The Court Garden with a view of the Orangery Kempten

Parks in Kempten

SIMPLY SWITCH OFF AND RELAX

Green oases

Simply switch off, go for a walk and leave the stress behind. The children want to go to a playground or play in the water. A magical view rounds it all off and won’t go amiss. Kempten’s many parks offer all this.

In the town or a short distance away, connected by a footpath – these green oases enhance Germany’s oldest town mentioned on paper. Each park in Kempten has its own story to tell, each one is unique in its own way. Locals and guests alike love to spend time in the parks and green spaces of the Allgäu’s metropolis.

Castle Garden, Bike Park & Family Park

A strolling couple in the Court Garden in Kempten

Hofgarten

The beautiful castle garden, maintained in a baroque style, is situated northeast of the residence. Terraces at various heights give the Hofgarten, which is centrally located in the inner part of the town, a very special appearance. In the past it used to provide fresh food for the monastery, while today it is a favourite spot for recreation and used as a popular meeting point. The sprawling lawns, beautifully arranged seasonal flowerbeds and the two fountains are highly sought-after backdrops for photos. We can’t leave out the famous Robinia, a deciduous tree going back almost 300 years to the period of duke abbots, which watches over the Hofgarten.

Haubenschloß Park

The Haubenschloß Park is located in the southwest of the Swabian town and just outside the centre of the town. When the weather is fine you can enjoy a breathtaking view towards the Allgäu’s Alpine foothills. Relax on the lounges and enjoy the warmth of the sun or dive into a good book. In winter the lawn area is ideal for tobogganing. Sports enthusiasts are sure to get their money’s worth on the sports ground. Children can let off steam in the playground or the bike park. The park was created and trees planted to protect the Haubenschloß high-rise containers– a water reservoir built in 1900. History buffs can visit the Mariners’ Memorial, erected for sailors who died at sea and the Jägerdenkmal for the fallen in the First and Second World Wars.

Engelhalde Park

The twelve-hectare Engelhalde Park is located to the east of the river Iller. This park, adorned with pram-friendly paths and built in a former gravel pit, has a great deal to offer. There are two adventure playgrounds or a large climbing wall for the youngsters to let off steam as well as watch animals in and on the water of the 6000-square-metre lake. The Kneipp area of the Kneippverein Kempten e. V. is ideally suited for treading water. If you are hungry, pay a visit to the excellent Engelhalde Park Restaurant with its beer garden. On top of all that, the Way of St. James route coming from the direction of Munich towards Bregenz passes right through Engelhalde Park.

Stadtpark & Altstadtpark

The Stadtpark is located right in the centre of the town at the Central Transfer Station ‘ZUM’. Once the Stadtpark had been rebuilt, it became a place for well-being right in the heart of the Allgäu town, still connecting the former free imperial city and the ecclesiastical city. The Park was originally built in the 1890s. The focal point of the Stadtpark has to be its octagonal music pavilion, where bands used to perform concerts on Sundays. A special attraction for children are the playing and climbing facilities as well as the water features with their alternating jets of water.
The Stadtpark has hosted the Allgäu Festival Week since 1949. Each year the Park is transformed into one of the ten largest regional consumer trade shows in Germany.

Another of the numerous parks in Kempten is the Altstadtpark. This park is directly situated on the banks the Iller, on the grounds of the former gasworks near the Burghalde. The Altstadtpark offers a small playground and the Iller Steps. It is a beautiful place to relax and soak up the sun and also an excellent spot to take a break from a cycle tour. Time and again, a pair of swans visits this magical place.

The green city park with a view of the pavilion in Kempten

Stadtpark

altstadtpark

Illerdamm

Apart from the Altstadtpark close to the Iller, the Illerdamm also runs alongside the river. On the opposite banks of the river that runs through the town of Kempten, there is peace and quiet for anyone looking to replenish their soul. The open green space opposite the Iller Stadium, venue for football matches and other ball games, offers a generously sized playground for children as well as several areas set aside for the winter sport of Bavarian curling (or ‘Stockschießen’). Beginners and experts alike can prove their skills in the skate park next to the Iller Stadium. Leave your car in the car park at the Illerdamm and head into town for a shopping spree or to see its sights.

Calgeer-Park

This park in the western part of the town, more precisely at the Adenauerring, offers a playground and a fenced-in area set aside for dogs. Here, children and dogs alike can let off steam in safe surroundings. This park, as well as some of the other parks in Kempten, was created by the town gardener Dominikus Senn in 1901. The park was named in honour of the merchant and benefactor of the town, Christian Marco Calgèer. The park also has one of the town’s many fountains.

Stadtweiher

The Stadtweiher, a five-hectare pond at the edge of Stiftallmey, was built as long ago as 1494 on the grounds of the town‘s monastery. As part of the water supply to the Imperial City as well as the Ecclesiastical City, the Stadtweiher was an integral part of a large network of canals, referred to as ‘Schlangenbach’ (‘snake creek’) by locals. Only a few hundred metres away you will find the smaller Steufzger Weiher. A circular route around this pond is a popular footpath where you can find traces of beavers. A large, open green space next to allotment gardens invites you to set down and take a rest.

Archaeological Park & Burghalde

The Cambodunum Archaeological Park is the largest Roman park in southern Germany and tells us all about the history of the former Roman town of Cambodunum. Well-maintained footpaths guide visitors through the park along its 15 active stations and exhibition areas above the Iller. This park offers beautiful views across Kempten towards the Allgäu‘s Alpine foothills. Children’s hearts are sure to beat a little faster when they see the inviting Roman playground. And if all this has made you hungry, visit the Taberna with its offers of delicious Roman dishes, snacks and hot and cold beverages.

From the top of the Burghalde in the old part of town – an elevation of about 700 metres above sea level – you have an unhindered view in every direction. The breathtaking scenery of the Alps is to the south. In the west you look across to the duke abbot’s residence and the Basilica of St Lorenz. Remains of a medieval castle are still there to see in the recreation area today. The 'Burgenmuseum' in the former gatehouse tells the history of the Allgäu region’s castles. The 'Duft- und Heilkräutergarten' can be explored either with a free guide or on your own. The Open-Air Theatre, built in 1950, offers numerous events. Whether you visit the open-air cinema, the beer garden, the Roman playground or the interactive fairytale theatre – let yourself be drawn in by the magic of the Burghalde.

Archaeological Park Archäologischer Park

Cambodunum

burghalde

Bachtelweiher

The Kempten abbey built the Bachtelweiher as fish pond as early as the thirteenth century. The pond, about 300 metres in length and 160 metres in width and lovingly called 'Bachtel' by the locals, is located in the Kempten neighbourhood of Sankt Mang. The even circular path around the pond is also easily accessible for wheelchairs. It is also part of the Way of St. James in the segment from Munich to Bregenz. The 'Bachtelweiher Garten' with its petting zoo, children’s play area and crazy golf has lots to offer younger visitors. The restaurant with local dishes, a beer garden and sunbathing lawns invites you to set down and take a break.