BUY KATANA Hesse

Hesse is a federal state in the western centre of Germany, bordering on the federal states of Lower Saxony, Thuringia, Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia.

Hesse - History

Hesse's earliest recorded ancestors were probably the Chatti, a Germanic people who existed over 2,000 years ago, but Hesse itself emerged from the collapse of Germany in the twelfth and early thirteenth centuries.

The first documented mention of a town on Hessian territory dates back to 782 AD. It is Eberstadt, then called Eberstadt im Rheingau, where a certain Walther and his wife Williswinde donated their entire property to Lorsch Abbey.

With one of Europe's largest airports, Hessen has an excellent transport network. The international financial centre of Frankfurt characterises Hessen as a service region. Renowned international industrial companies also characterise Hessen as a technology location at the heart of the European markets. In addition, Hessen offers beautiful nature reserves, historic castles and palaces as well as the Rheingau vineyards, which are known throughout the world for their excellent wines.

Hesse - Excursion destinations

Frankfurt - Europe's financial centre

For many international visitors, Frankfurt is the place to go in Germany. The metropolis attracts visitors with a fascinating mix of old and new. On the one hand, the Römer with its half-timbered houses, small shops, boutiques and cobblestone alleyways exudes a medieval flair, while the glass skyscrapers of the financial district serve as a backdrop. Sights include the old town, the imperial cathedral and St Paul's Church.

Find out more about the legend of the Felsenmeer

The so-called Felsenmeer is a legendary landscape in the middle of the Odenwald, where a large field of boulders cuts through the forest. According to legend, two giants once lived on the opposite peaks of the forest. One day, a long-standing feud escalated to such an extent that they began throwing large boulders at each other, eventually burying one of them under a sea of rocks.

History lesson at Braunfels Castle

Braunfels Castle towers over the spa town of the same name on a hill that rises 100 metres above the Lahn valley. The fairytale castle was first mentioned in 1246 and was built as a residence for the Counts of Solms, but its appearance changed several times due to remodelling and extensions. The Knights' Hall in its iconic neo-Gothic style dates back to the mid-19th century, but it owes its current appearance above all to Prince Georg, who extensively remodelled the palatial estate just a few decades later.