Rabenau: Castle Garden, History and the Höhenweg

When planning your trip to Rabenau, you can distinguish between three different themes: the garden in Londorf, traces of local history and the Rabenau Höhenweg. The castle garden combines a historical date with an English-style park and a Neoclassical garden house. The Höhenweg, by contrast, follows a described route along the edge of the forest and features named viewpoints. This can help you decide whether garden and architectural history or a route with scenic viewpoints better matches your interests.

The Castle Garden in Londorf

The castle garden in Londorf was laid out in 1820. Its features include a network of paths, numerous benches, a variety of trees and a fountain. The grounds are landscaped in the English style; adjoining the castle garden is a Neoclassical garden house called the “Londorfer Pavillion.”

The park and garden house offer two different architectural points of reference: the garden is designed in the English style, while the adjoining building is Neoclassical. Together with the year it was laid out and the named features of the park, this gives a concrete picture of the grounds, without confusing them with the historic traces elsewhere in the town.

Traces of Local History

Traces of a moated castle can still be seen in Londorf. Some older buildings stand in the so-called Mittelburg, a Frankish farmstead. These clues point to a different facet of the town than the garden: here, the focus is on traditional building forms and visible traces of the moated castle.

For orientation, you can keep the two themes distinct while also considering them together: the castle garden tells the story of grounds laid out in 1820 and still defined by their design features today. The Mittelburg points to a Frankish farmstead with older buildings; traces of a moated castle can be seen elsewhere in Londorf. The townscape thus ranges from landscaped garden architecture to historic building structures.

The Rabenau Höhenweg and Its Views

The Rabenau Höhenweg starts in Londorf and runs northwest along the edge of the forest. At the second marker stone, there is a view of the church in Londorf, also known as the “Cathedral of Rabenau.” The route also includes the Läushübl: a group of lime trees with a view of the district of Rüddingshausen.

The views mentioned take in different subjects: the church in Londorf from the second marker stone, and Rüddingshausen from the Läushübl. This offers a concrete comparison for planning a walk, without assuming a walking time or difficulty level. Conditions on the route may change; check the current trail conditions before setting out.

The focus of each of Rabenau’s themes is clear: the castle garden centers on the grounds, trees, fountain and garden house; on the Höhenweg, the forest edge, direction and views are the key points of reference. The traces of the moated castle and the Mittelburg add local history to this selection. You can give these places and themes different emphasis depending on what interests you during your stay.

Giessen: Distinct Themes Within the Wider Destination

The wider destination of Giessen offers its own cultural, landscape and practical points of reference. The Notaufnahmelager Giessen Learning and Remembrance Center houses an exhibition that opened in June 2025 about flight, arrival and new beginnings. It combines personal stories with broader historical contexts. The Botanical Garden of Justus Liebig University Giessen is Germany’s oldest university botanical garden; its historic sections are still part of the grounds today.

A longer walk is also described in Giessen: the 7.2 km art trail runs from Ludwigsplatz via the Philosophikum I and II campus areas, which feature the Giessen Art Trail. At the edge of the Law and Science campus area, it continues to the Luther Oak and the Old Cemetery; from there, the route leads back to its starting point at the Dachcafé high-rise. Another walk, “Quellmoor bei Rödgen,” leads into the Aschborn and Uderborn nature reserve between Giessen and Rödgen.

For getting around the GiessenerLand, Giessen railway station is a major rail hub with long-distance services. This information relates to Giessen and complements Rabenau’s own themes, but does not replace the local points of reference in Londorf or on the Rabenau Höhenweg.

Discover more destinations: Wettenberg, Pohlheim, Giessen, Reiskirchen, Grünberg, Langgöns, Heuchelheim, Buseck.

Back to the main travel overview: Giessen.