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Other , 0 Comments May 15, 2017

Offenburg, situated 20 kilometers southeast of Strasbourg, is the heart of the Ortenau region blessed equally with wine, sun and culture, and an attractive destination for both leisure-seekers and gourmets.  

The legend has it that the town was founded by the legendary King Offo. The first evidence of the city’s name being mentioned in documents dates back to 850 years ago. However, the roots of the city have origin from the time of Emperor Nero. At that time the Romans built fortresses along the Rhine - where  probably Offenburg is today. After a great fire in 1689, the Capuchin monastery was the only preserved building from medieval Offenburg. Today, Offenburg boast its baroque splendor that was built in the 17th and 18th century, such as the Baroque Town Hall of 1741, the adjoining Royal Court from 1806, and the Jewish Bath from the 14th century, that are worth visiting.

Town Hall: the baroque building of the historic Town Hall in the town center dates back to 1741. Above the balcony, under a flat gable, rests the the city’s coat of arms, and the Austrian double eagle can be seen. The Ursula pillar (Ursulasäule) in front of the Town Hall is the guardian patroness of the city, where she stands guard high aloft.

Jewish Bath (Mikveh): Among the five remaining Jewish baths from the Middle Ages in the Rhine region, the Offenburg bath has a special charm with its architectural elements. After extensive renovation work it was open to the public in 1978. The visitor reaches it from the back alley over the backyard, from where hereaches the wooden staircase which leads to the basement. Fromthis vault, a stepped staircase of 44 steps, which consists of interesting wedge steps in its middle section, leads into the actual bathing space measuring 2.06 x 2.28 meters.

Royal Court: The former "Königshof" was designed by Vorarlberg architect Dominik Elmenreich in 1714 - 1717 according to the plans of Michael Ludwig Rohrer from Baden-Baden, the architect of Castle Favorite in Rastatt. Particularly impressive is the facade with the portal, which was erected in 1756 - 1758 following the design by Franz Ignaz Krohmer.

Culture Office Offenburg: With approximately 150 events from in the field of theater, concert, toddler and children's program per season, the Kulturbüro Offenburg is the largest cultural provider in the region. Approximately 70,000 visitors from the Ortenau region and far beyond to the Alsace experience the highest standards every year at these events. Our range also includes prestigious festivals and series such as the Offenburg Kreuzgang concerts, the Sabor de Samba festival or the German-French jazz passage.

Europapark Rust: A special experience for the whole family is the Europapark Rust very close to Offenburg. The Europa-Park, an area of ​​85 hectares,  offers fantastic adventure worlds with numerous adventure activities. More than 100 exciting attractions and international shows ensure lots of fun, excitement and unforgettable moments. From the 2009 season, there are even more thrills for the visitors of Germany's largest recreational park, as a new roller coaster catapults courageous guests into a completely new roller coaster experience right next to the Scandinavian theme area!

Goethe once wrote about Offenburg and the Ortenau: "In no other country does the sun shine brighter and the sky is more blue than here between the Rhine and the vines." In addition to its baroque grandeur and strong wines, Offenburg is distinguished above all by the famous Baden cuisine. It is cultivated in cozy guest houses, cozy wine pubs (Straußenwirtschaft), in the Rebland and in numerous diners which are known internationally. The Ortenau is a mecca for gourmets - wines will take care of the rest. Offenburg is also a shopping center, you can stroll, enjoy culture and history.