Here stands Nordstadt. Have you ever wondered how a district can be so new and yet so full of stories?
Nordstadt is Karlsruhe’s youngest district. It was founded on January 1, 1996. Nordstadt’s creation is quite interesting. It combines areas from the Weststadt borough, including Hardtwaldsiedlung.
But the most significant part came from former U.S. Army facilities. These were the Smiley Barracks and the Paul Revere Village housing area. The Smiley Barracks were originally built in 1937 as the Forstner-Kaserne. Paul Revere Village was established in 1951.
After the U.S. forces left Karlsruhe in 1995, Nordstadt transformed. New apartment buildings were built. Existing ones were renovated. Many streets in the former Paul Revere Village still bear the names of U.S. states. This is a lasting reminder of the area’s American history.
Nordstadt is divided into two main parts. These are Hardtwaldsiedlung and Amerikanersiedlung. The Hardtwaldsiedlung has its own history. It was founded as a housing cooperative in the 1920s.
Today, Nordstadt covers 2.6731 square kilometers. In 2020, it had a population of 9,301. That’s a density of 3,500 people per square kilometer.
The district boasts several facilities. The former Karlsruhe American Elementary School is now the Maryland Grundschule. The former Karlsruhe American High School is now the Heisenberg-Gymnasium, an independent school. In 1995, the Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg Karlsruhe moved to an area near the former airfield.
Nordstadt also has religious sites. The catholic Herz-Jesu-Church was founded in 1924. It started as a temporary structure. The Synagogue of Karlsruhe was newly constructed in 1971. It is a significant landmark in Nordstadt. The former North Chapel of Paul Revere Village has served various congregations. From 1996 to 2011, it was the Maria Magdalena Ecumenical Community Centre. Since 2012, the Serbian Orthodox Church has owned the building. It is now the Hram Svete Petke Congregation.
Sports also have a place in Nordstadt. The Karlsruhe Cougars Baseball team uses facilities left by the U.S. forces.
The district is located next to the Hardtwald forest. The buildings of Smiley Barracks are in the north. Today, a tenant initiative and public institutions use them.
The Paul Revere Village housing blocks are in the middle. They are surrounded by wooded areas and playgrounds.
In the south, the Hardtwaldsiedlung dates back to the 1920s. It was previously part of Weststadt.
On the western edge, along the former airfield, there are commercial areas. The Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg is also located here.
Since 2006, a tram line has served Nordstadt. It runs along Erzbergerstraße.
The Synagogue has a distinctive layout. However, it is easily overlooked due to the trees. Nordstadt is a unique blend of history, culture, and modernity. It shows how a community can evolve and adapt over time.