Kant remained loyal to his hometown throughout his life. It was here that he felt he got to know life in all its facets. But what characterised Königsberg?
Königsberg was located away from the major European metropolises such as London and Paris, yet it was a large city with many centres: the castle for politics, the university for education, the cathedral for religion and an international harbour with people from many countries; several thousand soldiers were also stationed in the capital of the border region.
Today, Kant's Königsberg has almost entirely disappeared. Many buildings fell victim to urban modernisation of the city in the 19th century, and the rest was destroyed in the Second World War. The virtual reconstruction brings Kant's world back to life. Experience a walk through his city, compare the Königsberg of the 18th century with images from the 1930s and present-day Kaliningrad. Six worlds of virtual experience also offer a playful introduction to Kant's world of thought.
"A large city ... such as Königsberg on the
Pregel River, for example, can be a seemly place
for the expansion of both the knowledge of human nature
as well as of the world, where this
can be acquired even without travelling"
Kant, Preface to the Anthropology... 1798