2003 Men's Volleyball European Championships

Karlsruhe

Leipzig

Berlin

population & structure

Karlsruhe is centred in the heart of Europe, between the Black Forest, the Vogesen and the Palatinate Mountains in the lowlands of the river Rhine. The city has 280000 inhabitants and can be called a ‘think tank with savoir-vivre’.
Here you will find the greatest concentration of scientists in Europe and at the same time Karlsruhe can be proud of the highest rate of green space of all German cities. The technology region of Karlsruhe is not only one of the first but also till this day the most successful of Germany. The region of Karlsruhe is a popular meeting point for economy and industry, science and engineering, arts and culture. The new fair Karlsruhe (also the location of the European Volleyball Championship) will even strengthen this trend of innovation.
You can come to Karlsruhe quite easily by airplane using the airport Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden which is close-by. The central station is a junction to the most important ICE connections, the highways A5 and A8 make sure that Karlsruhe is optimal reachable by car. In the region of Karlsruhe itself, the worldwide observed public local traffic of the Karlsruhe traffic network guarantees good connections.

dm-arena

Karlsruhe

location & history

Legend has it that margrave Karl Wilhelm from Baden one day while he was asleep had a vision of a stellar-constructed town with a residence in the centre. The idea of the ‘fan’ was born. On July 17th 1715, the laying of the foundation stone of the baronial residence in the Hardtwald (hardt forest) took place. At that time even Voltaire, Goethe, Napoleon or Heinrich von Kleist were enthusiastic about the residence. „Carolsruhe“ on its blueprints reminds of the picture of a sun from whose centre, the palace tower, roads and avenues spread out like rays. And you’ll find lots of sun in Karlsruhe! With about 1.700 hours of sun per year, Karlsruhe has the second-warmest climate of Germany. By the way: This ancient ground-plan of the city has been copied by the capital of the USA! Washington has been created using the plans of Karlsruhe!

sport & culture

World Champions are at home in Karlsruhe, as well as Olympic Champions, National league players and sports legends.
The city of boxing accommodates two exceptional persons: Regina Halmich and Sven Ottke. Olympic Champion Drechsler lives in the ‚city of fan’ too. About team sports: It’s been some years that the KSC went out on Europe-wide preys – but now a basketball team, the table tennis aces, a tennis club and weightlifters also cause a national stir. Outstanding sports facilities again and again bring top acts to the enthusiastic spectators of Karlsruhe: The German Davis cup-Team as well as the national teams of volley-and basketball make stops in the Europahalle (hall of Europe). The LBBW-athletics-meeting and the competitions of the professional cyclists round off the sports calendar of Karlsruhe. The multifunctional arena at the new fair will be the site of the European Volleyball Championship – and lots of sports top acts are going to follow.
Herewith Karlsruhe ties, especially concerning the volleyball, in with its volleyball tradition of organizing great events.
Karlsruhe has already been the site of European Championships for two times! In 1989 at the Woman’s ECH and in 1991 at the Men’s ECH the best teams of Europe were having a whistle stop in the metropolis of Baden and each time they praised the hospitality and knowledge of the spectators. Since 1999 an annual ‘international match – delicacy’ (German women against Brazil 1999 + 2002) or a tournament (2001 Women’s European Grand Prix qualification) takes place in Karlsruhe.

plan Karlsruhe

travel to Karlsruhe

town hall

Karlsruhe palace

sightseeing

With more than 800 hectare of public parks and green spaces, Karlsruhe offers a variety of islands of peace and recreation which is unique in Germany. At the worldwide city contest ‚Nations in Bloom’ the green Karlsruhe placed second after Newcastle! The Botanical Garden, the castle garden and the city garden of the zoo let your visit of Karlsruhe become a green dream in the city. On the longest shopping street of Baden, the Kaiserstrasse, it’s quite fun to stroll. Lots of street cafés invite you to take a break. The symbol of the city, the pyramid, forms the central point on the market place. You can get to the residence castle which contains the national museum of Baden by walking along the ‘Via Triumphalis’ with its unique classicism ensemble. There are an uncountable number of other museums that will amaze you, for example the ‘centre for art and media technology’, the German ‘Centre Pompidou’. You also have the surroundings of Karlsruhe that you can reach easily by tram. Get into the tram at the market place and leave it right in the middle of the Black forest – that’s only possible in Karlsruhe!

hotel & tourism

Hotels are available in every category. The KMK-tourism-service will help you with the booking and makes it possible to get a cheaper ticket for the train to Karlsruhe.

Just ask for the Karlsruhe ticket.

Further information:

KMK – Tourismus
Phone +49 721-3720 5381
Fax +49 721-3720 5399
Information material for free: +49 721-3720 5391
Internet www.karlsruhe.de/Tourismus/eng
Ticket-Hotline: +49 721-25000