Editing Darmstadt (section)

== Parks, architecture, and attractions ==
=== Castles and historical buildings ===
[[File:Residenzschloss Darmstadt 539-Gdh.JPG|thumb|left|Residential Palace and Market Square]]
{{City Centre Darmstadt Map}}
Darmstadt was the capital of an independent country (the [[Grand Duchy of Hesse]]) until 1871 and the capital of the German state of [[Hesse]] until 1945.<ref name="Redaktion 2021">{{cite web | title=Darmstadt im Jahr 1871: Ein Ort der Innovation | publisher=Echo Online | date=10 March 2021 | url=https://www.echo-online.de/lokales/darmstadt/darmstadt-im-jahr-1871-ein-ort-der-innovation-1848386 | language=de | access-date=1 February 2023 | archive-date=1 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201165858/https://www.echo-online.de/lokales/darmstadt/darmstadt-im-jahr-1871-ein-ort-der-innovation-1848386 | url-status=live }}</ref> It is due to its past as a capital city that it has many architectural testimonies of this period. Many of its major architectural landmarks were created by [[Georg Moller]] who was appointed the court master builder of the Grand Duchy of Hesse.<ref name="Darmstadt_5">{{cite web | title=Georg Moller: Darmstadt | publisher=City of Darmstadt | url=https://www.darmstadt.de/leben-in-darmstadt/soziales-und-gesellschaft/kirchen/friedhoefe/ehrengraeber/georg-moller | language=de | access-date=1 February 2023 | archive-date=1 February 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230201170039/https://www.darmstadt.de/leben-in-darmstadt/soziales-und-gesellschaft/kirchen/friedhoefe/ehrengraeber/georg-moller | url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Residential Palace Darmstadt]] ({{lang|de|Stadtschloss}}) is located in the city centre. It was the residence of the counts of [[Landgraviate of Hesse-Darmstadt|Hesse-Darmstadt]], later as [[Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine|Grand Dukes of Hesse]] by the grace of Napoleon. The rulers of Hesse also owned [[Jagdschloss Kranichstein]], a hunting lodge in [[Kranichstein]] which is a nowadays used as a five star hotel. The most famous castle in the Darmstadt region is [[Frankenstein Castle]] due to claims that the real castle may have had an influence on Mary Shelley's decision to choose the name [[Frankenstein]] for her monster-creating scientist. This castle dates back to the 13th century, but it was acquired by the counts of Hesse-Darmstadt in 1662.

=== Russian Chapel ===
[[File:Russian Chapel in Darmstadt, Germany.jpg|thumb|upright|Russian Chapel in Darmstadt]]
[[File:Haus der Geschichte-Darmstadt.jpg|thumb|Haus der Geschichte]]
The last ruling Grand Duke of Hesse, [[Ernest Louis, Grand Duke of Hesse|Ernst Ludwig]] was a grandson of [[Queen Victoria]] and brother to [[Alexandra of Hesse|Empress Alexandra]] of [[Russian Empire|Russia]]. The architecture of Darmstadt has been influenced by British and Russian imperial architecture with many examples still existing, such as the Luisenplatz with its grand-ducal column, the old Hessian State Theatre and the [[Russian Chapel in Darmstadt]]. The Russian Chapel is a [[Russian orthodox church]] which is still in use. It was built and used as a private chapel by the last [[Tsar]] of Russia, [[Nicholas II of Russia|Nicholas II]], whose wife [[Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse|Alexandra]] was born in Darmstadt. Although Russian orthodox churches also exist in other cities outside Russia, the Russian Chapel in Darmstadt was the only official Russian church used by the Tsar outside the [[Russian Empire]]. It is said that the chapel was built on Russian soil that was brought to Darmstadt exclusively for the purpose of building the Tsar's private chapel on it. by [[Leon Benois]]. The Russian church, St. Mary Magdalene Chapel, is named in honor of the patron saint of Tsar Nicholas' mother and was built of Russian stone on Russian soil brought to Darmstadt by train. It was used by the Russian imperial family and court during regular visits to the Tsarina's brother and family in Darmstadt.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_churches.html |title=The Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia – Official Website |access-date=14 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429050209/http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/synod/engdocuments/enart_churches.html |archive-date=29 April 2014}}</ref>

=== Modern architecture ===
[[File:Darmstadt-Waldspirale-Hundertwasser3.jpg|thumb|The Waldspirale]]

Darmstadt has a rich tradition in modern architecture. After 1945 several ''"Meisterbauten"'' (''Masterful Architectonic Creations'') were built that set standards for modern architecture. These buildings still exist and are used for various public and private purposes. In the late 1990s the [[Waldspirale]] ('Forest Spiral') was built, a residential complex by Austrian [[Hundertwasser|Friedensreich Hundertwasser]]. As an almost [[Surrealism|surreal]] building, it is internationally famous for its almost absolute rejection of rectangular forms, down to every window having a different shape, the style being a trademark of Hundertwasser's work. Hundertwasser died before the Waldspirale was finished.

=== Art Nouveau ===
[[File:La Mathildenhöhe, colline jugendstil (Darmstadt) (7882270018).jpg|thumb|The Mathildenhöhe]]

Darmstadt was a centre of the [[Art Nouveau|Art Nouveau movement]]. Surviving examples of the [[Jugendstil]] period include the Rosenhöhe, a landscaped English-style [[rose]] garden from the 19th century, recently renovated and replanted,<ref>[http://www.darmstadt.de/en/sights/rosenhoehe/index.html Rosenhöhe – planted with roses] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090428042421/http://www.darmstadt.de/en/sights/rosenhoehe/index.html |date=28 April 2009 }} (from the official city website)</ref> the UNESCO World Heritage Site [[Mathildenhöhe]],<ref>[http://www.darmstadt.de/en/sights/mathildenhoehe/index.html Mathildenhöhe (Artists' Colony)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090813221840/http://www.darmstadt.de/en/sights/mathildenhoehe/index.html |date=13 August 2009 }} (from the official city website)</ref> with the ''Hochzeitsturm'' ('Wedding tower', also commonly known as the 'Five-Finger-Tower') by [[Joseph Maria Olbrich]], the [[Russian Chapel in Darmstadt]] and large exhibition halls as well as many private villas built by Jugendstil architects who had settled in Darmstadt. German Art Nouveau is commonly known by its German name, Jugendstil. The name is taken from the artistic journal, Die Jugend, which was published in Munich and which espoused the new artistic movement. It was founded in 1896 by Georg Hirth (Hirth remained editor until his death in 1916, and the magazine continued to be published until 1940). The magazine was instrumental in promoting the style in Germany. As a result, its name was adopted as the most common German-language term for the style: Jugendstil ("young style"). Although, during the early 20th century, the word was applied to only two-dimensional examples of the graphic arts, especially the forms of organic typography and graphic design found in and influenced by German magazines like Jugend, Pan, and [[Simplicissimus]], it is now applied to more general manifestations of Art Nouveau visual arts in Germany, the Netherlands, the Baltic states, and Nordic countries. The two main centres for Jugendstil art in Germany were Munich and Darmstadt.

=== Squares ===
[[File:Luisenplatz-Rathaus.jpg|thumb|Luisenplatz with Ludwigsäule]]

The ''Luisenplatz'', the central square of the city, forms the centre of the city and is the main public transport hub. In 1844 the ''Ludwigsäule'' (called ''Langer Lui'', meaning ''Long Ludwig''), a 33-metre (108&nbsp;ft) column commemorating [[Ludwig I, Grand Duke of Hesse and by Rhine|Ludwig I]], first Grand Duke of [[Grand Duchy of Hesse|Hesse]], was placed in the middle of the square. While the column still stands, the square is today surrounded by mostly modern buildings. Other important squares are the ''Marktplatz'' (see image) near the old city hall and the ''Sabaisplatz'' at the ''Mathildenhöhe''.

=== Parks ===
[[File:Darmstadt Eingang Rosenhöhe.jpg|thumb|Park Rosenhöhe]]

The city has a high density of parks. Among the most important parks are the English style ''Herrngarten'' in central Darmstadt. In former times it was part of the Royal Gardens used exclusively by the dukes of Darmstadt. Today it is a public park, heavily used in every season of the year. Other important parks are the French style parks ''Prinz-Georgs-Garten'' and [[Orangerie (Darmstadt)|Orangerie]], the modern style ''Bürgerpark'' ("People's Park") in northern Darmstadt and the mystical [[Rosenhöhe Park]] ("Rose Heights"), which also serves as the cemetery for the grand dukes and their immediate family, with two impressive mausoleum buildings (the Old Mausoleum and New Mausoleum) standing within it. The [[Botanischer Garten der TU Darmstadt|''Botanischer Garten'']] in eastern Darmstadt is a [[botanical garden]] maintained by the [[Technische Universität Darmstadt]] with a fine collection of rare plants and trees.

=== Churches ===
[[File:Altes Rathaus-Marktplatz-Darmstadt.jpg|thumb|Marktplatz with the old city hall and Stadtkirche Church]]
[[File:St-Ludwig Darmstadt 548-h.jpg|thumb|St. Ludwig Church]]
The [[Protestant]] [[Stadtkirche Darmstadt]] built in 1369, is in the pedestrian zone of the downtown city center, next to the historic Hotel Bockshaut.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.bockshaut.de/EN/ |title=Historic hotel Bockshaut |access-date=15 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226201227/http://www.bockshaut.de/EN/ |archive-date=26 February 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The church has [[Gothic architecture|gothic]] elements along with [[renaissance]] and [[baroque]], it houses the [[Royal family|royal]] [[crypt]]. Hotel Bockshaut was built in 1580 for a church presbytery. The most important [[Catholic]] Church is ''St. Ludwig'' in central Darmstadt.

=== Festivals ===
Every year on the first weekend of July the [[Heinerfest]] festival is held in the streets surrounding the old ducal palace. It is a traditional German festival with music acts, [[beer hall]]s, [[amusement ride]]s and booths selling trinkets and food. The Schlossgrabenfest, better known as the Stage Groove Festival, is [[live music]]-oriented and is held every year in May. These two festivals attract 700,000<ref>{{Cite web|date=26 January 2008|title=www.darmstadt.de – Informationen, Heinerfest|url=http://www.darmstadt.de/infos/heinerfest/|access-date=7 January 2023|archive-date=26 January 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080126230241/http://www.darmstadt.de/infos/heinerfest/|url-status=dead}}</ref> and 400,000<ref>{{Cite web|title=Schlossgrabenfest 2006|url=https://www.schlossgrabenfest.de/2006/sgf_aktuelles_14.html|access-date=7 January 2023|website=www.schlossgrabenfest.de|archive-date=7 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230107153301/https://www.schlossgrabenfest.de/2006/sgf_aktuelles_14.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> visitors respectively.