The Karlskirche is the city's small Reformed (Calvinist) church, built between 1698 and 1710 for the Huguenot refugees who came to Kassel after Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes. The octagonal plan and centralised interior are characteristic of the Reformed tradition: the focus is the pulpit, not an altar.
After damage in the Second World War the church was rebuilt to its original form. The surrounding Karlsplatz has a quiet, slightly French character that reflects the Huguenot history of the quarter. Concerts are held inside year-round; the acoustics in the dome are remarkable.