City travellers to Marburg will follow the footprints of the Hessian Landgraves and famous Saint Elizabeth of Hungary.
The Marburg Highland in Central Hessia, on both banks of the Lahn River, is home to the university city of Marburg. Towards the west, the city extends into the Gladenbacher mountain range while it borders the Lahnberg Mountains in the east. The highest elevation is Störner Mountain, 412 metres high and close to the district Dilschhausen. Just west of the historic old town awaits the most impressive attraction during a city trip to Marburg, Marburg Castle. The massive building greets travellers from the Schlossberg, 300 metres high. The castle was created from a fort of the 11th century and was the first residence of the Hessian Landgraves. An eventful tour will lead you into magnificent rooms, among them the Prince’s Room, one of the largest secular Gothic halls in Central Europe. Within the walls of the castle, the Marburg University Museum for Cultural History invites you to explore the history of the region, from the Stone Age to modern times. You can also visit one of the popular events taking place in the castle, such as theatre and concert events as well as colourful Renaissance Fairs.
At the bottom of the mountain, the 55-metre high towers of the Elisabethkirche Church extend over the roofs of the old town. The first Gothic hall church built in Germany and completed in 1823 was a popular place of pilgrimage during the late Middle Ages. It was erected by the Teutonic Order, honouring Saint Elizabeth of Hungary. Among the impressive artefacts inside of the church are the high altar from 1290 made of sandstone as well as the Gothic Golden Shrine of Saint Elizabeth. The chapel in the north tower houses two coffins with the remains of former President of the German Reich, Paul von Hindenburg, and his wife.
A pretty landmark is the guildhall, completed in 1527 and impressing with a beautiful Renaissance gable. City travellers in Marburg await the guildhall rooster every full hour as it crows down to those assembled.An eventful excursion during your mini-break or short trip will take you to the Kaiser-Wilhelm Tower in the Lahn Mountains towards the East. The tower, dedicated in 1890, boasts a 36-metre high viewing platform and provides visitors with breathtaking panoramic views across the medieval silhouette of the city and Marburg Castle. The tower parlour regularly houses lectures and concerts. During summer, excursionists and hikers meet in the beer garden of the restaurant ‘Spiegelslust’ for proper meals and cold drinks.
