"Tweebaden" a Wiesbaden Travel Page by antistar

Wiesbaden is a very pleasant town, and pleasing to the eye, but it has a slightly artificial feel to it that robs it of some of its spleandour. Part of the reason for this is that it is the capital of Hessen, but more in an administrative sense. The real capital is in Frankfurt. This makes Weisbaden feel a bit like Canberra.

Another reason is that the city belongs to the bankers and businessmen of Frankfurt, and with the cost of living pricing out ordinary Germans the town has quite a staid and stiff atmosphere. I could be being unfair, but the town felt like the home of a large wealthy and transient community that had little investment in the city other than in creating a clean, safe and pretty home to live in while they do their business.

The town is undeniably pretty, though, thanks largely to avoiding the ravages of World War 2 bombers. The people are pretty as well, and drive around in pretty cars down three lane boulevards. There are grand parks, and grand buildings, with plenty of grand shops to spend your money in. Some of the architecture is amazing, and there are a lot of beautiful houses that reminded me a lot of my home town of Leamington Spa. My favourite building in the whole town was the Marktkirche, if only for its colour: a deep brick red that looked almost orange in the light of the setting sun.

Wiesbaden itself is quite a unique city in Germany, and is only 40km away from Frankfurt, and right opposite Mainz on the banks of the river Rhein, so it is probably worth an afternoon of your time if you are in the area. It's safe, pristine streets are pleasant to wander around, and maybe just what you need as respite from the hustle and bustle of Frankfurt. That is why so many of the well to do of that city live here after all.