Kassel remains a cornerstone in the lives of the Brothers Grimm. It’s here in this German city that the duo collected and wrote some of their most famous fairy tales, early in the 19th Century. And now, a few hundred years later, Kassel has become a prominent addition to the world’s arts calendar because every five years, it plays host to “documenta”— one of the world’s largest and most important exhibitions of contemporary art.This celebration of creative genius has brought together poets, filmmakers and artists from around the world and for the 2017 edition, which begins on June 10 and runs through September 17, we are preparing a list of “absolute musts” for visitors with help from Andrea Linnenkohl, the curatorial advisor for ‘documenta 14.’    Kassel is a relatively lesser-known city in Germany. What should one definitely include in their itinerary when they visit Kassel for the first time?In relation to its number of citizens, about 200,000, Kassel has a high density of museums. There is the castle, Schloss Wilhelmshöhe, which hosts a well-known collection of Old Masters with a focus on Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 17th Century. The castle itself is located on a park, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. On its upper end, the Hercules monument from 1717 remains a must-see. This park is perfect for long walks and offers a beautiful view of Kassel. And next to the Fulda river, there is the Karlsaue park — designed in the baroque style in the late 17th Century. One must also visit the castle Orangerie, which was built between 1703 and 1711. Today, the Orangerie hosts the Museum for Astronomy and a nice restaurant with a large terrace offering a stunning view of the park. Besides the big museums in Kassel, like the Hessian State Museum, the Museum of the City of Kassel and the Grimm museum named Grimmwelt, a very exceptional building is the Museum for Sepulchral Culture at Weinberg. It’s a unique repository devoted to human burials and “aspects of grave culture,” from headstones to coffins.  After you’re done visiting these interesting museums, a walk along the Fulda river, and stops at one of the smaller restaurants or cafes, is highly recommended.What should one look for in Kassel when they visit ‘documenta 14’?documenta 14 is spread across Kassel with a focus on Friedrichsplatz and the northern part of the city, the Kassel Nordstadt. Main venues are Neue Galerie, Palais Bellevue, documenta-hall, Fridericianum, and a bit further north, the Alte Hauptpost, the glass pavilions along Kurt-Schumacher-Straße as well as the hall at Gottschalkstraße. Slightly smaller venues are the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof, the Kulturbahnhof, the underpass in front of Kulturbahnhof as well as the partial use of the Hessian State Museum, the Museum of the City of Kassel, the Ottoneum, the Ballhaus in Wilhelmsöhe, the Grimmwelt, the Museum of Sepulchral Culture and the west wing of the Orangerie. The two Bali-cinemas, which are located at the Kulturbahnhof, as well as the Gloria cinema at Friedrich-Ebert-Straße are screening films participating at documenta 14. Karlsaue state park, the park at Nordstadt as well as many other outdoor locations have also been integrated in the overall exhibition.How has the arts emerged in the city of Kassel and what role has documenta played in bringing about that change?    Kassel has had a long tradition in the arts. The Kassel Art Academy was founded in 1777 and the Museum Fridericianum, built in 1779, was the fi rst public museum on the European continent. In 1955, artist, curator and professor of arts Arnold Bode unveiled the first documenta, parallel to the state horticultural show. He dedicated this first edition to post-war Germany and the country’s shedding of Nazi history, thus bringing back the avant-garde and contemporary art to Kassel. Since then, contemporary art has played an important role here — growing bigger and bigger with subsequent editions of documenta.Kassel is where fairy tales were born as we know the Brothers Grimm created most of their works here. What are the most picturesque places in Kassel that remind you of fairy tales?Many of the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm are actually quite scary. That’s because of their disciplinary and educative character. But still, Kassel does have some picturesque places like the parks mentioned above.How will you describe the cultural spirit of the city? Besides ‘documenta,’ what are the other festivals celebrated here? Kassel’s cultural spirit is manifold. To name a few, I would like to begin with the annual Frühlingsfest in Kassel Nordstadt, organized by the Kulturzentrum Schlachthof. Set against the backdrop of immigration, the main subject and aim of this institution is the democratization of culture and the holistic concept of culture. All citizens are invited to enjoy the music and are offered dishes from around the world. Another important event is the Kassel documentary film and video festival, which takes place every year, in November. Founded in 1982, the film festival grew to become the third most important one in Germany, after the film festivals in Leipzig and Oberhausen. And last but not the least, there is the International Minimal Music Festival. It takes place in Kassel on a bi-annual basis, organized under the artistic direction of Ulli Götte.What are some of your recommendations for shopping and eating out? When it comes to clothes, Voice, located in the inner city of Kassel offers a good selection of brands mainly from Scandinavia. A stroll along Friedrich-Ebert-Straße, with its many small shops and boutiques is certainly worth recommending. There, one can find small, cozy fashion stores and boutiques for tailor-made clothes as well as accessories. There are also stores for modern and antique furniture. Restaurants like Voit and Eberts offer delightful food and there are cafes with homemade cakes and chocolate. For a glass of wine, a stop at La Cantina is absolutely worth the effort.What is the best way to move about Kassel? Kassel is a small city, which means that basically you can simply walk to all your destinations. But if time is limited, the tram remains the most convenient mode of transportation. Read more