Gelnhausen
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Gelnhausen is a city in the German state of Hesse.
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History
It was founded by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa in 1170. This is the reason for it's nickname "Barbarossa town". The place was chosen because it was the crossing of the Via Regia, a major trade road between Frankfurt and Leipzig, and some others. Frederick united three villages to form it.
Trade priviliges attracted many merchants. A special prvilege was the so called "staple right". It forced passing merchants to offer their load in the town for three days.
Until the Thirty Years' War Gelnhausen remained a relatively rich trade city. But then continued plundering made it nearly uninhabitable. Till the Napoleonic Wars Gelnhausen in 1804 still was a freie Reichsstadt (free imperial city).
In the middle of the 19th century Gelnhausen had completely recovered. During this time the rubber industry had chosen it as one of it's centers in Germany causing an economical boom.
Geography and climate
Geography
The town is located in the Kinzig valley. In the middle age the river has been navigable from here.
Transportation
Gelnhausen lies directly at the german autoroute A66. There is also a major railroad line between Frankfurt and Fulda. The local traffic from Frankfurt to Fulda or Wächtersbach stops in Gelnhausen.
Culture
Sites of interest
Barbarossa erected one castle here. Still it has a medieval town center with its famous cathedral which is both romanesque and gothic.
Kaiserpfalz
As a direct imperial palatinate Gelnhausen had a castle. It has been erected at the time of Gelnhausen's foundation south-east of the town on an isle in the Kinzig. The groundwork has been stabilized by 12.000 logs of wood.
Today it is the best preserved palatinate castle from this time. It has a remarkable masonry.
Hexenturm (witch tower)
Lutherian Church "St. Mary"
Catholic curch "St. Peter"
The church's origin lies within the early 13st century. Rich citizens of Gelnhausen plenned to erect a church within the town. This caused a conflict with the Selbold monastery that owned the clerical patronage for Gelnhausen. This conflict escalated up to pope Gregory IX who decided in favour of the monastery.
From the 13st to the 15st century the church was used for weddings, baptisms and funerals.
After the reformation the building became property of the town. It decayed in the follwing time. 1830 the building was sold to a local merchant. After the demolition of the second tower a cigar factory was build in it.
In the year 1920 the catholic community of Gelnhausen bought the church and restored it roughly within the followin 18 years. A complete restauration took place 1982/83.
Former Synagogue
Sister cities
People born in Gelnhausen
- Gelnhausen is the birthplace of Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen. In his famous work Simplicissimus, the sacking of Gelnhausen during the Thirty Years' War is graphically described.
- Gelnhausen is also the birthplace of Johann Philipp Reis, the inventor of one of the first telephones.
- It is also the birthplace of the actresses Tia and Tamera Mowry.
- Birthplace of Robert Koegler.
Trivia
- Many American soldiers, including Colin Powell served at the Coleman Kaserne.
- Colin Powell has a street named after him. During the Second Gulf War there was some discussion about renaming the street because of German's stance on the war. The mayor of Gelnhausen strongly objected.