The Mathildenhöhe, or more precisely the Darmstadt Artists’ Colony, is a World Heritage Site since 2021 and is one of the most beautiful places the Rhine-Main region has to offer. (Although I might be a bit biased, as I grew up in Darmstadt :D) Consisting of two parts, the main part with the Wedding Tower, Russian Chapel and exhibition building and the Dreihäusergruppe, it towers over Darmstadt. A must-see, especially in summer. In this article, I would like to give you a little insight into this centerpiece of my hometown. IMAGE: @Branko Srot |Stock.Adobe.com

History of the Mathildenhöhe

The Mathildenhöhe was laid out in the 19th century as a grand ducal court garden and the Darmstadt artists’ colony was founded on it in 1897 at the behest of Ludwig III. The goal was to create a center for the emerging reform movement in architecture, art, and crafts. Over the next two decades, it was expanded in four exhibitions and today presents itself as a unique testimony to early modernism with 23 elements, three of which I would like to briefly introduce here.

Wedding Tower

Probably the most famous part of the artists’ colony is the Wedding Tower, also known as the Five-Finger Tower, designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich and completed in 1908. It was built in honor of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig’s second wedding, and couples can still get married here today. But the 48-meter-high Fünf-Finger-Turm is worth a visit outside of its use as a wedding venue. With its viewing platform, it not only offers one of the best views of Darmstadt, but is also a building worth seeing in terms of architecture and design.

Exhibition Building

Next to the Five-Finger Tower is the Exhibition Building, which will unfortunately be under renovation until the fall of 2024. Also designed by Joseph Maria Olbrich, it was completed at the same time as the Wedding Tower and serves the city as a venue for exhibitions, public events and cultural conferences. But even when there are no events taking place, I would recommend anyone visiting the Mathildenhöhe to take a break on the spacious “balcony” and enjoy the wonderful view over the city.

The Russian Chapel

In front of the other two and directly behind the Lily Pond is the Russian Chapel with its golden domes, which stands out because it looks a bit out of place. It was built independently of the Artists’ Colony, especially for visits by the Tsar’s family, into which a sister of Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig had married. It was completed in 1899 according to the plans of Leontij Benuas and today serves as a church for the Russian community in Darmstadt and can be visited outside of church services.

My tip for the summer:

Especially in summer, the Mathildenhöhe with its meadows, benches and café in the plane tree grove is a wonderful place to relax. Here you can soak up the sun and later enjoy the sunset with a view over Darmstadt. Something I (and the rest of Darmstadt) do at least 2-3 times every summer 🙂 Not far from here is the Rosenhöhenpark, which I can also highly recommend.

Author: Ben Staudt