Torfaen Council is twinned with Karlsruhe in Germany. This is a joint twinning arrangement with Monmouthshire County Council which started in October 1998. Twinning towns is a wonderful way of bonding communities in long-term friendships. It is important that people from different communities and backgrounds across Europe reach out to one another and learn more about other cultures and ways of living.
Karlsruhe is located in Germany's Rhine valley in close proximity to the Black Forest and French border. It is a modern, high-tech and ‘green’ city pre-eminent in technological industries, business, law and academic establishments.
Legend has it that when Margrave Karl Wilhelm lay under a tree during a hunting trip, it was a dream that inspired him to build a palace. An 18th century palace, or 'Schloss', remains, together with the unique fan-shaped design of roads leading to it. The famous architect, Weinbrenner, continued and perfected the city planning. Many of his buildings remain as highlights of classicism in Karlsruhe today, including the sandstone pyramid, built in 1823, which houses the remains of Karl Wilhelm and has become a symbol for the city. Large scale gardens, parks and forests attract visitors and locals alike.
Among Karlsruhe's educational establishments is Germany's oldest engineering university, the 'Fridericiana', founded in 1825. It has become Germany's leading faculty of Information Technology. The Academy of Art gained similar recognition through names such as Feuerbach, Thoma and Hofer. With its favourable position on the Rhine, industry developed quickly, with the electrical and petroleum industries playing a major part, together with pharmaceuticals, food processing and textiles. More recently, Karlsruhe has been awarded the title by the European Commission of one of Europe's most 'Innovative Regions of Excellence' and houses the prestigious Karlsruhe Research Centre. The city has developed as a constitutional metropolis since it was awarded the title 'Seat of Law' with the establishment of the Federal Court of Justice in 1950. It is also an established trade fair centre and exhibition location, boasting an impressive Congress and Exhibition Centre.