Karlsruhe – the fan-shaped city
In the deutschland.de series “My City” mayors reveal their insider’s tips. Part 27: Chief Burgomaster Dr. Frank Mentrup of Karlsruhe.
Dr. Mentrup, what’s special about your city?
A castle at the center, from which the streets radiate in fan-like form: so 300 years ago, according to legend, the city founder, Margrave Karl-Wilhelm von Baden-Durlach, saw his residence in a dream. On 17 June 1715, in the midst of the Hardt Forest, he had the foundation stone laid that would make his dream a reality. Today, three hundred years after the city was founded, Karlsruhe is not only known as the “seat of justice”, the seat of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Germany; in research and technology the city is also in the vanguard nationally and in Europe. It’s the center of the “Karlsruhe Technology Region”, a strategic alliance of cities and districts on both sides of the Rhine, with the aim of pooling resources in the competition among regions. With the worldwide unique ZKM |Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe, the Staatliche Kunsthalle, the Baden State Museum, the Baden State Theatre, numerous other theatres, concert halls, festivals, fairs and art galleries, we have a very attractive offering of art and culture in a lively city with plenty of green spaces and appealing neighborhoods.
What do you see when you look out your office window?
From my office window I can see the Karlsruhe marketplace, currently still a big construction site for the city rail tunnel under our main shopping area. But I can also see an extraordinary work of art: Pulled by the Roots by the Argentine artist Leandro Erlich – a house architecturally modeled on a historical building by Friedrich Weinbrenner and seemingly ripped out of the ground, roots and all, to hover now attached to a construction crane over the marketplace. The house is part of the exhibition The City Is the Star – Art at the Construction Site, one of many highlights of the 15-week summer festival celebrating the 300th birthday of Karlsruhe.
Where in the city do you most like to spend time?
As far as my schedule permits, which unfortunately is seldom, I like best to relax in my own garden.
Which of the great figures of your city do you regard most highly?
In the year of the 300th anniversary of the city I naturally think spontaneously of the city founder, Margrave Karl Wilhelm, because in 1715 he not only laid the foundation for his castle but also created the foundation for a cosmopolitan and liberal city. Since its founding 300 years ago, Karlsruhe has been an international city. In September 1715 Karl Wilhelm promulgated the so-called “Letter of Privileges” far beyond the city borders. It pledged then far-reaching liberties and trade facilitation for people who wanted to settle in Karlsruhe. As a result, people from all of Europe came to the city. People who wanted to build something new. People who brought with them and introduced their ideas and ideals. The result is a very prosperous community. Ever since, the international orientation of the Karlsruhe, which goes hand in hand with a climate of openness and tolerance, has been part of the DNA of the fan-shaped city.
What place would you like to show tourists?
At present I would most warmly recommend visitors to our city to make a tour of construction sites. The emergence of our city rail tunnel, being bored by the gigantic tunneling machine “Giulia”, is an impressive example of the engineering.
Where can you get to know the people of your city best?
The best way to meet Karlruhers is at one of the numerous neighborhood and club parties, at a home match of Karlsruhe SC in the Wildpark stadium or at the many other sporting and cultural events – especially “Das Fest”, one of the largest open-air events in Germany, to which every year at the end of July hundreds of thousands flock to the Günther Klotz complex in the southwest of the city.
And where do you like best to spend your holidays?
At the seaside or in the mountains – the holiday location isn’t the most important thing for me. What I find really relaxing is spending time with my family, with my wife and our four grown children. Then I can really recharge my batteries!