Central Hesse is an area that is always good for a surprise. Did you know, for example, that there is a castle there – in Braunfels to be precise – that looks like a fairytale castle from a Disney movie? With a silhouette that seems almost unreal – with battlements, oriels, towers – high up on a hill overlooking the valley? Yes, it really exists – and it is privately owned, but part of it can be visited.
Inside route of castle
You can park below the castle in a parking lot that is adventurous to reach. From here, one path leads into the sleepy old town and another up to the Braunfels castle. Through one gate you reach the steep cobblestone driveway, which you have to scramble up if you want to reach a forecourt with a cute castle coffee through the second gate. You can only enter the castle with a guided tour. This is worthwhile, however, because the knowledgeable castle guides – mostly young students – know a lot of interesting details that are not in any guidebook.
Through a staircase you reach the beautifully planted inner courtyard of the castle, which is still inhabited by the owners, a count’s family. After that you have to climb some more stairs to the tower. From here on, photography is prohibited – but you’ll get oversized gray slippers with which you can shuffle along the floor and polish it a bit. Knight armor, forged weapons, flags….
Later, a gallery with oversized oil paintings, a banquet hall with a small stage for entertaining guests, and lots of extremely well-preserved furniture that the centuries have done little to harm.
The tour then leads to the outer garden of the castle, from which there is a breathtaking view of both the castle and the valley. And through a well-secured gate you get back to the forecourt from where the tour started.
About the village
After that you can walk down a steep staircase through a tunnel into the village. So it is recommended to wear good, sturdy shoes and no high heels.
In the village itself, there is a lot of half-timbering, an old well – and somehow you have the feeling all the time that time has stopped here. There are some cute little stores, some restaurants that invite you for lunch or dinner. The food is good and the prices moderate.
If you want, you can drive from here to Weilburg or Wetzlar. Both are right within the reach.