Schloss-Hotel Braunfels

The Lion of Braunfels

by Neit

The lion of the photograph appears frequently around the Braunfels Castle. It is a figure taken from the arms of the Solms family (the city developed around the castle of the Count Solms-Braunfels).

Schloss Bruanfels

by darkcat_ak

"Schloss Bruanfels"

I really like this castle. My mom took me here the first time I went to Germany in 2003, and it was closed so all we could do was walk around the exterior of the building. Which is magnificent all by itself! Braunfels is very unique, as people still live here.

There is a cute little village right down from the castle. There are several shops, a coffee shop and a bar/pub style restaurant.

One thing of note: There is a tour and it is in German. They will give you a tape recording in Englist to listen to descriptions of what you are looking at as you go through the rooms. However, there is also a small booklet for sale in the gift shop (where you would get the tape recorder) that is just as informative. I was with my family, so there were six of us and we didn’t stay together and therefore didn’t play the tape recorder as it seemed very out of place.

There is a museum, which requires a two Euro coin to enter, and contains a wild variety of items that a castle would acquire over the centuries: noble seals, dresses, armor, guns, items previous occupants collected… and well worth the two Euros.