Friedatunnel

The Friedatunnel is a railway tunnel running for 1,040 meters through a limestone ridge between Dachsberg and Kahlenberg mountains in the Werra-Meißner district. The entrances are now sealed with concrete walls but remain accessible via forest paths from Frieda village and near Wolfsbrunnen Castle.

The tunnel was built between 1876 and 1878 and served railway traffic until April 1945, when destruction of a nearby viaduct made the line unusable. Wartime brought its role as a transport route to an end.

The eastern portal displays rounded arches and two circular stone towers, while the western entrance shows gothic details with carved letters. These architectural features at both ends reflect different building styles and mark the passage through the ridge.

The tunnel is accessible from outside, though the sealed entrances cannot be entered, making it a site best viewed from the surrounding area. Forest paths around it offer a good sense of its location and scale within the landscape.

After the war, from 1947 to 1983, the German Federal Railway used the tunnel as a climate chamber to test insulation on railway cars. This was one of the most unexpected repurposings of the former railway route.

Location: Hesse

Location: Werra-Meißner-Kreis

Location: Meinhard

Length: 1,040 m

GPS coordinates: 51.20780,10.11250

Latest update: December 13, 2025 12:21