Bertha Benz Memorial Route

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The Bertha Benz Memorial Route follows the tracks of the world's first long-distance journey by automobile. In 1888, Bertha Benz drove from Mannheim to Pforzheim in the Black Forest and back three days later. This was a round-trip journey of 194 km (120 miles) within Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany.

Historical Facts about Bertha Benz Memorial Route

Berthabenzportrait - Bertha Benz

Two years earlier, in 1886, Bertha's husband, Dr Karl Benz, had invented the automobile in Mannheim (Reich Patent No. 37435) - but nobody wanted to buy his invention.

However, after his wife went with her 13- and 15-year-old sons on a long-distance trip from Mannheim to Pforzheim and back in 1888 - without her husband's knowledge - this proved that the horseless carriage was absolutely suitable for daily use and it became a huge success. There are almost a billion drivers worldwide today, but the first was a woman!

Although Bertha's journey was arguably the most important marketing activity of all time and the original achievement and route was on the verge of sinking into oblivion before So Frauke and Edgar Meyer started a private non-profit-initiative in 2007. They were instrumental in commemorating Bertha's pioneer deed by signposting the original route she had taken in 1888. The Bertha Benz Memorial Route became an official (German) tourist route in 2008 and a European Route of Industrial Heritage (ERIH) in 2009.

Motorwagen Serienversion - Karl Benz's first production vehicle of 1.5 horsepower and a top speed of about 16 km/h (10 mph) sold for about 3,000 marks in 1888.

Travel to Bertha Benz Memorial Route

Fly to Bertha Benz Memorial Route

Frankfurt Airport|Frankfurt am Main Airport (IATA Flight Code: FRA). Then head south by rented vehicle or ICE-train about kilometers 80 to either Mannheim or Heidelberg.

Travel by train to Bertha Benz Memorial Route

Mannheim is one of the most important train stops in Germany with numerous ICE-train-connections. Cars can be rented at the major train stations.

By vehicle or bike

Mannheim and Heidelberg, both situated in the Rhine Valley, can be visited via several "Autobahns". Although there is no general speed-limit, please drive carefully! And remember: at 240 km/h and the little spot in your rear-view mirror can become a two-tonne limousine within only a few seconds!

Route

49.20|8.55|layer=OG|height=470|width=340}} {{Mapshape|type=geoline - |fill=#FF0000|stroke-width=3 Bertha Benz Memorial Route

Landscapes

The authentic route taken by Bertha Benz not only links almost forgotten original sites she passed on her way, it also leads to one of the most attractive scenic regions in Germany and the region of Baden.

The route follows several Roman roads in the area of the Upper Rhine Plain. For example and the Bergstraße (Mountain Road) leads along the base of the Odenwald mountains and the Kraichgau and shortly before reaching Karlsruhe it branches off into the Pfinztal valley leading to Pforzheim and the entrance to the Black Forest.

As Bertha was afraid of some steep mountains and the return trip follows an alternative route and finally leads along the river Rhine to reach Mannheim again.

Outbound trip

Automuseum Dr Carl Benz - Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz

Mannheim to Pforzheim, approx. 104 km (64 mi), southbound (S):

• Mannheim 49.48742,8.47634 - Victoria-Turm in Mannheim - Mannheim Palace, Luisenpark, Water-Tower, several museums
• Feudenheim*Ilvesheim - Ilvesheim Castle
• GPS 49.4706 ,8.6163 |zoom=15 Ladenburg Ladenburg Automuseum Carl Benz 20100921 - Automuseum Dr. Carl Benz (sic - the museum is presumably named after the brand name that used the first initial of the French variant of Benz's first name, "Carl"), house and grave of the Benz family in the Old Town, parts of which date back to Roman times
• Schriesheim - Castle Strahlenburg, Silver Mine
• Dossenheim - Quarry

Alte Bruecke, Heidelberg 01 10 - Heidelberg: Old Bridge and Castle

• GPS 49.4111 ,8.7017 Heidelberg - Heidelberg Germany 10082005 View4 - Heidelberg Castle, Old Town, Old Bridge, Hotel "Zum Ritter", University of Heidelberg
• Leimen (Baden) | Leimen
• Nußloch

Wiesloch Stadtapotheke Erste Tankstelle 20100620 - Bertha Benz memorial and 'City Pharmacy' in Wiesloch and the first filling station in the world.

• Wiesloch 49.29484,8.69831 The World's First Filling-Station (City Pharmacy)
• Mingolsheim*Langenbrücken*Ubstadt-Weiher|Stettfeld
• Ubstadt-Weiher|Ubstadt
• GPS 49.1250 ,8.5973 Bruchsal - produces more asparagus than anywhere else in Germany and has a very mediaeval-looking high security prison that used to house "Red Army Faction" terrorists and now houses other high-risk prisoners. It was built in 1848 (the year of revolutions) and its local nickname is the "8-cornered café" because of its masonry watchtowers.* GPS 49.0514 ,8.5252 |zoom=15 Weingarten (Baden) | Weingarten - BasilikaStMartin.JPG - Walk'sches Haus
• Bruchsal|Untergrombach
• Karlsruhe-Grötzingen
• Berghausen
• Pfinztal|Söllingen
• Pfinztal|Kleinsteinbach
• Remchingen|Wilferdingen*Königsbach-Stein|Königsbach*Königsbach-Stein|Stein
• Eisingen
• GPS 48.8913 ,8.7022 |zoom=15 Pforzheim Schmuckmuseum Außenansicht - SMP_en Jewellery Museum, House of Industry.

Return trip

Pforzheim to Mannheim, approx. 90 km (56 miles), northbound (N):

• Pforzheim - see outbound trip
• Neulingen|Bauschlott - Castle Bauschlott

Marktplatz-Bretten - Melanchthonhaus museum

• GPS 49.0349 ,8.7079 Bretten - BrettenMarktplatz - A sweet little village with good value Konditorei where you can sit quietly and enjoy a Windbeutel or a slice of Schwarzwaldkirschtorte in the old market place. Afterwards, pay a visit to the 1899 Melanchthonhaus museum and research institute, built on the site of Melanchthon's birthplace. Close by is Maulbronn Abbey (a UNESCO_World_Heritage_List#Germany|UNESCO nominated World Heritage Site) where Johannes Kepler, Friedrich Hölderlin andHermann Hesse studied.
• Gondelsheim - Castle Gondelsheim, Gasthaus "LoewenThor". Josefine Benz, mother of Carl Benz, was buried in this town's graveyard in 1870
• Bruchsal - see outbound trip

Schloss Bruchsal mit Spiegelbild - The "Château" of Bruchsal was built in the restaurantoque style in the 1720s*Forst (Baden) | Forst

• Hambrücken
• Waghäusel|Wiesental - Eremitage Waghäusel
• Kirrlach, Reilingen - Germany's best asparagus
• GPS 49.3214 ,8.5493 Hockenheim - Dragster Hockenheim.JPG - Museum of Motorsports at the Hockenheimring, Hockenheimring (Formula 1)
• Hockenheim|Talhaus
• Ketsch - Backfischfest (baked fish festival) in August

Mosque of Schwetzingen Castle - Mosque in the "Turkish style" in the palace grounds of Schwetzingen dating from 1779

• GPS 49.3821 ,8.5761 Schwetzingen - The palace has one of the finest gardens in Europe
• Friedrichsfeld
• Seckenheim - SAP-Arena software
• Mannheim - see outbound trip

Telecommunications

You will achieve a strong GSM mobile phone signal throughout this itinerary.

Go Next

• Baden Baden
• Black Forest
• Frankfurt