130
5 Schloss Braunfels
Hesse; 35619
With its impressive forest of towers
rising high above the half-timbered
town of Braunfels huddling at its
gate, Schloss Braunfels (tours Apr–
Oct: open daily; Nov–Mar: open Sat,
Sun & holidays) looks every inch the
romantic medieval fortress, though
it owes its present fairy-tale appear-
ance to a 19th-century Neo-Gothic
rebuild. The seat of the Counts of
Solms since the 13th century, it
remains in the hands of the
Solms-Braunfels family.
ª Leave Braunfels along Wetzlarer
Strasse. After crossing Oberndorf,
take Braunfelser Strasse to Wetzlar.Goethe in Wetzlar
Wetzlar was the seat of the highest
civil court of the Holy Roman Empire.
This was the reason the young
law yer Goethe traveled here in the
summer of 1772. During his brief
stay, Goethe formed an unrequited
attachment to Charlotte Buff, who
was already engaged. This unhappy
romance formed the basis for The
Sorrows of Young Werther, the novel
that brought him interna tional
fame. Charlotte’s family home is
now a museum, the Lottehaus
(closed Mon).VISITING WETZLARParking
There is limited on-street parking on
the Domplatz. Parking is available in
the Dom Garage parking lot, the
entrance to which is on the square.
Tourist Information
Domplatz 8, 35573; 06441 99 77 50;
http://www.wetzlar.de; open Mon–SatWHERE TO STAYWEILBURG
Schlosshotel Weilburg moderate
Housed in the Baroque stable block of
the Schloss, this four-star hotel has
individually decorated rooms with en
suite bath or shower, TV, and minibar.
Langgasse 25, 35781; 06471 509 00;
http://www.schlosshotel-weilburg.deWETZLAR
Bürgerhof moderate
This hotel occupies an 18th-century
house and has en suite rooms with
cable TV and wireless Internet.
Konrad Adenauer Promenade 20,
35578; 06441 90 30; http://www.buergerhof-
wetzlar.comHERBORN
Hohe Schule moderate
The 16th-century buildings of Hohe
Schule, or high school, are the setting
for this hotel with just nine rooms.
Schulhofstrasse 5, 35745; 02772 927
90; http://www.hohe-schule.deFRANKENBERG
Die Sonne expensive
Located in the former Stadtweinhaus,
Die Sonne has air-conditioned rooms
with TVs and wireless Internet.
Marktplatz 2-4, 35066; 06451 75 00;
http://www.sonne-frankenberg.deAbove left Landscaped garden, Schloss
Weilburg Above right Landgrafenschloss,
perched above the town of MarburgBACK ROADS GERMANY
6 Wetzlar
Hesse; 35573
Rising steeply from the banks of
the Lahn, Wetzlar’s hilly Altstadt,
or old town, with its sloping squares
and lanes graced by attractive
half-timbered houses, requires
leisured exploration. The main
focus here is the peculiar-looking
Dom (open daily), in which parts of
the original Romanesque Stiftskirche
coexist with incomplete sections
of the grander 13th-century
Gothic hall church intended to
replace it. Both Catholic and
Protestant congregations use
the church.
ª Leave Wetzlar along
Hermannsteiner Strasse. Follow signs
to Dillenburg/B277 until Herborn.4 Weilburg
Hesse; 35781
Tucked into a loop of the Lahn so
tight that just one gate guards the
entrance to its compact Altstadt,
Weilburg is dominated by its
sprawling Schloss (closed Mon).
The castle’s surviving Renaissance
core was expanded in the 18th
century to create a suitably
palatial Residenz, or seat, for the
counts of Nassau-Weilburg. The
lovely complex stretches 438 yards
(400 m) along the hillside above the
river, and there is a sunny Baroque
garden complete with
an orangery and a café.
ª Cross the Steinerne Brücke
below Weilburg’s old town, then turn
left and follow Bahnhofstrasse and
Löhnberger Weg to Löhnberg. At
Löhnberg, follow signs to Wetzlar,
then join the B49 to Lahnbahnhof.
From here, take Mühlengrund to
the town of Braunfels.7 Herborn
Hesse; 35745
Nestling beneath its 13th-century
castle, Herborn has a beautifully
preserved historic core. The stubby
16th-century Rathaus seems half
fortress, and there is an impressive
parade of five-story houses alongWhere to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150