Four smiling students in a low-traffic zone in Mannheim’s Jungbusch district

Mannheim

... is colorful and vibrant.

People from more than 170 different nations live in Mannheim, making it a tolerant, cosmopolitan and multifaceted city.

... is urban and industrial.

With one of the most important harbors in Europa and many colorful murals, Mannheim has industrial flair.

... is green and peaceful.

Waldpark, Luisenpark, Neckarkanal, and Silberpappel are only some examples of green oases in Mannheim.

... is inventive.

The dandy horse and the bicycle, the car and, most importantly, Spaghettieis were invented in Mannheim.

... is central.

From Mannheim into the world: The central train station is an important transportation hub and you can quickly get to the airports of Frankfurt and Stuttgart.

... is musical.

Mannheim is Unesco City of Music and hosts numerous concerts and festivals throughout the year.


Mannheim offers many opportunities to spend your free time. No matter if you prefer to stroll along the Planken pedestrian zone, go to a Schneckenhof party, or dance the night away at a club in the city center.

Kim Lindner, student in the bachelor’s program in Mathematics in Business and Economics / Credit: Leonie Kopetzki

Students from all over the world come to Mannheim. They quickly fall in love with the city and its multiculturalism.

Jana Schindin, student in the bachelor's program in Sociology / Credit: Jakob Schindin

Two students at the stone staircase of a building
Living in Mannheim

Our excellent university in the Schloss is not the only reason to come to Mannheim: Compared to other cities in Germany and Baden-Württemberg, it is easier for students to find accommodation in the city of squares and its districts.

In Mannheim, you can ...

.... discover the colorful nightlife.

Mannheim’s nightlife district Jungbusch has something to offer for everybody, students are at the Neckarwiese until late at night and at the ALTER, there are concerts and readings. Mannheim also has several clubs.

... explore art and culture.

Mannheim has one of the oldest national theaters in the world, the newly-opened Kunsthalle, the cultural center Alte Feuerwache, and the Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen. Art and culture are an integral part of the city. Learn more about Mannheim’s cultural life.

... be active and athletic.

Mannheim loves sports: Adler Mannheim (ice hockey), Rhein-Neckar-Löwen (handball), Mannheimer Hockeyclub and SV Waldhof (soccer) are very popular. Besides the university sports program, Mannheim has also great running tracks, several climbing and bouldering centers, the Sport im Park program as well as ice arenas.

... go out and have fun.

There is always something going on in Mannheim, for example the Nachtwandel at Jungbusch, the Maifeld Derby music festival, the Lesen.hören festival at Alte Feuerwache, the Schlossfest, the Lange Nacht der Kunst und Genüsse or the many parties in Mannheim’s districts... The film festivals in Mannheim and Ludwigshafen and the numberous wine festivals in the Palatinate are also worth a visit. And there are even more parties!

... feel like you are in New York and Berlin.

Mannheim is structured like New York – in squares and blocks with letters and numbers. Because of it’s colorful metropolitan flair and it’s architecture, Mannheim is often compared to Berlin but the distances are much shorter. The “city of squares” also has numerous sights.

... eat your way through the city.

In Mannheim, you can eat Ethiopian, Thai or Cypriot food and enjoy the famous “Monnemer Dreck” or a delicious Spaghettieis for dessert. But Mannheim’s culinary side (in german) has a lot more to offer.


While for me the city of Mannheim was not exactly love at first sight, I quickly learned to embrace its working-class mentality and its vibrant mix of cultures.

Max Alletsee, graduate of the master’s program in Political Science / Credit: Max Alletsee

Mannheim in one word?

It is not easy to find a word that fits our city of squares. Our international students tried to find one.