Bertha Benz Memorial Route

General information:

As much as 126 years ago, in August 1888, Bertha Benz brought mobility to the world without which today's modern life on earth would be hard to imagine.

Therefore, we, the initiators, did not want to erect a static stone monument, but rather a monument that reflects the energetic and dynamic achievement of Bertha Benz.

Being a monument of industrial history, the Bertha Benz Memorial Route will arouse memories of the courageous achievement of Bertha Benz not only within the boundaries of North Baden, but even worldwide, and make it unforgotten

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 world's most beautiful holiday regions.

The route driven in 1888

With her Motorcar No. 3, Bertha Benz had to use roads that actually did not deserve being called roads. After all, the carts and carriages pulled by horses at the time normally rolled over simple bumpy field tracks. So she followed the dead straight Roman street from Ladenburg to Heidelberg. But also her route from Heidelberg to Karlsruhe followed the "Via Montana", a former Roman street that bequeathed its name to today's "Bergstrasse" ("Mountain Street").

The towns and villages were much smaller than today. Therefore, the few carts passing them went straight through the centres - by-pass roads were not necessary at the time. Shortly before reaching Karlsruhe, Bertha branched off into the Pfinztal valley leading her to Pforzheim, her native town, where she wanted to visit her mother.

For her return trip, she then preferred the route through Bretten in order not to have to go down the steep hills she had had to climb on her way to Pforzheim. From Bruchsal, she drove to Schwetzingen and back to Mannheim, once again following a Roman street for many kilometers near Kirrlach, which still leads dead straight through the forest today.