Settled since 800 BC, Kaiserslautern is a lively city on the northern edge of the Palatinate Forest. It was once a royal estate and takes its name from the Holy Roman Emperors (“kaisers”) who resided here in the 12th and 13th centuries. More recently, it has been home to the largest American garrison outside the United States.
Things to do in Kaiserslautern
In the heart of Kaiserslautern is the Museum Pfalzgalerie, which showcases more than 200 years of German art. Anselm Feuerbach, Max Liebermann and Otto Dix are represented in the collection, as are Kiki Smith and Luciana Fontana. The museum also showcases an impressive collection of decorative arts, furniture and textiles dating back to the 15th century.
For a dose of local history, head to the Theodor-Zink Museum, which occupies a half-timbered residence built in the 19th century. It is named after a local teacher and historian, with its exhibits including locally made handicrafts, ethnographic objects and Bronze Age artefacts. Also on display are contemporary paintings and designs by regional artists.
Travelling with kids? They'll love the life-size dinosaurs that dot the Gartenschau, a landscaped park designed for Rhineland-Palatinate’s Landesgartenschau in 2000. It occupies the site of a former slaughterhouse and spinning mill where a Lego exhibition is now on display. The Gartenschau includes one of the largest Japanese gardens in Europe and a church created from willow branches atop Kaiserberg hill.
Getting around Kaiserslautern
Kaiserslautern is around 1.5 hours’ drive from Frankfurt and an hour from Frankfurt Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Kaiserslautern railway station and buses travel throughout the city, connecting most of its attractions. The centre of Kaiserslautern can easily be explored on foot.