On top of the hill is the Landgrafenschloss, or the castle. When you think about where you want to build a castle, the top of a hill is a perfect place! It provides a lookout and the best defenses when considering a potential attack from another kingdom or army. Placing the castle on the top of the hill also allows everyone to see the wealth and magnificence of the city. The original part of town, which is now referred to as the old city, was built surrounding the castle on the hill for protection and to sustain the city. The river can also be used for boating and recreational activities.
While it was a very good idea to build the old city on the very steep hills surrounding the castle a long time ago, this certainly creates a few logistical problems today! There is very little to no parking in the Oberstadt, meaning that people must park their cars in the lower part of town in parking garages and then travel into the upper part of the city. There is also an issue of accessibility for those with mobility concerns or disability due to the large amount of stairs and hills that are required to traverse the streets. The cold rainy weather of the winter can also create very slick and slippery conditions, which make the steep inclines and stairs challenging. Residents must be very careful when walking around and make sure that they have a good pair of shoes with good treads.
