If the weather is nice, The Park Rosenhoehe is the perfect place to spend a Sunday in Darmstadt
The first time I visited Germany, I will admit that I did not expect to find sunshine, or lots of color. I guess I expected lots of sturdy, practical buildings and a grey sky. While I did find some of that while visiting Darmstadt, a town located only 20 minutes by train from Frankfurt, I was amazed to find an artist’s colony, a gorgeous Russian Orthodox Chapel, and just over a quaint little bridge, the Rosenhöhe Park. This park was built in 1810 by Michael Zeyher in what was once a vineyard, and the Rose Garden itself was added at the beginning of the 20th century.
It was a sunny Sunday morning when we entered the park through the lions gate entrance, walking down a road lined on either side by towering trees that shaded us from the sun´s rays and gave the park´s entrance a certain storybook feeling. The dots of light that peeked through the leaves encouraged us to continue down the path. I felt like I was a little girl again, ready to break into a run, or skip ahead of my parents to find out what was waiting around the next corner. Along the path were houses, some with wrought iron gates, others with unique architecture that conjured up images of artists working in their studios or writers sipping a cup of tea while tapping away on their laptops. This was a place to be explored!
We continued down the path, arriving at a sculpture by Karl Krolow of a man walking into the wind. The winding dirt path led us past twisted trees and wild flowers to the main rose garden. All the while, I couldn´t help but think that the autumn sun gave a certain light, a kind of magic and possibility to the morning. I kept stopping on the path to snap photographs, happily smiling at our discovery.
We entered the rose garden and, although it was autumn, there were still a few roses left in bloom. There were other couples taking a walk and enjoying the views. I think what impressed me most was the fact that there was such a feeling of calm about the park. Everyone was enjoying the lazy Sunday morning, but in a way so totally different from the crowded cafés of the nearby city. Everything in the park was full of life and light.
I later learned that Rosenhöhe Park was built in 1810 and it was neglected during the World Wars, but is now cared for by the city of Darmstadt. We ruskommend a visit to RosenhöhePark with 5 boquerones for its charm, natural peace, and beauty. If the weather is nice, it’s the perfect place to spend a Sunday in Darmstadt.
