Initially designed around 1700 as a symmetrical Baroque garden with water basins and fan-shaped canals, the Karlsaue was redesigned at the end of the 18th century as a landscape garden in the English style. However, the Baroque axes of view and meaning are still accessible to visitors today.
Parallel to the landscape architectural design, Landgrave Karl (1654 - 1730), who gave his name to the ensemble, had the Orangery Palace built as a summer residence at the starting point of the Baroque axes. Today it houses the Astronomical-Physical Cabinet. Right next to it is the Marble Bath, Germany's last important and preserved representative bathing complex from the late Baroque period. At the southern end of the park is Siebenbergen Island, which is also called "Flower Island" because of its changing flowerage in spring and summer.
