Karlsruhe and region
Nestled between the Black Forest, the Southern Palatinate, and Alsace, the Baden city of Karlsruhe lies amidst one of the most beautiful cultural and natural landscapes and, at the same time, in one of Europe’s leading technology centers. Its founder, Karl Wilhelm von Baden, had the city built in the early 18th century according to a radial layout, hence its nickname “The Fan City.” With over 300,000 inhabitants, Karlsruhe offers its residents and guests everything one would expect from a modern city: central transport links, an exemplary public transport and cycle path network, a wide range of educational opportunities, local recreation in the countryside, exceptional leisure and sports activities, and a family-friendly infrastructure. Furthermore, its location and structure make Karlsruhe one of the most livable cities in Germany.
The business location of Karlsruhe has its own exhibition center and a congress center.
Leisure and family
Karlsruhe has something to offer everyone, whether for singles, couples or families: A lively cultural and music scene, an attractive range of leisure activities, the Karlsruhe Zoo, countless celebrations and festivals, over 25 swimming pools and bathing lakes, over 100 km of cycle paths and a quarter of the city area laid out in well-kept parks and green spaces make Karlsruhe an “oasis in the countryside”.
Families enjoy the dense network of playgrounds, kindergartens, and schools. The city also boasts one of Europe’s most prestigious universities, the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), with over 25,000 students.
Citizens and visitors also enjoy the Center for Art and Media (ZKM), which occupies a leading position among museums and production facilities of its kind worldwide.
Science and business
With KIT and 10 other universities, technology and startup networks, its economic and innovative strength, and its high quality of life, Karlsruhe boasts a very high talent pool and attracts top-class companies. Its central European location allows easy access to Europe’s most important business and trade fair centers from Karlsruhe’s own Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport, central long-distance train station, and the directly connected motorway network.
Savoir-vivre – pure quality of life
The region around Karlsruhe is one of the sunniest in Germany, and nowhere else boasts a higher concentration of top-class restaurants. It is surrounded by the beautiful wine-growing regions of Baden, the Southern Palatinate, and Alsace. The Black Forest lies right outside the city gates, and its central location allows you to reach neighboring France in under 30 minutes, Switzerland in under two hours, and Austria in under three hours. Major cities like Frankfurt can be reached in one and a half hours, Munich in three, and Paris by state-of-the-art express train in two and a half hours (!).
Karlsruhe is also home to the Badisches Staatstheater, many private music and theater stages, festivals and city festivals, as well as many cafés and beer gardens in the countryside that invite you to linger.