Name: Illuminated Water Features Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (Autumn) 2026
Start: 2026-09-11T00:00:00+00:00
End: 2026-09-12T00:00:00+00:00
Location: Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe (UNESCO-Welterbe)

Illuminated Water Features Kassel

About Illuminated Water Features Kassel

In September 2026, the city of Kassel will stage its famous water and nature spectacle for the second time in the season: The Illuminated Water Features in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe – Europe's largest mountain park – will transform the cascades, the Devil's Bridge, the aqueduct, and the Jussow Temple into an illuminated theater of water and light on September 11 and 12. Highlight: the Great Fountain, over 50 meters high, at the Fountain Pond. Free admission.

Dates 11 Sep — 12 Sep 2026

Venue Kassel (06611)

Prices Free

Status Confirmed

Edition 2026

Illuminated Water Features Kassel — edition 2026

Autumn dates for the Illuminated Water Features 2026: Friday, September 11, and Saturday, September 12, in the UNESCO World Heritage Site Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe. The watercourse starts at Hercules at 9:45 PM, with the finale at the Fountain Pond at 10:55 PM featuring the Great Fountain, over 50 meters high. Free admission.

For two evenings, Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe presents itself in its most spectacular form. The park opens in the late afternoon, with preparations for the atmosphere and illumination beginning at 5 PM. The actual water show starts between 9:45 PM (Hercules) and 10:55 PM (Fountain) and flows down the mountain with the water.

Highlights Illuminated Water Features Kassel 2026

Autumn edition of the Illuminated Water Features in the UNESCO World Heritage Site
Start at Hercules at 9:45 PM, finale at 10:55 PM
Great Fountain over 50 meters high as the highlight
Free admission for all visitor groups
Accompanying event: Rembrandt exhibition at Wilhelmshöhe Palace

Programme Illuminated Water Features Kassel 2026

Friday, September 11, 2026

5:00 PM — Bergpark opens for the Illuminated Water Features
9:45 PM — Watercourse starts at the Octagon / Hercules
10:20 PM — Illumination of the Devil's Bridge
10:30 PM — Aqueduct and Penaeus Cascades
10:55 PM — Climax at the Fountain Pond: Great Fountain over 50 meters high
until 11:30 PM — Park open, winding down

Saturday, September 12, 2026

Identical schedule as Friday
5:00 PM — Park opening
9:45 PM — Start at Hercules
10:20 PM–10:55 PM — Journey through stations including Devil's Bridge, Aqueduct, Penaeus Cascades, Jussow Temple
10:55 PM — Great Fountain as the finale

Station Overview

Octagon / Hercules (Start)
Cascades
Devil's Bridge
Aqueduct
Jussow Temple
Fountain Pond with Great Fountain (Finale)

Prices Illuminated Water Features Kassel 2026

Free admission.

Practical information

Practical information — Illuminated Water Features Kassel

Autumn 2026 Dates

Friday, September 11 and Saturday, September 12, 2026, 5:00 PM to 11:30 PM (Water features start at 9:45 PM at Hercules).

Location

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe, Schloßpark Wilhelmshöhe 1, 34131 Kassel.

Getting There

By Tram: Line 1 from the main station to the final stop Wilhelmshöhe (Park), then ascend to Hercules (approx. 30 min. walk or shuttle bus 23 to Hercules). By Car: Parking available at Hercules, at Wilhelmshöhe Palace, or in the city area (tram connection).

Admission

Free admission for all visitor groups.

Tip

Sturdy footwear – the path from the Octagon to the Fountain Pond leads over old stone steps and narrow paths. A flashlight or phone light is recommended.

Water, Light, and a Hercules Above the City

The Illuminated Water Features are one of Germany's most spectacular natural shows. In the Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe – a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2013 and Europe's largest mountain park – water flows from under the monumental Hercules over baroque cascades, bridges, and temples into the valley. After dark, the entire path is illuminated, and a stream of thousands of visitors descends with the water towards the palace.

The Spring and Autumn Dates

Unlike the regular summer water features (Wednesday, Sunday, and public holidays at 2:30 PM), the Illuminated Water Features take place only four days a year: two in spring/summer and two in autumn. The autumn date in 2026 falls on the weekend of September 11 and 12, 2026.

The Stations

The water follows its course from the Octagon with the Hercules over the Cascades, the Devil's Bridge, the Aqueduct, and the Jussow Temple – each station specially illuminated. The Steinhöfer Waterfall is not part of the show. The spectacle culminates at the Fountain Pond, where the Great Fountain shoots up more than 50 meters high.

The Park Grounds

Bergpark Wilhelmshöhe is a masterpiece of European garden art from the 18th and 19th centuries. From the Octagon with the 8.30-meter-high Hercules (Kassel's landmark), the water features descend several hundred meters in altitude to Wilhelmshöhe Palace. The mountain park is part of the Museumslandschaft Hessen Kassel and is freely accessible daily.

Free Admission – But Arrive Early

The Illuminated Water Features have been free for decades. It is recommended to take Tram 1 to the final stop Wilhelmshöhe (Park) and ascend via the avenue to Hercules before the start. Arriving punctually at Hercules ensures a full view of the watercourse.