Greifenstein
Encyclopedia
Greifenstein is a community in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis
in Hesse
, Germany
. Its administrative seat is Beilstein. Greifenstein covers 67.43 km² on the eastern slope of the Westerwald
range. Its name comes from the castle
of the same name in the constituent community of the same name, where the German Bell Museum (Deutsches Glockenmuseum) is to be found, with about 50 bells showing the development of bell pouring.
, in the north on the town of Herborn
and the community of Sinn
, in the east on the community of Ehringshausen
, in the south on the town of Leun
(all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis) and the community of Löhnberg
, and in the southwest on the community of Mengerskirchen
(both in Limburg-Weilburg
).
total: 7409 inhabitants
, and the population in outlying hamlets swiftly fell, and those left moved to the village. It is said that the name Allendorf comes from this episode in the village's history, specifically from the phrase Alle ein Dorf – "All one village".
After the Thirty Years' War
, Allendorf became Prussia
n. The border with Nassau, no stranger to war, ran right by the village.
In the early 1920s, the Ulmbach Valley Railway came to town to transport raw materials from the Ulm Valley.
In 1934, Allendorf became an independent community in the Wetzlar district.
Allendorf lost 75 young men in the fighting in the Second World War
. There is now a memorial to them. After the war, newcomers from East Prussia
, Pomerania
and Silesia
found new homes in Allendorf.
In 1972, Allendorf was united with Ulm and Holzhausen into the community of Ulmtal, which was dissolved again in 1977 in the municipal reforms. Allendorf was then amalgamated into Greifenstein over citizens' protests at the Landtag
in Wiesbaden
.
In the mid-1970s, Allendorf was a climatic spa and attracted tourists mostly from the Ruhr area
.
Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition.
, Weilburg
and Herborn. The Ehringshausen and Herborn Süd Autobahn interchanges on the A 45
can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes, as is also true for Federal Highway (Bundesstraße) 49. Each constituent community is connected to the bus network.
From 1922 a railway line ran from the Lahntal Railway by way of Leun-Stockhausen, Leun-Bissenberg, Greifenstein's constituent communities of Allendorf, Ulm and Holzhausen to Beilstein. This line was once to have been built to Driedorf to meet the Westerwald cross-regional line. In the mid 1970s, however, passenger service ceased on the line, and in the early 1990s so did goods service, shortly whereafter the tracks were torn up.
Since the early 1970s, Allendorf has been home to a big event hall with seating for up to 600 people. In Beilstein, a sport hall is on hand. Each constituent community also has its own community house for events.
houses, built in different styles, that are well worth seeing. Moreover, there are the following attractions:
For athletes, the community has over 100 km of well built cycling
and hiking
trails. One attraction is the Ulmbach Reservoir between Holzhausen and Beilstein. It offers a campground, a sunbathing field and a bathing area. In summer, the DLRG
sees to safety. The pathway (about 2.7 km long) is used by many hikers, cyclists, inline skaters
and Nordic walkers
.
In Arborn is a weekend cottage neighbourhood that has an outdoor swimming pool
at its disposal. A further outdoor swimming pool is to be found in Nenderoth. Skilifts for winter sports can be found in Greifenstein and Arborn.
Since 2002 there has been in Allendorf the Outdoor-Center-Lahntal, a nature-linked leisure and adventure park. Overnight stays in tepees, and workshops for adults and children may be booked here.
Lahn-Dill-Kreis
Lahn-Dill is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Siegen-Wittgenstein, Marburg-Biedenkopf, Gießen, Wetteraukreis, Hochtaunuskreis, Limburg-Weilburg, Westerwaldkreis.-History:...
in Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Its administrative seat is Beilstein. Greifenstein covers 67.43 km² on the eastern slope of the Westerwald
Westerwald
The Westerwald is a low mountain range on the right bank of the River Rhine in the German federal states of Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse and North Rhine-Westphalia. It is a part of the Rhine Massif...
range. Its name comes from the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of the same name in the constituent community of the same name, where the German Bell Museum (Deutsches Glockenmuseum) is to be found, with about 50 bells showing the development of bell pouring.
Neighbouring communities
Greifenstein borders in the northwest on the community of DriedorfDriedorf
-Location:Driedorf lies from 416 to 642 m above sea level on a tableland in the high Westerwald.-Mademühlen:Mademühlen has about 1000 inhabitants and lies in the "Hessischer Westerwald" protected area and in the European protected area network Natura 2000...
, in the north on the town of Herborn
Herborn
Herborn is a historic town on the Dill in the Lahn-Dill district of Hesse in Germany. Before World War I, it was granted its own title as Nassauisches Rothenburg. The symbol or mascot of this town is a bear. Scenic attractions include its half-timbered houses; Herborn is located on the German...
and the community of Sinn
Sinn (Hesse)
-Location:Sinn lies at a height of 185 to 356 m above sea level at the foot of the Westerwald range, 3 km south of Herborn in the Dill valley.-Edingen:...
, in the east on the community of Ehringshausen
Ehringshausen
-Location:Ehringshausen lies in the valley of the Dill between Wetzlar and Herborn.-Neighbouring communities:Ehringshausen borders in the north on the community of Mittenaar, in the east on the town of Aßlar, in the south on the towns of Solms and Leun, and in the northwest on the community of Sinn...
, in the south on the town of Leun
Leun
-Location:Leun lies some 10 km west of Wetzlar between the foothills of the northern Taunus and the Westerwald in the Lahn valley, at a height of 150 to 330 m above sea level.-Neighbouring communities:...
(all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis) and the community of Löhnberg
Löhnberg
Löhnberg is a community north of Weilburg in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany.- Neighbouring communities :Löhnberg borders in the north on the community of Greifenstein, in the east on the towns of Leun and Braunfels , in the south on the town of Weilburg, and in the west on the...
, and in the southwest on the community of Mengerskirchen
Mengerskirchen
-Neighbouring communities:Mengerskirchen borders in the north on the community of Greifenstein , in the east on the community of Löhnberg, in the south on the communities of Merenberg and Waldbrunn , and in the west on the communities of Neunkirchen, Elsoff and Oberrod .-Constituent...
(both in Limburg-Weilburg
Limburg-Weilburg
Limburg-Weilburg is a Kreis in the west of Hesse, Germany. Neighboring districts are Lahn-Dill, Hochtaunuskreis, Rheingau-Taunus, Rhein-Lahn, Westerwaldkreis.-History:...
).
Constituent communities
The community was founded as part of Hesse's municipal reforms in 1977 from the following centres (with population figures as at 31 December 2004):- Allendorf: 1355 inhabitants
- Arborn: 609 inhabitants
- Beilstein: 1655 inhabitants
- Greifenstein: 631 inhabitants
- Holzhausen: 972 inhabitants
- Nenderoth: 408 inhabitants
- Odersberg: 285 inhabitants
- Rodenberg: 210 inhabitants
- Rodenroth: 438 inhabitants
- Ulm: 751 inhabitants
total: 7409 inhabitants
Allendorf
Allendorf had its first documentary mention in 774. In the 14th century, the village was stricken with the PlagueBubonic plague
Plague is a deadly infectious disease that is caused by the enterobacteria Yersinia pestis, named after the French-Swiss bacteriologist Alexandre Yersin. Primarily carried by rodents and spread to humans via fleas, the disease is notorious throughout history, due to the unrivaled scale of death...
, and the population in outlying hamlets swiftly fell, and those left moved to the village. It is said that the name Allendorf comes from this episode in the village's history, specifically from the phrase Alle ein Dorf – "All one village".
After the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, Allendorf became Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n. The border with Nassau, no stranger to war, ran right by the village.
In the early 1920s, the Ulmbach Valley Railway came to town to transport raw materials from the Ulm Valley.
In 1934, Allendorf became an independent community in the Wetzlar district.
Allendorf lost 75 young men in the fighting in the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. There is now a memorial to them. After the war, newcomers from East Prussia
East Prussia
East Prussia is the main part of the region of Prussia along the southeastern Baltic Coast from the 13th century to the end of World War II in May 1945. From 1772–1829 and 1878–1945, the Province of East Prussia was part of the German state of Prussia. The capital city was Königsberg.East Prussia...
, Pomerania
Pomerania
Pomerania is a historical region on the south shore of the Baltic Sea. Divided between Germany and Poland, it stretches roughly from the Recknitz River near Stralsund in the West, via the Oder River delta near Szczecin, to the mouth of the Vistula River near Gdańsk in the East...
and Silesia
Silesia
Silesia is a historical region of Central Europe located mostly in Poland, with smaller parts also in the Czech Republic, and Germany.Silesia is rich in mineral and natural resources, and includes several important industrial areas. Silesia's largest city and historical capital is Wrocław...
found new homes in Allendorf.
In 1972, Allendorf was united with Ulm and Holzhausen into the community of Ulmtal, which was dissolved again in 1977 in the municipal reforms. Allendorf was then amalgamated into Greifenstein over citizens' protests at the Landtag
Landtag
A Landtag is a representative assembly or parliament in German-speaking countries with some legislative authority.- Name :...
in Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden
Wiesbaden is a city in southwest Germany and the capital of the federal state of Hesse. It has about 275,400 inhabitants, plus approximately 10,000 United States citizens...
.
In the mid-1970s, Allendorf was a climatic spa and attracted tourists mostly from the Ruhr area
Ruhr Area
The Ruhr, by German-speaking geographers and historians more accurately called Ruhr district or Ruhr region , is an urban area in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. With 4435 km² and a population of some 5.2 million , it is the largest urban agglomeration in Germany...
.
Beilstein
Beilstein is the result of three neighbouring villages growing together, Beilstein, Haiern and Wallendorf, the last of which had its first documentary mention in 774. Beilstein itself was granted town rights on 18 February 1321, but was stripped of them after the Thirty Years' War. Haiern only became part of Beilstein in 1941.Municipal council
The municipal elections on 26 March 2006 yielded the following results:| SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
14 seats |
| CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
11 seats |
| FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
3 seats |
| FWG | 3 seats |
Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition.
Transport and infrastructure
The greater community lies in a triangle formed by the towns of WetzlarWetzlar
Wetzlar is a city in the state of Hesse, Germany. Located at 8° 30′ E, 50° 34′ N, Wetzlar straddles the river Lahn and is on the German Timber-Framework Road which passes mile upon mile of half-timbered houses. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Lahn-Dill-Kreis on the north edge of...
, Weilburg
Weilburg
Weilburg is, with just under 14,000 inhabitants, the third biggest town in Limburg-Weilburg district in Hesse, Germany, after Limburg an der Lahn and Bad Camberg.- Location :...
and Herborn. The Ehringshausen and Herborn Süd Autobahn interchanges on the A 45
Bundesautobahn 45
is an autobahn in Germany, connecting Dortmund in the west with Aschaffenburg in the southwest. It is colloquially known by its byname Sauerlandlinie, which derives from the Sauerland, the landscape which said autobahn is running through between the cities of Hagen and Siegen. Many people think of...
can be reached in 10 to 20 minutes, as is also true for Federal Highway (Bundesstraße) 49. Each constituent community is connected to the bus network.
From 1922 a railway line ran from the Lahntal Railway by way of Leun-Stockhausen, Leun-Bissenberg, Greifenstein's constituent communities of Allendorf, Ulm and Holzhausen to Beilstein. This line was once to have been built to Driedorf to meet the Westerwald cross-regional line. In the mid 1970s, however, passenger service ceased on the line, and in the early 1990s so did goods service, shortly whereafter the tracks were torn up.
Since the early 1970s, Allendorf has been home to a big event hall with seating for up to 600 people. In Beilstein, a sport hall is on hand. Each constituent community also has its own community house for events.
Education
The community has three kindergartens at its disposal in Allendorf, Beilstein and Nenderoth. Two primary schools can be found in the community, namely in Allendorf and Beilstein.Tourism
Each constituent community has half-timberedTimber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
houses, built in different styles, that are well worth seeing. Moreover, there are the following attractions:
- Greifenstein Castle with bell museum
- the Altes Haus ("Old House") in Holzhausen
- church with village well and 1000-year-old oak in Allendorf
- Beilstein Castle (partially reconstructed ruins), first mentioned in 1229, and church in Beilstein
For athletes, the community has over 100 km of well built cycling
Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
and hiking
Hiking
Hiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
trails. One attraction is the Ulmbach Reservoir between Holzhausen and Beilstein. It offers a campground, a sunbathing field and a bathing area. In summer, the DLRG
DLRG
The Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft e.V. is a relief organization for life saving in Germany. The DLRG is a non-profit, independent organization based on volunteers.-Tasks:...
sees to safety. The pathway (about 2.7 km long) is used by many hikers, cyclists, inline skaters
Inline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
and Nordic walkers
Nordic walking
Nordic walking, originally known as ski walking, is a physical activity and a sport consisting of walking with poles similar to ski poles.-Origin:...
.
In Arborn is a weekend cottage neighbourhood that has an outdoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
at its disposal. A further outdoor swimming pool is to be found in Nenderoth. Skilifts for winter sports can be found in Greifenstein and Arborn.
Since 2002 there has been in Allendorf the Outdoor-Center-Lahntal, a nature-linked leisure and adventure park. Overnight stays in tepees, and workshops for adults and children may be booked here.