"Eleven friends is what you've got to be"

Kaiserslautern's football team, 1. FC Kaiserslautern, (the '1.' means 1st) had their heyday in the early 1950's, when the Red Devils' most famous footballer, Fritz Walter - after whom the stadium is now named - was one of the leading lights in the rebirth of German football after the War.  It's an era remembered fondly by the city with statues of 11 footballers in traditional kit on a round-about at the foot of the hill leading to the ground.

Apart from the 1996-97 season, 1. FC Kaiserslautern have also been ever-present members of the Bundesliga since its inception in 1963.

American home from home
If you're American, or enjoy the company of Americans, you'll also feel at home in Kaiserslautern.  The city has a long history of foreign armies on its soil and the current US military base in the city is one of the largest - possibly even the largest - Amercian settlement outside of the US.

Crowning glory

Kaiserslautern town hall

If you're looking for picturesque sights, however, you're looking in the wrong place! 

When a city regards its crowning glory as a stark, concrete tower block from the late 1960s you know you're in trouble. 

Yet, yes - the 84-metre high town hall building is regarded as one of Kaiserslautern's main tourist attractions.  And they're very proud of it!  For a while it was the tallest town hall in Germany (impressed, huh?).

Arrive by train!
From a football fan's point of view, however, Kaiserslautern is a great city - especially if you come in by train!  The ground is less than a mile from the station, albeit a good ten-minute climb up a very steep hill - the 'Betzenberg'.

And after the game - well, it's downhill all the way to the station and back to somewhere more interesting!