Imperial Palace Gelnhausen, Castle ruin in Gelnhausen, Germany
The Imperial Palace stands on a former island in the Kinzig River, featuring Romanesque architecture with detailed stone carvings and ornate window decorations.
Frederick I Barbarossa established this palace between 1160 and 1180 as part of his strategy to expand Hohenstaufen control along the Frankfurt-Leipzig trade route.
The palace windows display intricate capital decorations incorporating medieval motifs of tendrils, foliage, human figures, and various animal representations.
Visitors can access the palace ruins at Burgstraße 14 in Gelnhausen via the A66 motorway, with guided tours available throughout the year.
The palace foundation required between 18,000 and 20,000 wooden piles driven into soft ground, taking approximately 15 to 20 years to complete.
Location: Gelnhausen
Part of: Burgmannensiedlung mit Burgtor
Address: Burgstraße 12
GPS coordinates: 50.20000,9.19556
Latest update: May 12, 2025 01:59
Hesse preserves an extensive collection of historic structures spanning nearly two millennia. The Roman fort of Saalburg near Bad Homburg documents 2nd century frontier fortifications along the Limes. Medieval monasteries such as Arnsburg near Lich and Seligenstadt demonstrate Carolingian and Romanesque construction, while the abbey ruins at Bad Hersfeld reveal the architectural scale of Benedictine establishments. The Abbey of Lorsch holds UNESCO World Heritage status and presents through its gatehouse one of the most important examples of early medieval architecture north of the Alps. The region connects these religious and military structures with castles and palaces from various periods. Münzenberg Castle and the ruins at Ulrichstein document Hohenstaufen fortification techniques, while Braunfels Palace and Friedrichstein Palace in Bad Wildungen illustrate the evolution from defensive stronghold to residence. The Grimm Brothers House in Steinau an der Straße links literary heritage with regional history. Geological formations such as the Rock Sea in the Odenwald and the Crystal Cave at Kubach complement the human built monuments with natural history features.
Marienkirche
392 m
Gelnhausen station
577 m
Schloss Meerholz
3.9 km
Romanisches Haus
323 m
Peterskirche
566 m
Gotisches Haus (Gelnhausen)
439 m
Martinskirche (Altenhaßlau)
1.2 km
Reinhardskirche
1.3 km
Maria Königin
3.9 km
Kinzigaue bei Gelnhausen
1.3 km
Evangelische Kirche
3.6 km
Synagoge
250 m
Alte Schmidtgasse 11
560 m
Alte Schmidtgasse 1
575 m
Hexenturm
216 m
Bunker 84 Meerholz
4 km
Bunker 77 Meerholz
3.9 km
Bauwerk 79 Meerholz
3.9 km
Bunker 75 Meerholz
3.9 km
Buttenturm in Gelnhausen
755 m
Bunker 73 Meerholz
3.8 km
Bunker 82 Meerholz
4 km
Bunker 83 Meerholz
3.9 km
Bunker 81 Meerholz
4.1 km
Fachwerkhaus Untermarkt 3
275 m
Ziegelturm
279 m
Läuthäuschen, ehemaliger Wehrturm
3.2 km
Bunker 74 Meerholz
3.7 kmReviews
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