Hanau

Hanau is the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, born there in 1785 and 1786, and is the starting point of the German Fairy Tale Route. First mentioned as a settlement in 1143, it grew around a castle on the River Kinzig held by a noble family who took the name "of Hanau" in the 13th century and became counts in 1429. From that era Hanau built a reputation for gold- and silversmithing, a legacy still reflected in firms like Heraeus, a major precious-metals company headquartered there since 1851. Much of the historic centre, including the counts' ancestral palace, was destroyed in the Second World War. A landmark double statue of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, erected in 1896, stands on the market square. On the edge of the city, the Wilhelmsbad spa complex — a landscaped English-style garden built for Crown Prince Wilhelm IV — preserves the oldest stationary carousel in Germany, made in 1780, alongside other 18th-century garden follies; the park is open daily with no admission charge.

The easiest way to get into Hanau would be via Frankfurt , whose Frankfurt International Airport lies only 30 kilometers away. Frankfurt main station can be reached by both S-Bahn and train. Other train stations are Westbahnhof (close to the city center), Wilhelmsbad Bahnhof and Nordbahnhof. The S-Bahn also stops in Steinheim.

ICE stop : Frankfurt - Hannover - Hamburg, Frankfurt - Hildesheim - Berlin, Frankfurt - Leipzig - Dresden, Frankfurt - Würzburg - Nürnberg - München; Hanau is also served by Flixtrain

• a private operator.

Reachable by car as sandwiched between the A3, A66 and A45

The town centre of Hanau is compact and walkable. Local buses connect the main districts and nearby attractions. Taxis are available from the train station.

Goldschmiedehaus

( Altes Rathaus ),

Altstädter Markt 6 ,

☏

+49 6181 256556 .

German House of Goldsmiths (old town hall of Hanau)  

Neustädter Rathaus

( new town hall ).

 

Brüder Grimm-Nationaldenkmal

( Grimm Brothers National Memorial ),

Am Markt .

Sculpture of brothers Grimm  

Schloss Philippsruhe

( Philippsruhe palace ),

Philippsruher Allee 47 .

 

Bad Wilhelmsbad ,

Kesselstädter Str. .

Historic spa complex with an English-style garden, including the oldest stationary carousel in Germany (made in 1780). Open daily, free admission.  

Hessisches Puppenmuseum

( Puppet Museum ),

Parkpromenade 4 .

Events

Brothers Grimm festival

( Brüder Grimm festspiele ). A theatre festival focused on the works of the Brothers Grimm, historically held in the summer months.

Ruhrpottperle ,

Wachenbuchener Str. .

Currywurst and Pommes  

Café Bar Central ,

Am Markt 21 ,

☏

+49 700 2220 0999 .

Jazzkeller Hanau ,

Philippsruher Allee 22 .

All kinds of drinks, including apple wine, and live music on Fridays and Saturdays.   ( updated Feb 2019 )

Brückenkopf ,

Wilhelmstrasse 15a .

Cheap drinks and regional food, occasional live music events.   ( updated Feb 2019 )

Arcadia Hotel Hanau ,

Kurt-Blaum-Platz 6 ,

☏

+49 6181 30550 .

 

Villa Stokkum ,

Steinheimer Vorstadt 70 ,

☏

+49 6181 6640 .

 

Birkenhof ,

Von-Eiff-Straße 37-41 ,

☏

+49 6181 64880 .

The farmer's market on the market square every Wednesday and Saturday is one of the biggest farmer's markets in Hesse and offers a wide choice of regional products.

The newly opened Forum Hanau is a shopping centre directly next to the central bus station.

• Berlin — Germany's capital city, reachable by regional train
• Nearby towns in Hessen — explore the surrounding region