Kronberg im Taunus: Castle, Museums and Old Town

When choosing a hotel in Kronberg im Taunus, it helps to decide what you want to focus on during your stay: the castle and local history, art and design, or Opel Zoo each offer a different theme. There is also practical guidance for getting here. If you plan to visit the castle, allow for the requirement to join a guided tour and check current dates.

Castle, Half-Timbered Houses and Local History

Kronberg Castle stands on a rocky outcrop on the southern slope of the Taunus. From there, you can enjoy a view over the Rhine-Main Plain. Half-timbered houses shape the appearance of the old town, giving it a medieval feel. The castle and old town thus offer two different glimpses into Kronberg’s history: the castle’s striking location and the character of its historic buildings.

Since 2008, the north wing of the Middle Castle has housed a permanent exhibition on the castle’s history. Exhibits at the Kronberg Castle Museum include a faithfully reconstructed suit of armor belonging to Hartmuth VI of Kronberg from the 14th century, and a Gothic kitchen. Its furnishings include a large fireplace, a well and various tools. For planning purposes, it is important to note that the museum and the castle’s interior rooms can only be visited as part of a guided tour. Before your trip, check the latest visitor regulations and tour dates.

Art, Architecture and Stories of Kronberg

The Kronberg Painters’ Colony connects the town with the art history of the 19th century. Around the middle of the 19th century, painters from the Städel Art Institute in Frankfurt discovered Kronberg as an idyllic place surrounded by nature and founded an artists’ colony there. The Kronberg Painters’ Colony Museum has displayed works by these artists since 2001. This makes it possible to distinguish the period when the colony was founded from the present-day exhibition of its works.

The Braun Collection offers a different perspective on technology and design: its permanent exhibition explores the development of the Braun company in technology and design, while temporary exhibitions showcase objects from its design archive. Along the Kronberg Lantern Trail, you can see silhouettes displayed in lanterns throughout the old town. They depict major events and small anecdotes from the past and are accompanied by theatrical guided tours.

Individual buildings also tell different stories. St. John’s Church features impressive tombs of the von Kronberg family and a painted wooden barrel vault. The Streitkirche stands right next door: it was built as a Catholic church in the 18th century under the rule of the Electors of Mainz, but was never consecrated as one. The Receptur, in turn, is a former administrative building from the period of Mainz rule. Its courtyard opens behind a 16th-century arched gateway.

Quellenpark and Opel Zoo

Quellenpark Kronthal is a historic garden with mature trees and springs. A mineral spring in the small valley was first mentioned in a document in the mid-16th century. The park therefore represents a different theme from the castle and museums: the traditional use of the spring landscape.

At Opel Zoo, which covers 27 hectares, circular trails and educational paths offer views into the enclosures. The zoo is home to around 1,700 animals from more than 220 species, most of them from Africa, Asia and Europe. These figures give an idea of the scale of the animal collection; animal numbers may change.

The zoo’s educational programs are aimed at specific groups. These include kindergartens, school classes from elementary school through to high school graduation classes, as well as other groups such as holiday programs, children’s birthday parties, senior outings and company trips. If you are interested in these programs, check which one is suitable for your group. They should not be considered an offering for all visitors.

Getting Here and the Wider Hochtaunus Travel Area

S-Bahn line 4 takes you from Frankfurt Central Station to Kronberg in less than 20 minutes. Check the current timetable before travelling. If you are arriving by car, the centrally located parking garage at Berliner Platz is one parking option in Kronberg; check the current parking conditions in advance.

In the wider Hochtaunus travel destination, Kronberg Castle was probably built in the 12th century as an imperial castle on Hohenstaufen crown lands. Visits to the museum and the castle’s interior rooms require a guided tour. This historical and practical context complements the local cultural attractions without equating the regional perspective with a visit to the old town.

Other destinations in the wider Hochtaunus travel area offer different highlights. The Hessenpark Open-Air Museum is located in Neu-Anspach in the Hochtaunuskreis district. A family trail shows children and adults together how people lived and worked in the past. Bus route 63 connects Wehrheim or Neu-Anspach/Anspach station with the Neu-Anspach/Anspach Hessenpark stop; check current timetables before planning your journey. The Hochtaunus Limes Adventure Trail follows the route of the Limes hiking trail or the Limes cycling trail and runs for more than 30 kilometers from Glashütten to Ober-Mörlen. Check route conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Weilrod, Neu-Anspach, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Usingen, Glashütten, Friedrichsdorf, Wehrheim, Oberursel.

Go to the wider travel overview: Hochtaunus.