Discover Kronberg im Taunus

The castle and old town: a history

Kronberg Castle stands on a rocky promontory on the southern slopes of the Taunus and offers views across the Rhine-Main Plain. Highlights at the Kronberg Castle Museum include a faithfully reconstructed suit of armour belonging to Hartmuth VI von Kronberg, dating from the 14th century, and a Gothic kitchen. The kitchen features a large fireplace, a well and various utensils. A permanent exhibition on the castle’s history has been on display in the north wing of the Middle Castle since 2008.

The old town also tells the story of Kronberg. Its half-timbered houses have a medieval feel, while paper cut-outs on the lanterns depict major events and small anecdotes from the past. The Kronberg Lantern Trail brings these motifs to life through guided tours featuring performances. Anyone interested in historical stories and carefully crafted details will find a different way to explore the town’s history here than at the castle.

Churches, courtyards and art

In the old town, St John’s Church contains impressive tombs of the von Kronberg family and a painted wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling. The Streitkirche stands right beside it. It was built in the 18th century under the rule of the Electors of Mainz as a Catholic church, but was never consecrated as one. The two churches therefore represent different chapters in the town’s history.

The Receptur offers another historic ensemble: the building dates from the period of the Electorate of Mainz and served as an administrative building; its courtyard opens up behind a 16th-century arched gateway. In Quellenpark Kronthal, old trees and springs meet a historic garden. A spring of sour water in this small valley was first mentioned in a document in the mid-16th century.

Kronberg’s art history dates back to the mid-19th century. At that time, painters from the Städel Art Institute in Frankfurt discovered the town as an idyllic setting amid nature and founded an artists’ colony here. Since 2001, the Museum of the Kronberg Artists’ Colony has displayed works by the colony’s artists. The Braun Collection focuses on something different: its permanent exhibition explores the development of the Braun company in technology and design, while temporary exhibitions showcase objects from its design archive.

A visit to the Opel Zoo

For an outing focused on observing animals, the Opel Zoo makes a destination in its own right. Walking paths and educational trails across its 27-hectare grounds 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 approximate numbers and regions of origin convey the diversity of the animals on display, without limiting a visit to any one group of animals.

The zoo’s educational programmes cater to kindergartens, school classes from primary school through to final-year secondary courses, and other groups. They include holiday activities, children’s birthday parties, outings for seniors and company trips. For families visiting Kronberg with children, the zoo is one possible addition to the town’s historic and cultural attractions.

Getting there and finding your way around

From Frankfurt, Kronberg can be reached in less than 20 minutes on S-Bahn line 4 from Frankfurt Central Station. If you are travelling by car, a centrally located multi-storey car park at Berliner Platz provides parking in Kronberg. These options offer a practical starting point when deciding how to plan your stay and which experiences to focus on: the castle and old town, the museums or the Opel Zoo. When looking for a holiday apartment in Kronberg, you can start by considering which of these options best suits your trip.

If you would like to explore more town pages: Usingen, Steinbach, Friedrichsdorf, Königstein im Taunus, Grävenwiesbach, Wehrheim, Schmitten and Oberursel.

For the wider travel overview: Hochtaunus.