A History
An excellent rapport has been built up over the years and long-held friendships have been established at individual, organisational and other levels. Delegations visit each other from time to time and the Friends of Bruchsal Society [and the Friends of Cwmbran, in Bruchsal] forge and encourage links at sporting, cultural and social levels. The Community Councils of Cwmbran and Croesyceiliog & Llanyrafon work together at a Civic level.
Bruchsal is an interesting mix of old and new. Having been heavily bombed during the Second World War its town centre is fairly modern but it has a thousand year history. The town is, nowadays, an industrial and trade centre, situated on the western edge of the gentle Kraichgau hills of the Baden Wurttemburg region, close to the well-known cities of Heidelberg, Karlsruhe and Mannheim, north of the famous Black Forest. Despite its modern image, Bruchsal is known as the European ‘capital of asparagus’ and is the main grower of this vegetable in Germany.
Despite the bombing the town received Bruchsal still possesses a magnificent baroque palace and gardens (painstakingly rebuilt after the War) which, nowadays, are popular venues and backdrops for musical and cultural events and exhibitions. The Palace contains a municipal museum and one of the world’s largest and varied collections of mechanical musical instruments. A number of architecturally interesting Churches are also to be found within walking distance. St Peter’s Church, for instance, is a baroque ‘gem’ and contains some masterpieces of the Rococo.
Bruchsal’s town centre and pedestrian precincts are vibrant and the Market Square hosts twice-weekly farmers markets. The town centre’s Bergenzentrum is a thoroughly modern and impressive building that comprises a theatre, conference venue and public areas, library, tourist information centre and shops, as well as being a great place to eat and to socialise. Bruchsal also contains a range of modern sports and swimming facilities, a gliding and parachuting club and wonderful walking country.
The surrounding villages each have some considerable character and the small town of Buchenau, for instance, has a street name ‘Pontnewyddstrasse,’ named because of the strong links and friendships that have developed between the Pontnewydd Male Choir and the Buchenau Male Choir. Other villages, such as Untergrombach, contain some wonderful examples of early half-timbered houses.
Bruchsal is always keen to celebrate, particularly for long-held traditions. Throughout the year various ‘fests’ are held which attract many visitors. Bruchsal is also twinned with a number of other European towns, including Sainte-Menehould and Sainte-Marie-Aux-Mines in France and Volterra in Italy.
An hour’s drive will take visitors to places such as the rivers Rhine and Neckar, Strasbourg, the Black Forest, Speyer and some of the finest wine regions in Germany.
