A town with chemistry: Ludwigshafen

Originally a collection of centuries-old settlements on the banks of the Rhine, Ludwigshafen owes its growth to the rise of the chemicals industry and did not really play a part in history until the 19th century. Today, art and culture have given the town a new identity. Like all towns on the Rhine, Ludwigshafen is a compelling destination, with an urban face and green lungs, a fascinating history and its own particular charm.

An open-air museum to modern art

Ludwigshafen has a mixed past, having belonged to Bavaria, Baden and the Palatinate in its time. A landing stage for ships on the Rhine was built here in 1811. After the Congress of Vienna in 1815, the Palatinate to the west of the Rhine was given to Bavaria, and the river docks were renamed Ludwigshafen in honour of King Ludwig I of Bavaria. In 1859, Ludwigshafen became a town, shortly before BASF located there in 1865. The company had just been founded as the Baden Aniline and Soda Factory but could not find any premises in Mannheim (Baden). So it moved to Ludwigshafen, which in the meantime was located in the Palatinate again.

Today, Ludwigshafen is easygoing and friendly – a town with a positive attitude to life. After a shopping spree in the Rathaus Center, the Walzmühle mall, Bismarckstrasse or Ludwigstrasse, why not try out the lively cafés and restaurants in Hemshof, the oldest part of Ludwigshafen? Tall plane trees provide a haven of tranquillity on centrally located Ludwigsplatz square. Works of art dotted around the town, including the famous 'Endlose Treppe' (endless steps) by Swiss artist Max Bill, have turned Ludwigshafen into one big museum of modern art. The Wilhelm Hack Museum, which features the famous ceramic mosaic wall by Miró, is internationally acclaimed. Its 9,000-plus exhibits include classical, medieval and modern pieces, as well as contemporary works in the tradition of constructivism and concrete art.

Ludwigshafen's famous son and a park full of harmony

The Ernst Bloch Centre is named after one of the town's most famous sons and houses an extensive library and the academic legacy of this great philosopher. In one room, a glass floor enables you to look down on a reconstruction of Bloch's study below. More of a place to relax than to work, Ebert Park is Ludwigshafen's largest green space in the town centre. A series of themed gardens, including the fragrant rose garden, a sensory garden and a fountain garden with various water features, combine harmoniously to form a beautiful park.