1 #). — From the Melibocus a road, furnished with way-posts at all doubtful places, leads directly to the Auerbacher Schloss in 3/4 hr, Descent from the Schloss to the village of Auerbach in 1/2-3/4 hr. From the Auerbacher Schloss di- rect to the Fürstenlager, see below.
29M. Auerbach (* Krone, established originally in the 17th cent.; also lodgings; restaurants, Mohr and Hess, with gar- dens; carriage-tariff at the station), a picturesque village of 1500 inhab., mentioned as early as 795, is a favourite summer resort, and affords good head-quarters for excursions in the W. part of the Odenwald (p. 200). Good wine ts produced in the neighbourhood, the best quality being called Rottwein.
The *Auerbacher Schloss (3/4 hr. from the Melibocus , same dis- tance N. of Auerbach, path not to be mistaken), situated on an eminence (1053 ft.), is said to have been founded by Charlemagne. It was afterwards the property of the monastery of Lorsch (s:e p. 199), then of the Electorate of Mayence. The present building dates from the 15th cent.; in 1674 it was blown up by Turenne. The two towers stood till 1806, when one of them fell, but it was rebuilt in 1853. *View less extensive, but more picturesque than that from the Melibocus. The custodian opens the door of the tower.
Environs. One of the prettiest points near Auerbach is the Fürsten- lager, a small château built during last century by the Landgraves of Hessen, and enlarged by Lewis I, of Bavaria, with a chalybeate spring and charming grounds. It may be reached by the road in 20 min, from the ‘Krone’ inn (or, pleasanter, by turning to the right by the Rathhaus and ascending past the church). — The walk from the Auerbacher Schloss to the Fürstenlager is also pleasant: we folluw the broad road to the E. as far as the mineral spring in the Hochstâtter Thal (refreshments at the forester’s), pass the mill, and turn to the W. to the Neun-Aussichten (‘nine views’), a clearing in the wood, where nine different picturesque views are obtained through the nine forest-paths which converge here. Farther on we reach the Fürstenlager (1 1/4 hr. in all). — About 1/2 hr. to the E. of the Fürstenlager lies Schönberg (Rettig, Sonne, Gottschalk), which also attracts visitors in summer, with a château of Count Erbach- Schönberg. The Shlossgarten and the village church command pretty views. From Schönberg to Bensheim through the Schönberger Thal, 1 ½ M.
30 M. Bensheim (Traube, Deutsches Haus, in the town; *Reu- ter’s Hötel, at the station, small; carriages according to tariff), a busy town in a picturesque situation, with 5000 inhab., dates as far back as the 8th century, and till 1802 belonged to the Electo- rate of Mayence. The Roman Catholic Church in the round arch style was completed in 1830, the Protestant Church in 1863.
From Bensheim. To Lindenfels (p. 201) by Reichenbach, and on to Reichelsheim (p 204), diligence once or twice daily.
From Bensheim to Rosengarten (Worms) railway in 35 min. (comp. p. 197). 3 M. Lorsch, on the Weschnitz, with ruins of a Monastery founded by Charlemagne, to which in 788 he banished Tassilo, Duke of Bavaria who had been condemned to death as a traitor. “The Church was con” secrated in 1130, but portions of the nave only are now extant The old chapel in front of it, erected between 876 and 882 by Lewis III, son of Lewis the German, with curiously formed imposts and inlaid walls, is one of the most elegant and, best preserved specimens of Carlovingian architecture. King Lewis the German, his son Lewis III, and the Em- press Cunigunde, wife of Emp. Conrad I. are interred at Lorsch, but the spot is unknown, The ‘Bunte Capelle’ at Lorsch, being the last resting- place of the founder of the German Empire, was highly revered in the middle ages, and was solemnly consecrated in 1053 by Pope Leo IX in person, The Nibelungen-Lied represents these vaults as the burial-place of Sigfried and Queen Ute (mother of Chriemhilde)
8 M. Bürstadt. 10 1/2 M. Hofheim, 13 M. Rosengarten, see p. 197.
Near (33 M.) Heppenheim (*Halber Mond), to the left of the road, rises the Landberg, a hill crowned with three trees, where the Counts of Starkenburg once held their tribunals. The church was founded by Charlemagne, according to an inscription bearing the date 805. The present edifice is of Gothic and later times.
The Starkenburg (932 ft.) is ascended by a good path from Heppen heim in 1/2 hr. It was erected in 1064 by an abbot of Lorsch, captured by the Swedes and Spaniards in the Thirty Years’ War, besieged in vain by Turenne in 1645 and in 1674, and was only renetly quite abandoned. It gives its name to a province of Hessen. Fine view from the lofty square tower,
The train now enters the dominions of Baden. After (37 M.) Hemsbach it crosses the small river Weschnits, and reaches —
39 1/2 M. Weinheim (*Pfälzer Hof, R. 1.70, B. 70 pf.B. 70 pf.;; Stamm’s Pension and Hydropathic Establishment), a small town of 6500 inhab., lying at the union of the pleasant valleys of Gorx- heim and Birkenau , and the most important and most beautifully situated town on the Bergstrasse. It formerly belonged to the Ab- bey of Lorsch, and is of ancient origin, though owing to its destruc- tion during the Thirty Years’ War, and again in the devastation of the Palatinate in 1689, there are few old buildings of any impor- tance. A few towers belonging to the former fortifications, the House of the Teutonic Order (now a government office), and the Gothic Rathhaus are the only relics of its former prosperity. ‘The Gothic towers of the Roman Catholic church and the Berkheim sche Schloss are quite modern. Bender's School for Boys is well attended. — Hubberger, the best wine of the Bergstrasse, is produced near Weinheim.
To the E. rises the old castle of Windeck (685 ft.), with its high conical ‘Bergfried’ tower, the property of the monastery of Lorsch in the 12th cent., afterwards that of the Palatinate, com- manding a beautiful view. — From Weinheim to Firth, 10 1/2 M., diligence twice a day, see p. 202,
At (43 M.) Gross-Sachsen, a village said to have been founded by Charlemagne, the line leaves the Bergstrasse. — 46 M. Laden- burg (Rose), the Roman Lupodunum, the walls, towers, and fine old Gothic church (14th cent.) of which give it an air of importance. The Neckar is crossed here by a bridge of red sandstone.
49 ½ M. Friedrichsfeld, where the lines to Heidelberg and Mann- heim (each about 15 min. distant by train) separate. Omnibus to Schwetzingen in 3/4 hr,
54 1/2)M. Heidelberg, see p. 204. —54 M. Mannheim, see p. 213.
The Bergstrasse is most attractive between Weinheim and Heidelberg (12 M.j, and is recommended to the notice of pedestrians. The High Road leads through (3 M.) Gross-Sachsen (good red wine) and (3 M.) Schriesheim, where the Strahlenburg is seen in the background, Then (3 M.) Handschuchsheim (Zum rothen Ochsen. much frequented by Hei- deiberg students), and (112 M.) Neuenheim (Rose), where the Neckar is reached, and Heidelberg (R. 30), with its imposing castle and the Königs stuhl in the rear, first becomes visible.