Was Bulach once a separate village? Today, it is a district in the southwest of Karlsruhe. It lies on the Alb River. Bulach together with Beiertheim forms the Beiertheim-Bulach district.
Bulach covers an area of 234.44 hectares. It has 2,884 residents as of December 31, 2018. Bulach was first mentioned on May 18, 1193. A papal document from Coelestin III mentions a mill at Bulande. At that time, Bulande was owned by the Frauenalb Monastery. It belonged to the Markgenossenschaft of the Hardtdörfer.
The St. Cyriakus Church was first mentioned in 1388. On December 21, 1837, master builder Heinrich Hübsch rededicated it. This followed its new construction. Locals call it the “Cathedral of the Hardt.” It is easily visible in Karlsruhe. You can see it from the Lauterberg in the Karlsruhe Stadtgarten. It is also visible from the Durlacher Turmberg or the Mann Mobilia branch.
As early as 1907, the city of Karlsruhe tried to incorporate Bulach. At that time, it was a wealthy rural community with a large rural area. Land sales from Bulach and Beiertheim to Karlsruhe had already taken place. Karlsruhe was a growing residential city nearby.
After World War I and the global economic crisis, Bulach faced financial difficulties. The result was incorporation on April 1, 1929. At the time of incorporation, Bulach covered an area of 529.42 hectares. It had 2,450 residents. The independent Oberreut district of Karlsruhe was established on Bulach’s territory from 1961.
Karlsruhe gained the industrial area in Bannwaldallee through the incorporation. The Junker and Ruh sewing machine and gas stove factory was located here. It had 1,200 employees. It closed in 1968. Further expansion opportunities arose in the Oberreut-Feldlage industrial area.
Common Bulach family names include Axtmann, Becker and Bohner. Braun, Brauch and Brill are also common. Other names are Dillmann, Feininger and Fichttaler. Fitterer, Gartner and Lauinger are further examples. Martin, Richter and Schätzle are also on the list. Schreiber, Weber and Zöller round it out.
Bulach offers several attractions. These include the Bulach Garden Railway. Also worth seeing is the Washerwomen’s Fountain by Gerhard Karl Huber. It was inaugurated in June 1996. Do not miss the old town hall. The St. Cyriakus Church by Heinrich Hübsch was completed in 1837. The Voit organ from 1906 is in the Silbermann case from 1743. Finally, visit Gut Scheibenhardt.
Anton Nagel was a sculptor. He lived from 1882 to 1957. He was also a notable person from Bulach. So when you explore Bulach, remember its rich history. From its early mention to its incorporation into Karlsruhe, Bulach has its own charm.