Die Plätze

Hey there!

This topic will be about the Plätze, or open squares, found in the Quadrate and what one can find in them. Some are large, others are secluded and small.

Let's start with the two main ones. They are Paradeplatz and Marktplatz. Paradeplatz is found on the intersection of the two main streets, Planken and Kurpfalzstraße, that run through the Quadrate (if you don't remember these, I suggest back tracking a little and reading the post called Getting Around).

Paradeplatz is quite pleasant, in my opinion, especially in the spring and summer when plants and trees start to and are in bloom. It has a fountain and statue in the center of it, and a few grassy areas surrounding the fountain. The fountain is quite large and looks much better when the water is running, which is usually started in April when the weather is warm and the water has no chance of freezing and ruining the fountain. The statue on top of the fountain is intricate and a few hundred years old. Surrounding Paradeplatz are different buildings. Two of them are large shopping centers: Galeria Kaufhof and C&A. Another building has a cafe, a kebab restaurant, and the post office. Then there is also a building with a grocery store called Rewe, a number of restaurants, and a bar called Stars that gives you of view of Mannheim from high up. Paradeplatz is so called because back when Mannheim had a prince electorate, the military would hold parades in that square.

Marktplatz is a little further away from Paradeplatz, either a minute tram ride or a five-minute walk. This square is the largest in Mannheim’s Quadrate. It is called Marktplatz because it is where market was being held and to this day every Saturday farmers come and sell their goods. In the center of the platz is a large statue with what looks like Greek or Roman gods and goddesses. Also on the edge of the square stands a large red building. The left half of it was the former city hall and now is used for other administrative duties (I think). The right half of the building is St. Sebastian’s, a Catholic church. I have only gone inside once. It is a hidden treasure that is worth seeing. At the other end, are a few restaurants and cafes with the option of sitting outside on the square. One thing of note is Istanbul, a really neat kebab place that I think is the best in the city. Prices are really reasonable for simple döners and larger meals are not much more expensive. Go there for dinner or just to grab a quick bite to eat and you will not regret it.

St. Sebastian's

Another platz that is more off the side is Schillerplatz. You can find it in the B’s close to the Jesuit church. Since it’s not by the two main streets, there are far fewer people than at Parade- or Marktplatz. A sidewalk goes around it in a loop around the whole square and a grassy area inside. There are benches scattered throughout the edges. At one corner a small playground for children. Just across from the playground in the other corner is a statue of Friedrich Schiller, whom the platz is named after. Schiller was a fmaous German playwright, and he resided in Mannheim for about a year, where he oversaw his productions and wrote some plays. There are some residential buildings around the square. There is also a café and restaurant. And, of course, there is the Jesuit church that towers over the square. This church I also recommend seeing, as it is full of nice artwork and a breathtaking altar and has been around since the 1800s.

Not far from Schillerplatz in the vicinity of C5 is Toulonplatz and Zeughausplanken. Here you can find the Zeughaus, a former armory that is now a museum with various kinds of exhibitions (the one now is about Kaiser Maximilian I). Across from it is another museum. Unfortunately I have not looked into what is on display inside of it so I cannot tell you what you can find. Just off to the side of the Toulonplatz is a an old school. On the side of it is a relief with a knight. And on the Zeughausplanken there is a cafe or two, and perhaps even a kebab place. 

Zeughaus

Other museum

The school

The next platz that is also off to the side is the Kapuzinerplatz. It can be found in N4 and just across the street from it is the Kapuzinerplanken. This platz is relatively small but very inviting. It is full of chairs and tables and there are two bars/restaurants there. One of them is Zentrale, which I recommend going to for a beer or five with friends. The other one next to it is Starks. I have not been there, but I did sit outside of it one time and it looked just as good as Zentrale. In the middle of the platz is a small statue of a Capucin monk, hence the platz being called Kapuzinerplatz. Across the street is the Kapuzinerplanken. Most of the time it is empty, but sometimes it has small markets there, such as the Frühlingsmarkt (Spring Market). 

The statue

Kapuzinerplanken

The rest of the plätze are just a few greenish areas with benches and little paths to walk around. One of these is across from Kapuzinerplatz in N5. It has trees and some flowers planted, but it's small and close to a road that's busy during the day so there might not be as much peace as one might wish. Not far from there is a park in M6. This one is larger than the previous one mentioned and has a lot more trees. There is also a playground for children and a football court. What is most interesting is the ruins of a wall and bastions that were there since the 17th century. I think it would be great if someday the city decided to undertake its restoration. Finally, there is another green platz in R7. It is hidden in a residential area and is not as extravagant as what it seems on the map. It has a path just like the rest and a playground heavily occupied by children right next to it.

N5

M6

Until next time, dear readers.

Wohnen

Hallo!

Ich bin wieder da!

As I wrote in the previous post, we'll now look into the living situations in Mannheim and what are the available options.

I will start with where I am currently residing, which is called Ulmenweg. I came by Ulmenweg through a student portal. I had to wake up at about 8 in the morning on a cold November day (note to self: not a bad start for a novel) and log into the student portal, where I had the option of only Ulmenweg and another student housing area on Hafenstraße, both of which are run by Studentenwerk (a student services organization).

I chose Ulmenweg simply because I was looking for the cheapest rent on the portal, and single room/shared flat options in Ulmenweg went for €283 a month. I think that the ones on Hafenstraße were €10 more a month.

Ulmenweg, Ulmenweg...

I believe the whole area in the vicinity used to be former military barracks. I read this somewhere, but I later knew for a fact this was true after going to the Benjamin Franklin Village in Mannheim (this used to be a LARGE neighborhood for Americans soldiers and their families) outside the Funari Barracks. The buildings there looked identical to what Ulmenweg looks like. Also, a friend of mine went to the Air Force (shout out to my friend Patryk aka Patty Poland) and showed me what his military rooms looked like and Ulmenweg seemed awfully similar to them.

Ulmenweg from afar

Haus 5 with the grill out front. They're alright, I guess.

Go Haus 6!

As you can see from the picture, quite a lot of people can fit in just one haus. I also think that there are options of getting apartments with your own kitchen, bathroom, etc. But those would cost more, obviously.

So when you walk into the shared flats, there is a hallway with two toilets and one shower. These you have to share with your flatmates. The good news is that there is a cleaning woman who comes and cleans them out. They're really simple, almost like closets.

The hallway...and my flatmate Seher photobombing

One of the toilets

The shower

Off to the side of the hallway is our kitchen. There we have a table, chairs, refrigerator and freezer, two stove tops, a sink, a cupboard for each resident, and a trash area. Also, for some reason our kitchen has a couch. However, NO OVEN! I'm not much of a cook, but there have been a number of times where I thought to myself "Man, if only I had an oven." Other than that, the kitchen is quite functional. The thing is you need to keep it clean because it is inspected every two weeks and if it's not clean enough a cleaning service gets hired and you and your flatmates split the cost.

The kitchen...and Seher photobombing again

Now, next stop are the rooms. Everyone gets their own room, which is cool because when you just need some peace and quiet you can just lock yourself in. I like that the rooms are singles as compared to the colleges in the US that pair people up. You get your space, but you also have to learn how to express any problems with things, such as throwing out the trash, cleaning dishes, things of that nature. In the bedroom, the luxuries provided to you are a closet, a shelf, a desk, two chairs, a bedside table, and a bed with not the best mattress and one pillow. I advise you to check your sheets and blanket because a friend of mine said hers was stained and dirty when she first arrived. The Hausmeister should replace them without a problem. Oh, and the rooms come with sinks! So convenient!

My room. Sorry for the mess!

So that's Ulmenweg in a nutshell. If I forgot anything I'll make sure to add them in later.

Now, what do I think of Ulmenweg?

It's not a bad place, but it's not the greatest of places either. This is mostly attributed to the fact that it is quite a haul from the Quadrate and the Palace and there are not many things to do in terms of nightlife. And when you do go out for the night or weekend, you always have to worry about how to get back or what time the latest bus or tram leaves. However, in defense of Ulmenweg, I do believe that this is the perfect place for to meet a lot of people. Also, when people throw parties almost all the international students in Ulmenweg go. There are also two stores conveniently located just across the street, and they are quite cheap (€25 worth of food lasts me about a weeks). Ulmenweg also has two grills and pavilions that are perfect for having barbecues, especially in the spring. And if you need meat, you can quickly run over to one of the stores to buy some. This is another perk of staying in Ulmenweg and you can meet a bunch of new people. And the tram line will be finished in July, so that will improve the transportation issue.

Another residence in Mannheim that is offered by Studentenwerk is on Hafenstraße. These are more apartment-styled and are not barracks. They go up maybe five or six stories and have a really nice design of grey, white, and orange painted on the face of the buildings. They are located not far from the port and fairly close to the outside ring of the Quadrate (walking to it takes about 10 minutes). I have not actually been inside of the residences on Hafenstraße apart from a hall during a party, but from what I heard there are not many complaints about it. The location is more favorable, but the only form of public transportation that will take you there is the bus (the same bus that goes to Ulmenweg). So again, some walking may be required if you are out late at night. However, depending where in the Quadrate you are, I don’t think that the walk should be more than 20 minutes at best. My Hafenstraße friends, please feel free to correct me.

The last apartments that are offered by Studentenwerk are in the G7 Quadrat. These I have been in and they are pretty nice. I believe it is made up of four buildings and an open square in the center of them. They are also shared flats, each with a bathroom, shower, kitchen, and bedrooms. Compared to Ulmenweg, the kitchen is small. Ten people in there make it difficult to walk around. But one does not live in the kitchen, so it’s not that much of a problem unless one is keen on throwing parties in the kitchen every weekend. The bedrooms are more square shaped as opposed to the rectangular one my bedroom is and seems slightly bigger. The bathrooms there are a tight squeeze, but you only really need to go there for two things, maybe three if it’s a night of heavy drinking (if you know what I mean). Also, G7 has a large party room in a loft of one of the buildings capable of fitting about one hundred people and is equipped with a table, lots of couches, a bar, and a fridge. It’s quite a nice and convenient room if you don’t want to disturb your flatmates with a large crowd. Since they are in the Quadrate, the apartments in G7 are really close to some of the main places in the city. There is a tram stop not far from there and it is only a ten-minute walk to Marktplatz. Plus, there is a cool bar called Filmriss right around the corner and a fun club, which is a little further away and I recommend going to, called Soho.

I would like to add something about Studentenwerk. In my opinion (at least in Ulmenweg), their goal is not the satisfaction of the tenants. I witnessed this first hand at a meeting for all international students who just moved in to Ulmenweg. Two students went up to the Hausmeister and told him that they have no blinds for the windows, so not only does light come into the rooms when they are trying to sleep but everything they do in their rooms can be seen from the outside or from the haus across from theirs. You would expect the Hausmeister to say that he’d at least look into it and see what he can do considering the place is run by Studentenwerk. On the contrary, he told the two that they would have to buy blinds if they really wanted them. After that same meeting, it took about five students, myself included, to convince the Hausmeister that the dryers in the laundry room do not work (this is already a month and a half after me and other international students for a Winterakademie arrived). The fact that the dryers were not working was not so much frustrating as the Hausmeister being skeptical about what we were telling him. Also, the state of the kitchens when you arrive depends on the previous tenants. In my case, they did not throw the food out of the fridge before leaving, so there was old, smelly food in there and mold was growing inside. Although this is mostly the previous tenants’ faults, I would expect Studentenwerk to inspect the kitchen and charge them for any cleaning services. I am speaking from personal experiences, so I cannot say whether or not similar events occurred on Hafenstraße or G7. If something like the fridge situation may happen to you, take pictures of it and go to the Hausmeister, so at least you have proof.

Now, there are alternatives to what Studentenwerk offers. Obviously there are apartments in the Quadrate. I know of some in L2 and in H6. I would advise looking into these before the Studentenwerk residences are available on the student portal. The ones in L2 are full apartments with a small kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. In general, I have heard cases of which apartments in the Quadrate cost as much as €100 a month less compared to what Studentenwerk offers. Not only do you save some money, but you are also in the city center and close to many places in the Quadrate. You can find apartments a little outside of the ring around the Quadrate as well for relatively cheap prices. I would recommend, though, steering clear of Jungbusch. This is one of the areas outside of the Quadrate. Although Mannheim is a safe place even though it has the most crime in Germany (trust me, not even a percent of how bad Detroit is), there have been some unfortunate events in the past two years in that area so it may be better if you avoid it.

To conclude in this post, I would just propose actively looking into each residence that Studentenwerk offers and any apartments you may find not associated with Studentenwerk. Make sure to set you have a list of what you would want in an apartment or flat and find out what each one offers. Ask students or Mannheim residents what their opinion is on where they live and make a smart decision on which place you would like to select.

Hope this helps any future residents of Mannheim. And for those of you not planning on coming here, maybe you can make some comparisons with your own living situations as students/young adults.

Until next time!

Die Quadrate

Hey guys!

I'm back again! Bet you thought it was going to be a few more months until my next post. (It's ok, I don't blame you if you did.)

Assuming you read my previous post titled "Getting Around", you may have noticed a certain word I tossed in there a few times - Quadrate. "What is this Quadrate that he speaks of?", you may ask.

In short, the Quadrate is the main, central part of Mannheim so called because of how it is set up in a grid with squares (Quadrate translates into squares). This is very unique compared to other German cities, and has been around since 1607, if I'm not mistaken.

Here's a crude picture of a map of the Quadrate as a reference.

As you can see from my amazing picture, Quadrate is quite the appropriate name for it. So, how does one get around the Quadrate and know where places are? The Quadrate has a letter-number system, much like the game Battleship. If you look all the way at the bottom of Kurpfalzstraße (the vertical strip running down the middle), you will come to A1 on the left and L1 on the right. On the left side of Kurpfalzstraße, the letters go from A to K and on the left from L to Z. As you go further away from Kurpfalzstraße (away from the center and towards the ring around the Quadrate), the numerical values of the blocks increase. 

This system takes getting used to at first because people just aren't used to something so convenient. But after a week, it all makes sense. You don't have to remember any weird, obnoxious street names and you don't have to open your Map app on your phone. It's as simple as a letter and a number, and 95% of the time you will reach your destination. 

There are two streets in the Quadrate that are actually named, which must mean they are important (they kind of are). The first I already mentioned: Kurpfalzstraße. At one end of it is the palace/university and at the other is a bridge that leads over the Neckar. Kurpfalzstraße goes by some cool looking open squares (we'll talk about those some other time) and it's littered with stores, restaurants, and cafes. 

A view of Kurpfalzstraße heading north.

A view of Kurpfalzstraße heading towards the Palace (and some unfortunate pedestrians soon to be ran over by the tram).

The other street in the Quadrate intersects Kurpfalzstraße and is called Planken. It leads to the Wasserturm (water tower) at one end and to nowhere in particular at the other. It's also much like Kurpfalzstraße, however, the part from the center leading to the Wasserturm has a lot more luxury stores and cafes. It's also a nice place to just walk and go window shopping, especially once the trees bloom and it's a little warmer outside. The Planken is also closed off sometimes and has various festivals on it, such as Karneval or Stadt Fest (city fest). One of the best things going down the Planken is seeing really nice cars. And I mean REALLY nice. 

Like this Maserati...

And this Audi R8 <3

There are also some fashion stores if you have the money to spend. 

And of course these sneaky passages.

This one definitely leads to the Chamber of Secrets...or more stores. 

These are just a few glimpses at what you can see on the two streets of the Quadrate. If you come to Mannheim, odds are you will spend quite some time wandering these two streets and the majority of your time in the Quadrate. 

Next time I write, we'll take a little detour and look into the Studentenwohnheim (student housing areas) and places to live in Mannheim, with a focus on Ulmenweg, which is where I live!

Tschüss!

Getting Around

Guten Tag!

I am back at this blog. I apologize for my absence, but I've been so caught up with the semester that writing was the last thing on my mind.

So, when we left off...in January... I wrote that I would focus more on Mannheim. And focus I shall.

Before you even make and find good friends in Mannheim, your friends will be the public transportation here. Many of the students that flew to Germany landed at Frankfurt am Main Airport. And to get from there to Mannheim efficiently is by train. Now, Germany has three different kinds of trains: the Inter-City Express (ICE), the Inter-City (IC), and the Regional trains (RB, RE, S-Bahn). One can take an ICE directly from Frankfurt Airport to Mannheim Hauptbahnhof (Hbf) for a relatively cheap price (I believe I paid around €25). Then you end up at this bad boy:

This is the main train station. In Mannheim, all roads lead to the Hauptbahnhof. It's a very central structure of the city and an important reference point. Of course, its main function is as the train station, from which you can go to the other side of Germany or just a few towns over (or even to nearby countries). Outside of the Hbf is one of the larger tram and bus stops. There are three platforms, each one with a few trams leading to different parts of the city.

Before going to Mannheim for any reason, I would recommend downloading the mobile app VRN, which is the company that runs the public transportation in Mannheim and many other cities in the surrounding area. It lets you know which bus or tram travel on the route you are located on. Also, it informs you how late any of them are (they aren't as punctual as they're made out to be).

The best way to get around the city, especially further outside the Quadrate, is by tram. The trams get around quite fast, unless it is rush hour and everyone tries to cram into the trams. Also, if you need to get to places in the Quadrate, then chances are multiple tram lines are heading that way and there is no need for being picky. Another great thing about the trams is that they run every 10 minutes until 19:00 (that's 7:00 pm for some of you!) and after that every 20 minutes. On weekends they tend to be lifesavers because after 1:00 they run every 55 minutes, so you can save some money instead of taking a taxi. However, I have personally been stranded on a Thursday because trams don't run after 1:00 on week days. At that point you have to decide if you're willing to pay for a taxi or if you can bully through a walk. Although, if you live close to the Quadrate it's a no-brainer (a walk). Plus, if you're from the US, you most likely never ride a tram so actually getting around a different way is pretty cool!

                                                                    Trams!

Finally, there are the buses. You're bound to have a love-hate relationship with them. In my case, the bus is the most convenient way to get to the Quadrate and university from where I live (Ulmenweg, a student housing area) because it's only a four minute walk compared to the ten minute walk to the closest tram stop. **A new tram line and stop is currently under construction right outside of Ulmenweg and will start functioning around July, so soon there will be an alternative form of transportation for those coming next semester.** I much prefer getting dropped off very close. However, the buses can be quite a headache. Almost always they're a few minutes late (good for those that are last second kind of people), but there was one time when I had to wait 20 minutes for one and just last week one decided to never show up at the listed time. The buses come to the stops every 20 minutes, and after 19:00 they run every 30 minutes. And on weekends and holidays the buses follow the every 30 minute schedule. So if you miss the bus, you're looking at a long wait, especially if there are no trams nearby.

Now, all these goodies don't come free of charge. Train prices are determined by Deutsche Bahn, so it usually depends on the distance you are traveling. Deutsche Bahn does offer a BahnCard 25 or 50. The BC 25 is €25 for 4 months or €40 for the whole year, and you get 25% off the value of the ticket as well as discounted prices. The BC 50 most likely costs more and it takes 50% off of the original price of the ticket. I highly recommend investing in at least the BC 25 considering any trips to bigger cities will require the use of a train. DB also has regional day pass tickets. These are really useful if you have a group of friends that want to go visit someplace. The ticket is €29 plus an additional €5 for every other person (up to 5 people in a group) and the group can use any Regional trains of the designated state. The ticket can also be used for any buses and trams in that state as well.

As for the buses and trams in Mannheim, a standard one-time ticket for an adult is €2.40. Considering one will probably be using them many times a week, the amount you pay will accumulate. VRN offers students a semester ticket that costs €145. If a student is studying for the whole year, he or she can get one semester free of charge. In my opinion, it's a good investment. Not only do you not have to worry about buying tickets for trams and buses, you can also use the regional trains to travel a 70+ kilometer radius free of charge and use the buses and trams in the designated area.


On a final note: Try not to ride black (Schwarzfahren)! Meaning riding the public transportation without purchasing a ticket. If you get caught, you face a mini-interrogation session from the checkers and you have to pay a €40 fee. Better safe than sorry.

Auf Wiederhören!