Limburg - Historical Old Town
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Limburg an der Lahn, lovely in its new lustre  |
There are few cities to be compared with Limburg, where buildings date back to the middle ages and still stand today as they did then. For this reason the heart of the city that used to be surrounded with a wall is now under a preservation order as historic monument. The half-timbered houses, embellished with a wealth of carvings and sculptures including wonderfully intricate figures and faces go back as far as the 13th through to 18th century. Among them are the residences of knights, of the clergy, wealthy aristocrats and no end of Hallenhäuser, houses that accommodated areas for living, trading and storing for the traders of medieval times. Over recent years many of the historical buildings have been renovated from scratch and now cater for contemporary life. Among them is one of Germany's oldest half-timbered houses, the so-called Römer that dates back to 1289. Priceless treasures have been uncovered and rescued for the generations to come. |
 A group of houses at Bischofsplatz dating back to the 16th century. The so-called Byron house is one of them. |
 Fischmarkt 16/17 - historic Hallenhaus from the first half of the 15th century, restored in its original colouring |
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 Fischmarkt 9 - built in 1542, this Hallenhaus was built as half-timber stud construction with a protruding main storey and bay or so-called oriel window. |
 The old Stiftsvikarie - one-time vicariate at Domplatz. |
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There are many beautifully restored medieval buildings to see in Limburg Old Town. St. Georg Dom, the Cathedral of St. Georg. We have dedicated a whole page, Cathedral of St. Georg in Limburg, to this significant late Romanesque construction. St. Anna Kirche, the Church of St. Anna which used to serve the former Wilhelmite monastery that dates back to the 14th century. It boasts a wonderful choir window representing the life of Christ (mid-14th century). Historisches Rathaus, the old town hall that from 1399 - 1899 was seat of the municipal administration. It is typical for the late Gothic period, with the expansive hall on the ground floor, decorative spiral staircase and basement vaults, characteristic of the Hallenhaus. Werner-Senger-Haus, presumed to have been constructed around 1290 and restored in 1970. It is located on the narrowest spot of one of the most important medieval trading routes from Cologne to Frankfurt. Alte Stiftsvikarie, former residence of the Roman Catholic vicar. In the period around 1600 it served as manor house to the knights of Staffel. Schloß, the castle dating back to the 7th or 8th century with a square tower as living accommodation (mid-13th century) and a Romanesque style chapel (end of the 13th century). The North wing is more recent and dates back to the 16th century, the rest of the estate going back to the 14th through to16th century. Stadtkirche St. Sebastian, church of St. Sebastian which dates back to about 1300. There are three aisles in this simple basilica, the ceilings of the two outer aisles being quite flat. Memorial stones, two late Gothic demonic face carvings and a baroque organ are interesting aspects. The house of Friedel Hensler, "the pastry sculptor". For 300 years this house has been family property and a demonic face carving of the imaginative baker Hensler on the eastern side of the building is well worth a look. Former Begine monastery, of the Franciscan order from 1339 - 1887. Walderdorffer Hof, residential Gothic tower construction which received the finishing touches from Angelo Barella in the years 1665 - 81 in the form of new half-timbered wings and two spiral staircases in the inner court. Haus der sieben Todsünden, the house of the seven deadly sins. The carved demonic faces on the house serve as protection against the seven mortal sins. Alte Lahnbrücke, the old bridge over the river Lahn, built in 1315 - 41 with the well preserved square tower overlooking the bridge. The lower parts of the bridge date back to the 13th century. It takes but a few minutes to reach the Old Town of Limburg by foot from Hotel Martin. |