World Heritage Site "Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt"
In 1899, Grand Duke Ernst Ludwig invited seven young Art Nouveau artists to the Mathildenhöhe – the birth of the Darmstadt Kuenstlerkolonie or Artists' Colony, which existed until 1914. In four large exhibitions, the artists displayed their visions of a modern, art-based world. The buildings together form the „Mathildenhöhe“.
As a reaction to industrialisation, around 1900, artist colonies were created in Germany. In Darmstadt, on the "Musenhügel", a document of the departure for modern forms of construction and housing grew - starting point for modern industrial design.
That is why not only the people of Darmstadt find their city crown unique: the World Heritage Committee of the United Nations Cultural Organisation has also included the "Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt" on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Further information on the artists and buildings on Mathildenhöhe can be found on www.mathildenhoehe-darmstadt.de.
Map of Mathildenhöhe
Discover the Mathildenhöhe
Darmstadt Marketing offers numerous guided tours on the Mathildenhöhe. In addition to the general tour "Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt" also tours of the Museum Artists' Colony Darmstadt, guided tours in the Russian Chapel or costumed tours of the area are on offer.
In addition to public appointments, for which individuals can purchase tickets online and in the Darmstadt Shop, all tours can also be booked individually for groups.
Book your ticket for a public guided tour on "Guided tours".
Artists' Colony Museum Darmstadt
The Ernst Ludwig House was designed as a studio building by Joseph Maria Olbrich. Since 1990, the Artists' Colony Museum exhibits here the work of all 23 artists who worked on the Mathildenhoehe between 1899 and 1914. Downhill from the museum lie seven of the eight artists‘ houses, which were show-cased during the first exhibition in 1901 (three further exhibitions were held in 1904, 1908 and 1914).
Buildings on Mathildenhöhe
Lily Basin
The fountain in front of the Russian Chapel was built for the fourth exhibition of the Darmstadt Artists‘ Colony in 1914. It was designed by Albin Mueller, following the death of Joseph Maria Olbrich, leader of the…
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Olbrichweg
64287 Darmstadt
Darmstadt Artists' Colony Museum
The Ernst Ludwig-House was designed as a studio building by Joseph Maria Olbrich. Since 1990, the Museum Kuenstlerkolonie exhibits here the work of all 23 artists who worked on the Mathildenhoehe between 1899 and 1914.…
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Upper Hessian House
The "Hessian State Exhibition of Fine and Applied Arts“ took place on the Mathildenhoehe in 1908. Olbrich designed the “Oberhessisches Haus“ for the occasion and it is still in good condition today. The little pavilion…
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Olbrichweg 15
64287 Darmstadt
Plane Tree Grove
On the occasion of the exhibition of the Artists’s Colony in 1914, the Platanenhain, a grove of plane trees planted in the 1830’s, was decorated by the sculptor Bernhard Hoetger with a row of sculptures and reliefs,…
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Olbrichweg
64287 Darmstadt
Swan Temple
The Swan Temple with its 8 double pillars and dark glazed ceramic tiles was designed by Albin Mueller for the exhibition of the Artists‘ Colony in 1914 as a ceramic garden pavillion. A special feature is the acoustic: if…
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Olbrichweg
64287 Darmstadt
Vortex Garden
The Vortex Garden with a villa on Mathildenhöhe is Darmstadt's only public park in private ownership.
Designed according to the principles of permaculture and the balance of natural eco-systems, the owner would like to…
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360°-degrees tour of Mathildenhöhe
Discover the Mathildenhöhe with a virtual panorama tour.
With 360°-shots you can independently move "over the Mathildenhöhe", jump to the Rosenhöhe or walk down to the Fraunhofer-Institute and into the city.
Click here for the Mathildenhöhe tour of watch-my-city.
©Darmstadt Marketing/Rüdiger Dunker
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
With the Mathildenhöhe App you go on a journey through time on Mathildenhöhe. Historical views are superimposed with current images and illustrate how the Mathildenhöhe developed during and after the Artists' Colony.
Free shuttle bus Mathildenhöhe
From 1. August, the World Heritage shuttle bus runs - free of charge - daily between the city centre and Mathildenhöhe.
Between 11:16 am and 4:46 pm, it leaves the darmstadtium stop every 30 minutes. On the way he stops at the Art Nouveau baths and at the Ostbahnhof.
It goes back every 30 minutes between 11:32 am and 5:02 pm from the Olbrichweg stop (Museum Artists' Colony).
Timetable and stops: Welterbe-Shuttle
Directions to Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
Arrival by bus & train
From Darmstadt main station with the bus F towards Oberwaldhaus (stop on the west side of the main station, rear exit) to stop "Mathildenhöhe". From here about 200 m to the Mathildenhöhe.
From the Ostbahnhof Darmstadt (including the Odenwaldbahn stop) it is approx. 550 m on foot. The World Heritage shuttle bus also stops here.
Current timetable information for buses and trains on www.heagmobilo.de and www.dadina.de.
Arrival by car
There are no parking spaces on the Mathildenhöhe. Parking spaces within walking distance:
- Jugendstilbad, Mercksplatz 1: parking spaces for cars and 2 coaches. Approx. 800 m to Mathildenhöhe.
- Parking garage darmstadtium, Alexanderstraße (opposite house no. 2). Approx. 800 m to Mathildenhöhe.
- Parking garage Schlossgarage/Karolinenplatz, Friedensplatz 4. Approx. 1 km to Mathildenhöhe.
> At darmstadtium/Residential Palace and at the Jugendstilbad, you can change to the free World Heritage shuttle bus.
Disabled parking spaces: Two parking spaces are available at Olbrichweg 10, in front of the Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences.
For coaches
Buses can only stop for drop off and pickinig up of passengers. Parking is available at Rosenhöhe in Wolfskehlstraße (address: Bernhard-Sälzer-Platz). From there approx. 500 m on foot to the Mathildenhöhe. Or change to the free World Heritage shuttle bus at the Ostbahnhof (approx. 100 m from the bus parking spaces).
Further parking possibilities for buses are at the Jugendstilbad (Mercksplatz, public WC), at the Messplatz and at the Böllenfalltor stadium.
City map (PDF 4,3 MB)
Have a break on Mathildenhöhe
Cafés
Café unter den Platanen
Babbel Café
Café Crema
Mokka Mathilda
Blumen & Café Z
Agora - das lokal (at the train station "Ostbahnhof")
Restaurants
Shiraz
Rumpelstilzchen
Tajinerie
Glasschrank Mediterrano
Ristoante Riviera
Beer garden
Biergarten Darmstadt
Public toilet: Wedding Tower
On the square in front of the wedding tower there are public toilets for women and men on the left facing the "Platanenhain".
The toilets are open all day.
How's Mathildenhöhe looking right now?
With the webcam of "Darmstadt im Herzen" you can have a look at Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt everytime you like.
Mathildenhöhe colouring pages
The colouring pages of the Hochzeitsturm (Wedding Tower) and Mathildenhöhe can be downloaded as a PDF and printed.
Online shop of Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
Art Nouveau in Darmstadt
What does UNESCO-World Heritage mean?
The UNESCO World Heritage title is awarded to outstanding sites that have an "exceptional, universal value". More then 1,100 sites in 167 countries are listed as UNESCO World Heritage. Germany is represented with 50 sites on the list.
Have a look at all German UNESCO sites on the website of UNESCO-Welterbestätten Deutschland e.V.
UNESCO World Heritage in the region of Darmstadt
The Messel Fossil Pit was added in 1995 as the first German natural monument in the list of UNESCO World Heritage. It uniquely sheds light on the early evolution of mammals and documents the history of earth's evolution 48 million years ago, when explosive changes in the flora and fauna took place after the end of the dinosaur age.
From the Mathildenhöhe to the Messel Fossil Pit:
Take bus line FU from stop "Mathildenhöhe" (on Dieburger Str.) to stop "Grube Messel - Besucherzentrum Grube Messel" on Landesstrasse 3317. The walk to the visitor centre is then around 500 meters.
The Lorsch Abbey was a Benedictine abbey. It was founded in 764 and was a power, intellectual and cultural centre until the high Middle Ages. The Lorsch King's Hall is the architectural highlight of the UNESCO World Heritage. The building with its antique and early medieval facade decoration is one of the best preserved examples of Carolingian architecture.
Darmstadt ist part of the Geo-Naturpark Bergstraße-Odenwald, which, since 2015, is part of the "International Geoscience & Geoparks Programm" of UNESCO and thus bears the label "UNESCO Global Geopark".
The Geopark extends between the rivers Rhine, Main and Neckar on more than 3,500 km², with a spacious landscape with diverse nature and geology, worth protecting.