Idstein - Idstein

Idstein - Rathaus.jpg
Idstein
federal stateHesse
Residents
24.897 (2019)
height
266 m
Tourist information Tel 49 6126 78620
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location
Location map of Hesse
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Idstein

Idstein is a small town in Hesse Taunus with many old half-timbered houses.

background

Idstein lies between Limburg on the Lahn and Frankfurt am Main in the north of Wiesbaden in the Rhine-Taunus nature park. With its medieval town center (town charter since 1287) and many half-timbered buildings from five centuries (oldest residential building from 1410), the town invites you to linger in well-tended cafés, restaurants and hotels. Idstein was first mentioned in a document in 1102. In 1287, Count Adolf von Nassau-Idstein enforced the granting of city rights to King Rudolf von Habsburg.

City rights since 1287

Adolf von Nassau was the German king from 1292 to 1298 as the successor to Rudolf von Habsburg. Count Johannes von Nassau and Idstein persecuted witches in the 17th century. Until 1721, Idstein was the residence of the Counts and Princes of Nassau-Idstein and the center of the region. In 1728 the city fell to Nassau-Usingen and was no longer a royal seat. Nassau-Usingen was united with Nassau-Weilburg to form the Duchy of Nassau in 1806 and became a member of the Rhine Confederation. After the war in 1866, Prussia annexed the duchy as the Prussian province of Hesse-Nassau. Idstein became the seat of the Nassau (from 1866 Prussian) archive. Schools such as grammar school, teacher training college, agricultural school and building trade school were founded by the sovereign or municipal authorities. There was an important leather industry in Idstein from the end of the 18th to the middle of the 20th century.

Idstein is known for its old buildings: half-timbered houses from the 15th to the 18th century, some with rich carvings, aristocratic residences such as the Stockheimer Hof from the 16th century and the stately group of buildings in the upper Schlossgasse with the witch's tower and castle. The simple but well-kept and recently very popular craftsmen's houses from the time of the first city expansion around 1700 are also attractive.

Witch hunt

Between February 1676 and March 1677, 31 women and 8 men were executed in Idstein. In addition, 4 women were pilloried, cut with rods and expelled from the country forever. The initiative came from Count Johannes. He took matters into his own hands. There were a clerk of the court, two innkeepers, a locksmith and a butcher, the wives of the mayor, two pastors and the count's clerks. No woman executed in Idstein was under 40 years of age. There was no interest in young women because population growth was paramount.

getting there

By train

By bus

Numerous regional bus routes operate, also from Wiesbaden. · Info: Rhein-Main-Verkehrsverbund RMV · Route map Idstein

In the street

The highway A3 passes Idstein (Idstein exit). The B275 leads around the city through the Taunus Bad Nauheim (A5).

The city is on German half-timbered street.

By bicycle

Idstein is on the Hessian long-distance cycle paths R6 (Butzbach -Wiesbaden) and R8 (Limburg - Frankfurt-Höchst).

The German Limes cycle path leads south past Idstein. He follows that Upper German-Raetian Limes over 818 km from Bad Hönningen at the Rhine to regensburg at the Danube.

mobility

Map of Idstein

The historic old town is easy to walk to, but from the train station you have to walk about 1 km down to the center or take a bus. There are several lines that connect Idstein with the suburbs.

Tourist Attractions

King Adolf Square
  • City center. König-Adolf-Platz is the city center. It is surrounded by half-timbered houses from the 17th century. Next to the town hall (1698) is the crooked house from 1727 on the left and the mighty arched building on the right of the town hall, which was built in 1497 and provides access to the castle district.
    • The Killingerhaus from 1615 is the most beautiful of all Idsteiner half-timbered buildings. Today the tourist information is located here. Opening times: Tue and Wed, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 5 p.m., Thu and Fri, 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sat 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sun and public holidays 2 p.m. - 5 p.m. Closed on monday The city museum is housed on the upper floor.
    • Tanner's house (1816), the last of around 30 leather production buildings. Today a place for cultural events.
  • Idstein Castle. The origins of the residential palace are likely to be in the 11th century. It was rebuilt and expanded between 1614 and 1634. The last Prince of Idstein, Georg August Samuel (1665 / 1684-1721) gave the building a new interior, which was also designed by well-known artists. The castle has been a high school since 1946 and can be visited on guided tours.
  • The picturesque Building ensemble between the archway building and the witch tower was built from 1497 to 1588. The houses were used for representation, administration and living.
  • Castle with witch tower The keep from 1710 is called the Witches Tower. It is the oldest building in Idstein. The castle was built between 1497 and 1588. When the castle was rebuilt, the castle lost its defensive function. The witch tower is 42 meters high. The walls are three meters thick. In 1963 it was restored. But witches were not imprisoned, as one might assume. A plaque on a rock wall by the keep reminds of the people murdered as witches. Idstein was notorious for the witch trials around 1676.
    View through the castle gate to the Union Church
  • The Protestant Union Church originally from the 14th century. Since 1553 it was Lutheran. Here the Reformed and Lutherans were united to form the Evangelical Church of Nassau in 1817. The interior is colorfully decorated with pictures (artists of the Rubens School). It was completed after a renovation between 1669-1677 in the 18th century.
  • Clerk (1497)
  • Building group of the former castle complex (from 1565)
  • Old district court (1588)
  • Herrenspeicher (around 1745)
  • Höerhof (1620)
  • Stockheimer Hof (1599 and earlier), later Kalmenhof
  • Old fire brigade (1927)
  • former “Building School” (1891–1893 / 1910), today: Europa Fachhochschule Fresenius
  • City Hall (1987)
  • Felix-Lahnstein-Straße, former Judengasse
  • City museum in the Killingerhaus

Outside:

  • Römerturm (reconstruction) - watchtower of the border fortification between the Roman Empire and free Germania, the "Limes" (pile ditch) in Idstein-Dasbach.

activities

  • Idstein Jazz Festival. Thousands of visitors have been attending the open-air concert on the first Hessian holiday weekend for over 20 years. On three days in July, Fri-Sun, bands play live on more than 10 stages in the old town.
    The annual Idstein Jazz Festival
  • Idstein witch market takes place annually around the palace and castle.
  • hike in the Taunus
  • To go biking

shop

Weekly market: Wednesdays and Saturdays on Löherplatz.

kitchen

  • Gasthof zur Pfeif, Iris Kochendörfer, Himmelsgasse 2, Tel: 0 61 26 - 5 73 57, regional and seasonal cuisine, Mon.-Fri. 5pm - 1am, Sat, Sun, public holidays 6pm - 1am, closed on Wednesdays
  • The Lion cellar at the town hall, König-Adolf-Platz 1, Tel .: 0 61 26 - 12 48, Fax .: 06126 - 20 20
  • Hotel Restaurant Höerhof, Obergasse 26, Tel. 49 (0) 6126 500-26, Fax: 49 (0) 6126 500-226, E-Mail: [email protected]
  • The potato kitchen, Borngasse 3, 65510 Idstein, Tel. 06126/8074. Offers everything to do with potatoes. Very cozy ambience.

nightlife

  • The SCHEUER in Idstein-Wörsdorf, Wallbacher Str. 2 is the Rock’n’Roll stage in the Taunus. Rock, pop, classical, jazz, Irish folk, comedy, band competitions, over 30 parties.

accommodation

  • 1  Hotel Lindner, Idsteiner Strasse 2, 65510 Idstein-Walsdorf. Tel.: 49 (0)64 34 91640, Fax: 49 (0)64 34 9164 19, Email: . Double room from € 44 including breakfast.
  • Hotel Ziegelhütte, Am Bahnhof 6, Tel: 0 61 26 - 7 02 77, Fax: 0 61 26 - 7 11 45,, Double 90 € including breakfast
  • Hotel Goldes Lamm, Himmelsgasse 7, Tel. 0 61 26 - 9312 0, Fax: 0 61 26 - 13 66, E-Mail: [email protected]. Double room from € 40 including breakfast buffet.
  • Hotel Felsenkeller, Schulgasse 1, Tel. 0 61 26 / 9311-0, Fax: 0 61 26/93 11-193,.
  • 2  Idstein mobile home port, Himmelsbornweg, Idstein. Graveled motorhome parking space in the leisure and recreation area Wolfsbachtal. Electricity € 1.00 / 8 hours (machine), water € 1.00 / 80 l (machine). From November to March the water is turned off due to the risk of frost.Open: 24/7.Price: EUR 10.00 / night.last change: Aug. 2019

Learn

Work

security

health

Practical advice

1  Tourist information, in the Killingerhaus, König-Adolf-Platz. Tel.: 49 (0)6126 78 620, Fax: 49 (0)6126 78 865, Email: .

trips

Cities:

literature

  • Idstein past and present, 1987, Idstein City Administration, Idstein Tourist Info, Tel .: 06126 / 78-620.
  • The history of the Leaning House in Idstein 1727 - 1997, 1997, Idstein City Administration, Idstein Tourist Info, Tel: 06126 / 78-620
  • Idstein (photo book), 1998, Idstein City Administration, Idstein Tourist Info, Tel: 06126 / 78-620
  • Traces of prehistoric cultures, 1999, Horst Nauk, Glashütten, Tel: 06082/1052
  • Idsteiner Land - a strong piece of the Rhine-Main, 2007, Frank Heilhecker, Idstein, Tourist-Info Idstein, Tel: 06126 / 78-620
  • The Nassauer Land history, landscape, people, special edition, 2002, district committee of the Rheingau-Taunus district
  • The Idsteiner Hexenturm, 2008, Magistrate of the City of Idstein, Tourist-Info Idstein, Tel: 06126 / 78-620

Web links

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