Treppenstraße

The Treppenstraße is seen as an historical highlight at Kassel, Germany – but the normal visitor wouldn’t recognize it. It is a street with steps and platforms that leads from the railway station to the main axis between Königsplatz and Friedrichsplatz in the city center. It is special because it is the first intentionally created pedestrian zone in Germany.

The Treppenstraße was redesigned by Werner Hasper and inaugurated on November the 9th, 1953. A reason for redesigning it was, that by that time pedestrians didn’t have priority in traffic. That was only changed within the Straßenverkehrsordnung in 1964; the pedestrian zone was therefore a measure to protect the people walking to the city center.

Different older films used the Treppenstraße aus scenery, including Der letzte Fußgänger by the famous German comedian Heinz Erhardt. During the last decades the importance of the Treppenstraße reduced significantly; especially by moving the long-distance train railway station to the city quarter Wilhelmshöhe. While there are some nice shops it isn’t a primary location anymore where you would go to for shopping.

Since 2019 the Treppenstraße is the new home to the obelisk of Olu Oguibe created for documenta 14. It has been moved from the Königsplatz to this street.

Treppenstraße
34117 Kassel
Germany