Kassel is at the heart of the German Fairy Tale Route – and the city where Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm spent around 30 years of their lives. Here, they collected and worked on many of the stories that would later become known around the world as the Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
Today, you can follow in their footsteps and discover the city where their passion for language, literature and storytelling took shape.
Start your journey at GRIMMWELT Kassel, an interactive exhibition centre dedicated to the lives and work of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Their famous Children’s and Household Tales are at the heart of the exhibition, alongside their work as linguists, researchers and collectors of stories.
Among the most remarkable exhibits are the Grimms’ personal copies of the Children’s and Household Tales. These annotated volumes are part of the UNESCO Memory of the World.
The Brothers Grimm are still present throughout Kassel. Discover their former places of residence, explore the city on a guided Grimm tour or look for traces of their stories and the people who told them.
One of the most fascinating figures is Dorothea Viehmann, a storyteller from Kassel whose tales became an important source for the Brothers Grimm. She is among the best-known people whose stories helped shape the collection we know today.
Kassel is not only about the Brothers Grimm. Just outside the city centre, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe combines gardens, architecture, water features and spectacular views in a unique landscape.
At the top stands the monumental Hercules, overlooking the city. From here, the famous water features cascade down through the park, passing fountains, waterfalls and the impressive aqueduct.
The park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013 and is one of Kassel’s most extraordinary places to explore.
Hidden among the trees of Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is Löwenburg Castle, a romantic recreation of a medieval knight’s castle. With its towers, gardens and historic interiors, it looks as though it has stepped straight out of a fairy tale.
Nearby, Wilhelmshöhe Palace houses important art collections and offers impressive views across the park and the city.
Whether you come for the Brothers Grimm, world-class art, historic castles or the spectacular landscapes surrounding the city, Kassel is an ideal base for discovering the German Fairy Tale Route.
Stay for a few days and use the city as a starting point for adventures into the surrounding Grimm landscapes – from Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel to castles, forests and charming half-timbered towns.
Kassel is where the stories of the Brothers Grimm become a journey you can experience for yourself.
