Kassel

Kassel is a city on the Fulda River in northern Hesse in the south-western part of Germany. Kassel is the former capital of Hesse-Kassel. It known for its many palaces and parks, including the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also famous for its contemporary art exhibition, documenta. Kassel hosts a public university, and a diverse population.

The name Kassel might originate from "Castellum Cattorum," referring to the castle of the Chatti, a Germanic tribe, or from a Frankish term meaning "the town hall of the valley." First mentioned in 913 AD as Chasella or Chassalla, Kassel started as a fortress by the Fulda River. By 1189, it had gained city rights.

Located on both sides of the Fulda River, Kassel is the largest city in northern Hesse. It boasts a rich cultural history, with the first German observatory built in 1558 and the first permanent theater, Otto Neum, established in 1604. The Brothers Grimm lived in Kassel in the early 19th century, where they collected and wrote most of their famous fairy tales.

Since 1927, Kassel has been home to the renowned music publisher Bärenreiter. The Documenta International Exhibition of Contemporary Art has been held in Kassel since 1955 and now takes place every five years. Notably, during documenta 6 in 1977, Kassel became the first city in the world to be illuminated at night by a laser beam, a Laserscape installation by artist Horst H. Baumann. Artworks from past documenta exhibitions, including sculptures and the "7000 Oaks" land-art by Joseph Beuys, can be found throughout the city.

Outside the city center, Kassel's suburbs feature 19th-century architecture. Historical sites include medieval monument such as the Druselturm, the Brüderkirche, and in part the Martinskirche, whose tower was rebuilt in the 1950s. The suburbs of Harleshausen and Bad Wilhelmshöhe also retain their old timber-framed buildings.

Kassel was heavily bombed during World War II and was rebuilt as an industrial city in the 1950s. Today, it hosts several companies and universities. Major international companies like Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz, SMA, Wintershall, and Krauss-Maffei Wegmann have factories and headquarters in Kassel.

The city is connected to the national railway network by two stations: Kassel Central Station and Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Station. The traditional central station (Hauptbahnhof) now serves regional trains, while Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe Station, on the Hanover-Würzburg high-speed railway line, handles long-distance services including the Inter City Express, Nightjet, and FlixTrain.