2026-07-01

Baden

 I would say that I like Karlsruhe in Germany. Karlsruhe is located in the federal state of Baden-Württemberg, in southwestern Germany, not far from the French border.

I was also in Karlsruhe during one of the nights over Christmas in 2025. As usual, I walked to Karlsruhe Palace (Schloss Karlsruhe). Even from the park, you can see how long the palace is—it almost doesn’t fit into a standard iPhone photo.

On warmer days or nights, when approaching Karlsruhe Palace along the main road, you can often smell the nearby zoo. It is located just behind the fence next to the sidewalk, so its presence is usually quite noticeable. During the freezing Christmas nights, however, I noticed it mainly because of the interesting sounds of the animals. There are residential buildings on the opposite side of the street.

I also like that the walk to Karlsruhe Palace takes you past Platz der Grundrechte (Square of Fundamental Rights), which is located in the lower part of the Schlossbezirk, in front of the Federal Constitutional Court.

The square features 24 double-sided street signs displaying quotations from judges, lawyers, scholars, and ordinary citizens about law, justice, and democracy. Each sign places two different perspectives on the same subject face to face, creating a public dialogue about the meaning of law, justice, and democratic society. The entire installation forms a unique public reflection on law and democracy.