European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 18, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Rock. We found its Entrance hardly impressive a a Mere curved opening where the Lahn swings around the Hill. Turreted braunfels Castle dominates the landscape from afar. Pull out the cameras. This Castle is magnificent. Sometimes referred to As a second Neuse Hanstein braunfels lies about 21/j Miles South of the Lahn on a Hilltop Summit. A there s a Long history of building and rebuilding which is evident in its variety of styles finally in 1696, a following a fire count Wilhelm Mortiz not Only oversaw reconstruction of the Castle but directed rebuilding of the town. Houses were confined to 60 shoes in length the measurement of the Day and 40 shoes in Width. Texans take note. In 1842 a member of the Lahn s braunfels clan helped found new braunfels Texas. The final Stop Wetzlar at first seems no More than a Busy unattractive Industrial town. That All changes when you enter the old City on the Hill. Leave your car at the parking place near the Cathedral. It s a Good starting Point for exploring this area of half timbered houses narrow lanes and tiny squares. You la want to visit the Lotte Haus at the Corner of Pfaffe Gasse and Lott Strasse. This tiny two Story House is where Charlotte Lotte Buff lived when Johann Wolfgang von Goethe met her and fell in love. It was this unrequited love for Lotte engaged at the time to Goethe s Best Friend Georg Kestner that proved inspiration for the novel Quot the sorrows of Young a upon returning to Frankfurt Goethe Learned of the suicide of another of his Wetzlar friends Karl Jerusalem. Goethe s novel which introduced a new German literary movement ties in that death with his own unhappy Wetzlar experience. The Jerusalem House a Small museum run by the Goethe society is located at the other end of the old town on Schille Platz. Entrance As to All of the City s museums is free. A. A. The local tourist office is located in the old Wetzlar town Hall on the Dom Platz. There you can pick up the brochure Wetzlar a the old you la find it gives detailed instructions for two and five hour walks through the town. A a /. A a a a a a. A. up and Down the town s narrow lanes. You la probably wish to Stop for Coffee or lunch to there is an attractive across from the Cathedral. Surprisingly it was difficult to locate a typical German restaurant most of those near the Center of. The old town specialized in italian dishes. Not to be missed is the Cathedral itself. This. A monumental building is a delightful combination of gothic romanesque and baroque. To v it a. Var re a s a i a j ,"7&Quot a a Quot a a off i a a paddle boat drifts past Arnstein Abbey once said to be a thieves tips the lower Lahn Valley can be reached by taking the Monta Baur exit of the Trier Koblenz autobahn a48 or the Wetzlar turnoff from the Frankfurt Dortmund autobahn As. The River Valley route is Highway b49. Tourist offices Are marked with an Quot to Quot for information and offer free City maps and hotel information. Following Are Telephone numbers for five cities. Unless otherwise noted the offices Are located in the Rathaus or City Hail bad Ems at the tourist pavilion02603-4488 nassau/02604-70230 Limburg hospitals traae 2, 06431-203222 Weilburg 06471-7671 and Wetzlar Dom Platz 8, 06441-405338. Even the most inexperienced can enjoy water sport on the Lahn canoes kayaks and motor boats can be rented for a few hours or a few Days. Rental can include picnic lunches equipment for overnight camping or hotel accommodations. A Young Soldier who made a Canoe trip with a friends last summer recalled it As one of his Quot most enjoyable Days in Quot we were Given instruction on paddle technique and How to open the locks. At trip s end a car was waiting to take us Back to our starting . provide names of such rental companies. Canoes run As Little As 39 Marks a Fie in a Burg Runkel courtyard. A lion s Bead helps bold up a Balcony in Weisburg s town Square. Apr/7 18, 1991 stripes Magazine 9
