Hockenheim between tobacco history, garden art and motorsport

Tobacco history and church architecture

Opened in 1984, the Hockenheim Tobacco Museum is considered the first tobacco museum in Baden-Württemberg. It brings the local tradition of tobacco growing and processing to life and provides information on the history of tobacco and its processing. Exhibits include worktables, moulds, presses and scales from an old cigar factory. Pipes, smoking accessories and numerous photographs round out the collection. Alongside objects from the factory, the museum also showcases a variety of items related to tobacco consumption.

Two churches also shape Hockenheim’s cultural character. The Protestant Stadtkirche was built between 1905 and 1907 in the Neo-Baroque style, based on a design by Hermann Behagel. Its tower is 50 metres high and is one of the tallest church towers in the region. The interior renovation completed in 2019, modern media technology and its organ, which is outstanding beyond the region, also make the church suitable for concerts. St. George’s Church offers a different architectural contrast: the Catholic church is one of the rare Art Nouveau churches in southern Germany to have been largely preserved in its original state. Its preserved tower, altars, pulpit and organ are part of this significant example of sacred Art Nouveau and a cultural monument of particular importance.

The Jewish Cemetery is also part of the town’s history. It has existed since 1879, and 53 gravestones are spread across an area of more than 5.72 hectares. The founding year, area and number of gravestones convey a different sense of scale from the craft and architectural collections: here, the focus is on a historic cemetery and its expansive grounds.

Garden Show Park, markets and motorsport

The Garden Show Park was created for the 1991 Baden-Württemberg State Garden Show. The roughly 16-hectare site features historic gardens and a rose garden. Its design also includes a lakeside stage, numerous artworks, around 370 m² of colourful seasonal flower beds and a wide variety of perennial plantings. These different features make the park a destination for anyone who wants to include gardens and art in their explorations alongside culture during their stay.

Another special experience is the public driving sessions at the Hockenheimring, where visitors can experience the racetrack in their own vehicles. The sessions take place irregularly on dates announced in advance during the season. If you’d like to include this activity in your trip, keep an eye on the published dates and plan your stay accordingly. Places on the Insider Tour are limited, so advance ticket purchase is recommended.

The Hockenheim Medieval Market is held annually in the Garden Show Park. Performances and traditional crafts offer a glimpse into medieval life. This puts a different theme in the foreground from the motorsport activities or church architecture. The Hockenheim After-Work Market adds regional products and freshly prepared food to the range of experiences. It was launched in spring 2024 and continues to take place on the second and fourth Friday of each month from 14:00 to 18:00 at Zehntscheunenplatz. Local vendors sell fruit and vegetables, cheese, baked goods and wine, among other things.

When choosing your holiday apartment, you can consider Hockenheim in terms of your travel group’s interests: museum exhibits and architectural history, gardens and art, regional market offerings or motorsport each provide a different focus. These experiences give you a concrete basis for planning the right holiday in Hockenheim.

Discover more places

If you’d also like to explore other places as you plan your trip: Hilsbach, Neidenstein, Brühl, Sandhausen, Eppelheim, Dossenheim, Schönbrunn and Laudenbach.

For the wider travel overview: Rhein-Neckar District.