Kaiserslautern
This is the article about the city, for the district see Kaiserslautern (district) is a city in southwest
Germany, located in the
Bundesland of
Rheinland-Pfalz at the edge of the
Palatine Forest (
Pfälzer Wald). Kaiserslautern is home to 99,469 people, plus approximately 30,000
NATO military personnel (mainly
American) and their families, who often call the city
K-Town. The historic center dates to the 9th century and is within easy reach of
Paris (459 kilometres) and
Luxembourg (159 kilometres).
Prehistoric settlement in the area of what is now Kaiserslautern has been traced to at least
800 BC. Some 2,500-year-old
Celtic tombs were uncovered at
Miesau, a town about 29 kilometres west of Kaiserslautern. The recovered relics are now in the Museum for Palatinate History at
Speyer.
Kaiserslautern received its name from the favorite hunting retreat of
Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa who ruled the
Holy Roman Empire from
1155 until
1190. The
Lauter was then an important river that made the old section of Kaiserslautern an island in
medieval times. Ruins of Frederick's original castle, built 1152â€"1160, can still be seen in front of the
Rathaus (city hall). A second castle,
Nanstein Castle, was built at
Landstuhl to guard the western approach to the city.
The
Stiftkirche, Kaiserslautern's oldest
church, was constructed from 1250-1350. As the population of Kaiserslautern grew, Emperor
Rudolf von Habsburg chartered the town in
1276.
St. Martin's Kirche (church) was built from 1300-1350 for an order of monks. Today a section of the original city wall still stands in the courtyard of the church.
In
1519,
Franz von Sickingen became the owner of Nanstein Castle. He became a
Protestant, and in
1522 Nanstein was a stronghold for local nobles favoring the
Reformation. Sickingen and the local nobles began their battle against the
Archbishop of Trier, but the attack was unsuccessful, and they retreated to Nanstein. Nanstein was then besieged by
cannon-armed German
Catholic princes. Sickingen died after the castle surrendered, and the Protestant nobility of the
Palatinate were subdued by the Catholic princes.
Count of the
Palatinate,
Johann Casimir, came to Kaiserslautern during the
Thirty Years' War (1618-1648). Harsh
Spanish occupation for 10 years (1621-1632) was ended when Protestant
Swedish armies liberated the area. But in
1635 the ruthless
Croatian troops of the
Austrian emperor's army entered Kaiserslautern and murdered 3,000 of the 3,200 residents. The city was plundered for three days. Landstuhl was saved from a similar fate by surrendering without a fight. It took Kaiserslautern about 160 years to repopulate itself.
The trouble did not end with the
Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The Elector of the Pfalz had a difficult time with many of his subjects and ordered all castles, including Nanstein, destroyed. The
French repeatedly invaded and occupied the area, residing in Kaiserslautern from 1686-1697. The entire Palatinate was the scene of fighting between the French and German troops throughout the 18th century. In
1713, the French destroyed Barbarossa's castle and the city's wall towers. From
1793 until
Napoleon's defeat at
Waterloo in 1815, the area was under French administration.
As France declined in power after 1815, Kaiserslautern and the Palatinate became a
Bavarian province until
1918. After
World War I, French troops again occupied the Palatinate for several years.
World War II had a major effect on Kaiserslautern with more than 60% of the city bombed and destroyed by Allied aircraft. The railway and several main roads were primary targets. Heaviest attacks occurred
January 7,
August 11, and
September 28,
1944. Of the 20,000 homes, 11,000 were destroyed or damaged. The cemetery wall opposite Kleber Kaserne still bears shell marks of these raids.
On
March 20,
1945, as the last of
Bradley's 1st Army crossed the
Rhine at
Remagen, the US 80th Division, 319th Infantry (part of
Patton's 3rd Army) seized Kaiserslautern without resistance. The war was over for this area, but there was little reconstruction until the currency reform of 1948. The pace of the economy remained slow until 1952 when construction for newly established garrisons of American troops brought economic growth to the area.
The symbol and coat of arms of the city is a red and white shield, with an open-mouthed
carp on it. This was reportedly Frederick's favorite dish.
Today, Kaiserslautern is a modern center of information and communications technology as well as numerous well-known universities, international research institutes and technical colleges located throughout the city.
The Palatine Gallery is well worth a visit and dates from 1874 featuring exhibits of painting and sculpture from the 19th century to the present day.
|
Central Kaiserslautern from the town hall building |
Town Hall Kaiserslautern is one of the tallest buildings and is located in the city's downtown district. It was designed after the city hall of Davenport, Iowa, one of Kaiserslautern's sister cities. The bar and coffe-shop on the top floor provides a paranoramic views of the city and surrounding countryside.
The tallest building in the center of Kaiserslautern is Marienkirche, a Catholic church.
The television tower, in fact the highest structure in Kaiserslautern is not in the city center, but located at Dansenberg, a suburb in the southwest of the city.
Kaiserslautern's large
botanical gardens feature a Japanese-style garden. Another unusual feature is the Waschmühle, an enormous 160-metre public
swimming pool that is the largest in Europe. There are several pedestrian only shopping zones with numerous and varied restaurants and bars located in the downtown area surrounding the old city or
Altstadt. In the Altstadt you will find the "Kaiserbrunnen", a large ornamental fountain in which various historically important features of the city are represented, including eg. a sewing machine - for the Pfaff-werke, a football, and various creatures, which children can climb on.
University of Kaiserslautern was founded on 13 July 1970. Earlier, it was part of the twin University Trier/Kaiserslautern. It started with the faculties of
Mathematics,
Physics and
Technology. Later many more faculties were added.
|
Historical Kaiserslautern |
Pfalztheater KaiserslauternTheatregoers have the chance to see plays, operas, ballets, concerts or musical at the local theatre
Pfalztheater which employs more than 300 people and plays a notable role in the German theatre scene. The first German performance of
Westside Story took place there. The arts in Germany is strongly supported by the government, thereby making ticket prices very reasonable. Pfalztheater Kaiserslautern hosts the most important award for Germanwriting drama authors, Else-Lasker-Schüler-Preis, which in 2003 was awarded to Austrian author
Elfriede Jelinek, who won the
Nobel Prize for Literature in 2004.
The KammgarnThe
Kammgarn is classified as an historical site. Its buildings and courts served as a spinning factory before being transformed into the cultural heart of Kaiserslautern. This renovation has not removed the historical vestiges of the past but has carefully incorporated the latest sound and lighting technologies to create a unique vintage flavor which enhances the entertainment experience for all its patrons. Although it may be surprising to the uninitiated, the Kammgarn stands among the top venues in Germany and has had the honor to serve as a first-call club, for rising groups and performers as well as established jazz, rock, blues and pop artists wishing to enter the European market.
Past performances have included international stars like
B.B. King,
Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Pat Metheny,
Uriah Heep and Jan Garbarek.
Gartenschau (Garden exhibition)Better known as the 'Dino Park' because of its lifesize dinosauer models the
Gartenschau is open from April through October. This is a fantastic destination, especially for families with kids. Having begun as a series of botanical displays, enjoying big success of the first State Garden Exhibition of Rhineland-Palatinate in Kaiserlautern in 2000, this 54 acre park has been transformed into one of the most multi-dimensional cultural centers in Germany.
Fritz Walter StadiumThe newly renovated
Fritz Walter soccer stadium can now host 48,500 soccer fans.
The town is also home to the Soccer/Football team
1. FC Kaiserslautern, which achieved the title "Deutscher Meister" (German champion) four times. In June 2006, Kaiserslautern was one of 12 German cities to host matches of the
2006 FIFA World Cup.
Museums and libraries
*Palatinate Gallery of Art
Pfalzgalerie (artgallery, mainly pictures and sculptures from the 19th and 20th century)
*
Wadgasserhof/
Theodor-Zink-Museum (local history)
*
Stadtbibliothek (Municipal Library)
*
Universitätsbibliothek (university library of Kaiserslautern)
*
Hochschulbibliothek (Bibliothek of Fachhochschule)
*Pfalzbibliothek (scientific library with a main focus on
palatinate issues)
|
Japanese Garden in the botanic gardens. |
Kaiserslautern is located in Germany's largest forest area (
Pfälzer Wald) and offers numerous hiking trails and lakes to visitors.
Other places of interest in Kaiserslautern are:
*
Humbergturm, an observation tower, built in 1900, offering a great view over the Palatinate Forest
*
Kaiserslautern Zoo at Siegelbach
*Karlstal (a whitewater canyon)
*
Kaiserpfalz, the castle of emperor
Barbarossa (Redbeard)
*Burg Nanstein, Landstuhl, a castle in the district
*Burg Hohenecken, a castle in a suburb/ward of Kaiserslautern
*
Gartenschau, a horticultural show, including the largest
dinosaur show of
Europe*
Japanischer Garten (Japanese Garden), largest garden of its kind in Europe.
Temperatures:
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | | max. | 04°C | 05°C | 10°C | 13°C | 19°C | 22°C | 25°C | 25°C | 20°C | 15°C | 09°C | 05°C |
| min. | -1°C | -2°C | 02°C | 03°C | 08°C | 12°C | 14°C | 13°C | 09°C | 06°C | 03°C | 01°C |
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Partner/Sister cities of Kaiserslautern
*
Davenport,
Iowa,
USA*
Douzy,
France*
Saint-Quentin,
Aisne,
France*
London Borough of Newham,
Great Britain*
Bunkyo-ku, district of
Tokio,
Japan *
Brandenburg an der Havel,
Brandenburg,
Germany*
Pleven,
Bulgaria*
Columbia,
South Carolina,
USA*
Silkeborg,
Denmark*
Guimarães,
Portugal*
Banja Luka,
Bosnia and Herzegovina*
Bitola,
Republic of Macedonia*
Igualada,
Spain*
Rotherham,
Great BritainSome companies in the city of Kaiserslautern
*ACO Guss GmbH (bis 1997 Guss- und Armaturwerk Kaiserslautern; steelcompany, foundry)
*
Adam Opel AG (motorfactory; also GKN Gelenkwellenwerk Kaiserslautern GmbH -cardanshafts- and Stute Verkehrs GmbH -logistics-)
*Alpha Business Solutions AG (business software for industry and trading companies)
*Arcadis Consult GmbH (consulting and management services)
*F.K. Horn GmbH & Co. KG (construction company)
*Bahntechnik Kaiserslautern (formerly Bundesbahn-Ausbesserungswerk; trains and waggons)
*Barbarossa Bäckerei GmbH (bakery)
*Blue Order AG (formerly TecMath AG) (content management systems)
*CAS GmbH (
CRM software)
*Corning GmbH (fabrication of catalytic converters)
*CP Schmidt Verpackungswerk GmbH & Co. KG (construction and production of cardboard and wrappings)
*debitel (telecommunication; call center)
*Euromaster GmbH (manufacturer of tires, headquarters)
*FACT Future Advanced Composites & Technology GmbH (development of plastics)
*Freudenberg Vliesstoffe KG (manufacturer of fibrous webs)
*
Fruit of the Loom GmbH (central center for logistics and distribution for Europe)
* Gebr. Pfeiffer AG (stonemills)
* GENERAL DYNAMICS Santa Bárbara Sistemas GmbH (until 2002 Eisenwerke Kaiserslautern; amphibious vehicles, mobile bridges for military use)
*Gondrom (one of Germany's largest bookstores)
*Hochwald Nahrungsmittel-Werke GmbH (milk)
*Human Solutions GmbH (hard- und software for ergonomic processes and bodyscanners)
*Keiper GmbH & Co. KG (carseats, development and construction department)
*klip-asca GmbH (IT-integration)
*Linux Networx GmbH (headquarters for Europe, specialists for
supercomputer)
*LMS Deutschland GmbH (software-development for mechanic, structural density and components)
*Lumera Laser GmbH (lasersystems)
*
Market Maker Software AG (software for portfoliomanagement and stocktrades)
*maxess Systemhaus GmbH (IT-solutions for grocery companies)
*Mobotix AG (developer and manufacturer of network cameras and surveillance systems)
*
Pfaff Industrie Maschinen AG (sewing machines)
*Rohr Druck GmbH (printing)
*Saar-Pfalz Erfrischungsgetränke GmbH & Co. KG (licensee of
Coca-Cola)
*SIEDA GmbH (software for staff management in hospitals)
*Spinnerei Lampertsmühle GmbH (textiles)
*Torpedo-Garage GmbH & Co. KG (branch of Daimler-Chrysler AG)
*Ultraweb New Media GmbH (full-service-provider, high-speed-internet)
*Wipotec Wägetechnik GmbH (scales)
*Albert Ziegler GmbH & Co. KG (fire-fighting equipment)
*
Official website*
Forum for English speakers in Kaiserslautern*
Location of public domain history of Kaiserslautern*
Kammgarn NightclubNOTE: If these coordinates are used in conjunction with a mapping or satellite imaging service some buildings or businesses built in recent years may not appear on the images due to the age of the images supplied.TransportationTrain station: 49.43648226329017, 7.768805626536524
Downtown Bus stop: 49.44581704166038, 7.768952551488895
General locationsRathaus (City Hall): 49.44669295353499, 7.767570851432462
Soccer/football Stadium: 49.43504675468304, 7.776973237289854
ShoppingDowntown Kaiserslautern: 49.44497441870191, 7.770598250163832
Media Markt: 49.43219410917556, 7.739745314385687
Toys R Us: 49.44200120353207, 7.712223459901244
Schillerplatz: 49.44518482969991, 7.76971670203648
Fackelstr.-Kerststr. Pedestrian only shopping area: 49.44308177133117, 7.769219575292293
Night EntertainmentKamgarn/Cotton Club: 49.44762788068659, 7.756050189733884
Day / FamilyGartenschau (Dino Park): 49.44688450053253, 7.753956476732216
Gelterswoog camping and swimming: 49.39610708521506, 7.695571431971596
Swimming pool: 49.44061390132781, 7.798409560829493
Potsberg castle, nature park and restaurant: 49.52186231063196, 7.481082113020795
EatingMcDonalds West: 49.43233189448819, 7.682231197248277
McDonalds East 49.45411206055175, 7.790990002421799
Culman's 50's Diner: 49.45617343580538, 7.79703932734875
Burger King East: 49.45695072067734, 7.802665901310546
Burger King West: 49.4404924028315, 7.741446609919812
Excursion and places of interest locationsRamsteinParadox Restaurant and Bar: 49.4486706671552, 7.556600869883721
Il Cappricio Italian Restaurant: 49.44816998861522, 7.555308354924923
Italian Restaurant by SBK: 49.44962584158906, 7.553816007240849
Indian Restaurant: 49.444148207586, 7.555755651131028
POI for NATO personnelRamstein Air Base: 49.4416377294629, 7.598716146878913
HQ U.S. Air Forces Europe: 49.4515455115852, 7.59296398745371
NATO HQ A.F. North: 49.45169806222049, 7.599186280498074
Ramstein AB Golf Course: 49.45593361310406, 7.602864441243123
U.S. Military BX/PX complex Kaiserslautern: 49.43619395077795, 7.706433659432314
U.S. Military housing area Kaiserslautern: 49.43059895035182, 7.717412181537718
