Rheinau: Culture, Drais Trails and Lake Rheinau

Rheinau offers different ways to shape your stay: you can discover cultural history, follow in the footsteps of Karl Drais, take a guided tour of murals or plan an excursion to Lake Rheinau.

Historical Traces Around Rheinau

A prominent point of reference is the building popularly known as the “Alte Relaishaus.” Its actual name is Kießler-Hof, and it is protected as a cultural monument in Mannheim-Rheinau under Section 2 of the Baden-Württemberg Monument Protection Act. Historically, the building holds a special position: alongside the Stengelhof, built around 1773, it was the oldest building in what later became the village of Rheinau. Anyone interested in local history and surviving architectural heritage will find a tangible starting point here for planning their trip.

Karl Drais is also connected with Rheinau. Wherever possible, the Drais Route follows the historic course of the journey Karl Drais undertook on June 12, 1817, riding his draisine from his home in Mannheim to the Schwetzinger Relaishaus, which was then located in what is now Rheinau. Another tour is called “In the Footsteps of Karl Drais” and reaches Rheinau soon after passing through Neckarau. This makes it possible to explore two different approaches to the subject: the historic route and a tour that places Rheinau within a larger search for traces.

Architecture, Light and Contemporary Murals

Another architectural experience is offered by the Protestant Pfingstberg Church in Mannheim-Rheinau. It was built in 1962/63 during the second construction phase, together with the church and bell tower. Its glass walls provide an unobstructed view of birch trunks and sparse coniferous woodland. This particular interplay between the church interior and the surrounding vegetation creates a distinctive atmosphere and makes the church a destination for visitors who want to discover modern architecture in addition to local history.

The bookable group tour “Stadt.Wand.Kunst – Right here, Rheinau” is suitable for a shorter activity. The easy route is 1.30 km long, lasts 90 minutes and showcases murals by DUO SOURATI. The format works well as a clearly defined cultural element in a day’s itinerary. If your travel group has varied interests, such a tour can offer a contemporary perspective on Rheinau alongside the historical topics.

Excursions and Choosing Your Accommodation

Lake Rheinau can be reached from Rheinau railway station on bus route 48 in the direction of “Rheinau, Rotterdamer Straße Nord”; get off at the Chiemseestraße stop. This specific connection can be taken into account when planning a day trip. When choosing a holiday apartment, it makes sense to first consider whether historical destinations, the Drais trails, the art tour or Lake Rheinau should be the main focus.

Rheinau therefore offers several clearly distinct travel ideas: local history at Kießler-Hof, a historic connection with Karl Drais, the special atmosphere of Pfingstberg Church, murals on a 1.30 km guided tour and an excursion to Lake Rheinau accessible by bus route 48. For further orientation, you can also visit the pages on Mannheim, Friedrichsfeld, Seckenheim.

Back to the higher-level travel overview: Mannheim.