Rastatt, the Black Forest town with baroque flair

Rastatt is a small German town with great architectural and landscape charm. Nestled in the green hills north of the Black Forest in southwestern Germany, it is also a city rich in history and culture, the ideal place for a trip dedicated to art and nature. Rastatt and its rural region are, in fact, an integral part of the Central/Northern Black Forest Nature Park and the Black Forest National Park, characterized by evocative landscapes full of lush valleys, hills, forests, rivers and crystal-clear lakes.

 

 

The center of Rastatt, with its cultural and architectural heritage, offers an immersion in the past with Baroque architecture that blends harmoniously into the surrounding nature, offering a fascinating experience. The city is often remembered for its glorious past, having been one of the main residences of the Margraves of Baden-Baden in the 17th and 18th centuries. This period of maximum splendor left the city with an extraordinary architectural legacy, with the Rastatt Residential Palace, the oldest Baroque residence in the Upper Rhine Valley and one of the most important examples of Baroque architecture in Germany.

 

 

Margrave Ludwig Wilhelm and Margravine Sibylla Augusta took inspiration from the impressive architecture of Versailles to design their three-winged palace and surrounding gardens, built in the early 18th century. Beginning in the 1700s, the original hunting lodge was transformed into a prestigious residence, making it a masterpiece of elegance and sumptuousness, with luxurious gardens and interiors that reflect the opulence of the time. Visiting the palace with its rooms, furnished and equipped, you immerse yourself in the history of a noble family that has shaped not only the city, but the entire region.

 

 

The Palace also houses the Rastatt Palace Church, a court church erected between 1719 and 1723, by the Bohemian court architect Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer and which houses the tomb of the Margravine Sibylla Augusta. While at the end of Poststrasse, separating the Palace park from the city is the beautiful Museum Gate, built around 1705, and in front of the gate, since 1981, there is the work of art "Homage to Picasso", a fountain by the sculptor Jürgen Goertz.

 

 

Another Baroque-style jewel is the enchanting Favorite Palace in the Rastatt district of Förch, which is the oldest preserved German porcelain palace preserved almost unchanged. Once the summer residence of the margravine Sibylla Augusta, today it exhibits its porcelain collection in an idyllic location, in the landscaped garden-style park that invites you to relax or take a walk among the trees and the swan pond.

 

 

Also worth visiting is the Pagoda Castle, a small architectural gem, a former tea house of the margravial family built in 1722 on the Murg River by the court architect Johann Michael Ludwig Rohrer. Surrounded by a garden, the building is a replica of a structure in the grounds of Munich's Nymphenburg Palace, and exhibitions by national and international artists are held there during the summer months. History and art lovers can learn more about Rastatt in the City Museum housed in the Vogel House, built around 1705 to a design by Domenico Egidio Rossi, which documents the Baroque foundation of the city from the end of the eighteenth century to the present day.

 

In addition to baroque treasures, the city of Rastatt invites you to get lost in its picturesque streets, where historic buildings and monuments are flanked by modern cafes, restaurants and quaint shops. A walk through the old town allows you to discover other wonders such as the Church of St. Alexander in the market square, a basilica with refined lines designed by the architect Johann Peter Ernst Rohrer, where the particular Johannes-Nepomuk fountain is also located.

 

 

For those looking to relax, Rastatt also offers green spaces and parks, ideal for a break from city life. The Residence Park, which surrounds the Palace, is one of the most loved by locals for its shaded walks and panoramic views. In spring and summer, the gardens are filled with flowers, creating a floral atmosphere that invites you to relax. Very relaxing is also the walk along the Murg among chestnut trees, lime trees, swans, herons and storks where you can also go jogging or cycling. Or in the Rastatt city forest which covers over 1,550 hectares, habitat of different species of animals and plants, from the Rhine in the west to the summit of the Eichelberg in the east, from the Murg in the north to the bridge over the Rhine in Wintersdorf and the border of the district of Iffezheim in the south.

 

 

In the area, nature lovers will find other outdoor activities ranging from cycling (for example, in the Rhine Pamina Park on the banks of the Rhine) to hiking trails that cross the Rastatt district (such as the famous Westweg trail) or the Murgtal valley, one of the most beautiful areas for those looking for an authentic connection with their surroundings. In addition, the sun-kissed hills in northern Ortenau are home to vineyards that produce some of the best wines in the region, ideal for food and wine enthusiasts who can indulge in local wine tastings and enjoy fine dining in the many gourmet restaurants, for a holiday of relaxation and good living.

 

 

For those visiting the region north of the Black Forest, Rastatt is an unmissable stop, offering a perfect combination of culture and outdoor adventure, food and wine delights and an enchanting landscape ready to be discovered. Getting to the Rastatt region is easy thanks to the excellent transport links, which include buses, trains and Karlsruhe/Baden Airport. Rastatt's strategic location, within easy reach of Karlsruhe and Baden-Baden, also makes it perfect for a day trip or a long weekend.