Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum And Exhibit Hall
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall
Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos (The Potsdam Mosaic)
De Tijdtrap
Qadian rooftop, Minaratul Masih, and Masjid Mubarak.
Aqsa Mosque
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
about 18 hours ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
about 18 hours ago
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
1 day ago
The Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Flamingo in Everglades National Park.
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Germany Kassel Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe

A sprawling Baroque park with 300-year-old hydro-pneumatic waterworks.

Kassel, Germany

Added By
Allison Meier
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
In winter, this 590-acre Baroque park is home to sledding, skating, and romping dogs.   Courtesy of German National Tourist Board
In winter, this 590-acre Baroque park is home to sledding, skating, and romping dogs.   Courtesy of German National Tourist Board
  Library of Congress
  MalteRuhnke
  fanglan/Flickr
  Dirk Vorderstraße
  Pedelecs/Wikimedia
  Cali Buckley / Atlas Obscura User
  Cali Buckley / Atlas Obscura User
  Cali Buckley / Atlas Obscura User
  Cali Buckley / Atlas Obscura User
  Cali Buckley / Atlas Obscura User
Löwenburg   andreaslange / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

At 590 acres, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is Europe's largest hillside park.  It's located just west of the city center of Kassel, Germany.

The Baroque "bergpark," meaning "mountain park," was started in 1696. It is most interesting for its waterworks. 92,000 gallons flow through the 300-year-old hydro-pneumatic devices that are connected to reservoirs and channels. The water starts at the stunning 350-meter-long Grand Cascade that descends from an octagon-shaped building surmounted by a pyramid topped with a giant statue of Hercules.

From there, the water bounds through waterfalls and water rapids all the way to the Grand Fountain that is more of a geyser shooting up 50 meters. There are also follies like faux ruins, a Chinese pagoda, and a Roman aqueduct decorating the park. 

The park was designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. 

Related Tags

Waterworks Peculiar Fountains Architectural Oddities Follies And Grottoes Architecture

Know Before You Go

From the City take Tram #1 to Wilhelmshöhe. As of August 2017, the Grand Cascade and Lowenburg Castle are covered in scaffold and cranes for repairs. Also note the Water Features only happen between 1 May & 3 October on Wednesdays, Sundays & public holidays starting at the Hercules Monument at 2:30pm (one time per day). Admission is free.

Community Contributors

Added By

Allison

Edited By

monacensia, Collector of Experiences, lilymara, Cali Buckley...

  • monacensia
  • Collector of Experiences
  • lilymara
  • Cali Buckley
  • andreaslange
  • shiribarnett

Published

August 10, 2013

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.wilhelmshoehe.de/home.htm
  • http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1413
  • Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe Brochure
Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe
Schlosspark 1
Kassel, 34131
Germany
51.315969, 9.39423
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Artists Necropolis (Künstler-Nekropole)

Kassel, Germany

miles away

Museum of Sepulchral Culture

Kassel, Germany

miles away

GRIMMWELT Kassel (Grimm World Kassel)

Kassel, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kassel

Kassel

Germany

Places 5

Nearby Places

Artists Necropolis (Künstler-Nekropole)

Kassel, Germany

miles away

Museum of Sepulchral Culture

Kassel, Germany

miles away

GRIMMWELT Kassel (Grimm World Kassel)

Kassel, Germany

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Kassel

Kassel

Germany

Places 5

Related Stories and Lists

A World Most Strange and Beautiful: Five Stunning New UNESCO Sites

By Allison Meier

Related Places

  • The elaborate top of the tower.

    Halifax, England

    Wainhouse Tower

    This tallest folly in the world began its life as an elaborate factory chimney.

  • The windows have been bricked up for years.

    Washington, D.C.

    Washington Aqueduct Castle Gatehouse

    A building shaped like the Army Corps of Engineers logo, because why not?

  • Iulia Hasdeu Castle.

    Câmpina, Romania

    Iulia Hasdeu Castle

    This eccentric folly house was designed by Romanian thinker Bogdan-Petriceicu Hasdeu, with a helping hand from his deceased daughter's spirit.

  • It moves!

    Stretford, England

    The Barton Swing Aqueduct

    A rotating bridge that carries a little canal over a larger one.

  • Little Moreton Hall from the outside

    Congleton, England

    Little Moreton Hall

    This logic-defying 16th-century Tudor manor still stands to the delight and astonishment of onlookers.

  • Hall of Waters

    Excelsior Springs, Missouri

    Hall of Waters

    This art deco masterpiece was once a miracle spring mecca but is now simply a government office building.

  • Dunmore, Scotland

    The Dunmore Pineapple House

    A giant pineapple, a symbol of hospitality, and an amazing vacation rental option.

  • A modern-day view of the stone house

    Alcolea del Pinar, Spain

    Casa de Piedra (Stone House)

    An impressive home made of stone, carved more than a century ago.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.