Page 137 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

DRIVE 12: In the Land of the Brothers Grimm 135

a quaint, half-timbered Altstadt, Left Baroque Dom housing the tomb of
untouched by time. The Renaissance St Boniface, Fulda
Amtshaus in which the family lived is
one of the most impressive houses in
the town; it is now a museum, the
Brüder Grimm-Haus (open daily). The
Amtshaus’s former barn now hosts
the Museum Steinau (open daily), a
well-laid-out local history museum.
The Brothers Grimm EAT AND DRINK
Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, in
1785 and 1786, Jacob and Wilhelm MELSUNGEN
Grimm achieved fame thanks to Rathaus Café inexpensive
their collection and popularization The Rathaus Cafe is known for dishing
of traditional folk tales, nurturing up excel lent German staples.
the image of a make-believe Am Markt 22, 34212; 05661 92 37 33
Germany that has much in common
i Fulda with their Hessian homeland. They Ratskeller moderate
Hesse; 36037 grew up in Steinau an der Strasse Located in Melsungen’s marketplace,
Fulda was once an independent prince- and studied law at Marburg the Ratskeller serves whole some,
bishopric, and its 18th-cen tury University before working as lib- home-made fare.
Barockviertel, or Baroque Quarter, rarians at the elector’s court in Am Markt 1, 34212; 05661 908 89 30
Kassel. However, political disfavour
retains the air of a capital city. Its grand, forced them to move to Göttingen BAD HERSFELD
twin-towered Dom was designed by and they finally settled in Berlin. L’Etable expensive
Bavarian architect Johann Dientzen- Though best known for stories such Zum Stern’s gourmet restaurant
hofer. The cathedral holds the tomb of as Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin features creative modern European
St Boniface, the Anglo-Saxon apostle and Snow White, the brothers were cooking, with everything from savoury
of the Germans. The neigh bour ing serious academics who also wrote a or sweet tapas to a trio of foie gras ser-
German dictionary together.
Dommuseum (closed Mon) displays ved roasted, poached and as ice cream.
Linggplatz 11, 36251; 06621 18 90;
Boniface’s ghoul ish skull reli quary. www.zumsternhersfeld.de;
The Stadtschloss (open daily, guided closed Mon & Tue
tours only), former residence of Fulda’s
bishops, has a cabi net of mirrors. FULDA
ª Leave Fulda’s Aldstadt along the Restaurant zum Ritter moderate
B254/Frankfurter Strasse, joining the Seasonal produce sets the tone at
B27 to the B40. This runs parallel to the Zum Ritter’s traditional dining room,
where there is a wide selection of
Auto bahn as far as Flieden; there after, Schnitzel (pork fillet) and steaks.
the road has been declassified and is no Kanalstrasse 18–20, 36037; 0661 25
longer signposted as a trunk road, but 08 00; www.hotel-ritter.de
continues via Schlüchtern to Steinau an Goldener Karpfen expensive
der Strasse. This restaurant’s menu changes
seasonally and it serves dishes such
o Steinau an der Strasse as crispy pork cheeks and Thai
Hesse; 36396 asparagus followed by rack of lamb
under herb crust, celery mash,
The childhood home of the Brothers rosemary sauce and potatoes.
Grimm certainly looks the part, with Above Stately façade of the Stadtschloss Simpliziusbrunnen 1, 36037; 0661 868
a stern-looking castle presiding over in Fulda 00; www.hotel-goldener-karpfen.de
DAY TRIP OPTIONS Schloss Braunfels 5 before heading boat cruise on the lake, one of
This region can also be enjoyed to see Wetzlar’s 6 hilly Altstadt. Germany’s largest reservoirs, then visit
as a series of day trips with either Schloss Waldeck w, perched high
Limburg an der Lahn or Bad Follow signs from Limburg an der Lahn above the Edersee. Continue to Fritzlar
Wildungen as a base. to Runkel and then to Weilburg. Then e with its half-timbered houses.
follow the route through Schloss
Castles and historic towns Braunfels to Wetzlar. Follow the route from Bad Wildungen
Explore Limburg an der Lahn 2 to Edersee and then to Schloss
before driving to the two castles Unspoiled natural beauty Waldeck. Then take Bahnhofstrasse,
near Runkel 3. Stop by the castle With Bad Wildungen 0 as a base, turn right on to the B485 and follow
in Weilburg 4 and the medieval drive to the Edersee q and take a signs to Fritzlar.

Eat and Drink: inexpensive, under €20; moderate, €20–€40; expensive, over €40

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