Category: Sights

The artwork ‘Idee di Pietra‘ by Giuseppe Penone (also called ‘Penone tree‘) is one of the most beloved works shown during the documenta 13 in 2012. It is located in the Karlsaue at Kassel, Germany and was bought after the exhibition using donations by the citizens. It is a bronze replica of a hazelnut tree with a giant foundling consisting of granite on top. An artwork that always catches the attention of pedestrians.

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There aren’t many documenta artworks left at the Karlsaue in Kassel, Germany. You can find the Spitzhacke by Claes Oldenburg (documenta 7, 1982) and the Idee di Pietra by Giuseppe Penone (documenta 13, 2012). And then there is a special tree – the Arkansas Black Apple by Jimmie Durham (documenta 13, 2012). The fruits are nearly black and the tree reminds the artist of his childhood. It is a very simple but yet highly complex artwork – if you want to see it as one.

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It is quite a special geological situation: directly within the basin in which Kassel, Germany is located, there is a hill consisting of limestone. It was formerly called Kratzenberg. On one side many residential homes, the Samuel-Beckett-Anlage and the Stadthalle can be found. On the other side, the hill is pretty steep and at its feet, you can find the railway tracks leading to Kassel Hauptbahnhof and Kassel-Wilhelmshöhe. In fact, these parts of the hill have been removed when the railway tracks were built in the middle of the 19th century.

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Near the Hessenschanze at Kassel, Germany you can find a small spring that refreshes the many people passing by on weekends. It is the strongest spring of the city quarter Kirchditmold. The Prinzenquelle is surrounded by a massive enclosure made of stone which was built before the year 1900. Unfortunately the water doesn’t come to the top where it did in the past and now it is directed via a pipe to a small river. Additionally there is a wooden Kneipp water-treading basin that is in good condition.

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The Hessenschanze is the end point of tramway 8 and a favorite place to have a walk through the forest. It is essentially a forest glade that was formerly used for sports. Now only in winter times the area is occupied by children that ride their sledges on different tracks. In 2013 a two kilometers long educational path (‘Walderlebnispfad‘) through the forest was opened that can be easily reached from the tramway stop.

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The Marbachshöhe is a former military area at Kassel, Germany. The buildings in this area are nowadays used by companies and as residential homes. Next to them you can find the tiny nature preserve known as Marbachsgraben or Marbachsgrünzug. It is taken care of by the city to give insects, birds and small animals a home. If you follow the Helleböhnweg up the hill you can have good views on Kassel next to the Westfriedhof cemetery.

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Within the city of Kassel, Germany you can find an area with beautiful old oaks – the Hutewiesen above the Dönche nature preserve. They are grown as nature wants them to be – in every direction and wild as only an oak can grow. In summer the area is often used to host a herd of sheep.

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The ‘Wasserkünste‘ of the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe at Kassel, Germany are enabled by a system of water flows. While the cascades below the Herkules receive their water from two artificial lakes behind the monument, the Steinhöfer Wasserfall gets the water from the old mine ‘Zeche Herkules‘ and the tiny stream Sichelbach. From Neu-Holland the water is first brought by a long channel to the mountain lake Asch.

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