Visitors to Mannheim will look in vain for winding alleys, half-timbered houses or countless cobblestone streets. The southern German city even has the reputation of being one of the ugliest cities in Germany. But the square city with its simple facades has more to offer than many people think it is capable of at first glance. This year numerous visitors will visit the Federal Horticultural Show in Mannheim – we will show why it is worth exploring the whole city.
City from the drawing board
If you walk through the city center of Mannheim, you will quickly wonder about the missing street names. Instead of Narzissenweg or Schustergasse, travelers will find designations such as Q6 or A2. The reason for this: Mannheim was designed on the drawing board.
Individual squares form the city center – a total of 144 squares stretch between the castle and the Neckar, between the water tower and the Kurt Schumacher Bridge. The city’s checkerboard layout dates back to the beginning of the 17th century. The then elector wanted to build a city that would correspond to the ideals of the Renaissance and offer good military conditions.
Known in Mannheim: the flower peter
The university town of Baden-Württemberg has many facets to be discovered – whether urban, green, modern or historical. If you stroll through the city center, you might come across a sculpture of a little man. Behind it is the story of a disabled person. Peter Schäfer was of short stature and was born in 1875. He is called Blumenpeter by the people of Mannheim.
As a child, his family sent him to sell flowers in restaurants in order to earn something for their livelihood. The mentally handicapped man was often subjected to ridicule. In 1940 he died in the Wiesloch institution – it is not clear whether he was euthanized by the National Socialists or died of natural causes. Today the monument commemorates the story of Peter Schäfer and the “Mannemer Bloomaul-Order” is awarded annually as the city’s highest civic award.
If you give the city in southern Germany a chance, you can learn a lot about its past, discover the pulse of the city and enjoy the diverse culture. Whether the port with its industrial culture, trendy district for creative people or the well-known baroque palace. In our picture gallery you will find inspiration for a visit to Mannheim.