Baedeker – pronounced bey-di-ker – is from the German travel guide writer and publisher Karl Baedeker.
After having found the site for the venue, the next on our list of to do’s was a name. Given that the bar pays homage to the golden years of travel it seemed fitting that when the name Baedeker was suggested that it was a natural fit.
Karl came from a family of publishers and in 1932 they published their first travel guide to be followed by their first original guide in 1839. Although publishing travel guides was not entirely unheard of, what the Baedeker guides delivered was a complete guide to travel. From the inclusion of accommodation, routes, etiquette and a guide to pricing Baedeker also introduced a star rating system for accommodation, attractions and sights similar to the Murray’s guides published in the UK.
Next time you visit the bar, take a moment and have a flick through one of the Baedeker guides in our bookshelf which are over 100 years old!
