Discover Friedrichsdorf: Telephone Museum, historic town centres and circular walking trail

Friedrichsdorf combines the history of telephony and local heritage with historic churches, half-timbered houses and routes through its districts. Families can explore technology at the Philipp Reis House, meet the museum goblin Sulinchen at the Seulberg Local History Museum, or plan a trip to the Taunus climbing forest. A stroll through narrow lanes or a longer walk each offers its own highlights.

Experience telephony and discover local history

At the Philipp Reis House, visitors can trace the history of the telephone, from its spread around 1900 to the use of cordless phones. Visitors are expressly allowed to handle and pick up the telephone sets; there are also audio plays tailored to each type of device. This lets you encounter the development of telephony not only through its history, but also by trying things out and listening. The upper floor of the house features a permanent exhibition on Huguenot history.

The Philipp Reis House can be reached on the S5 from Frankfurt Central Station, as well as on the Taunusbahn RB 15 from Brandoberndorf and the RB 16 from Friedberg, getting off at Friedrichsdorf station. Check current connections before travelling.

The Seulberg Local History Museum focuses on the traditions and everyday life of Seulberg and its surroundings. Its hands-on programme is aimed especially at families and children; the museum goblin Sulinchen guides visitors through the past. This offers a different approach from the Philipp Reis House: there, the focus is on the telephone sets and the audio plays that accompany them; here, it is on the life and traditions of the town and its surroundings.

Churches, half-timbered houses and walks

The history of architecture can also be seen in several places. The Protestant Church of Friedrichsdorf was built from 1834 to 1837 by Jakob Westerfeld to designs by Rudolf Burnitz. The Protestant Church of Köppern was built from 1727 to 1731 as a hall church with an adjoining choir. Construction of the Protestant Church in Burgholzhausen began in 1718; it was consecrated in 1719. The new building, erected by Wilhelm Dettler, is made of natural stone masonry.

The Garnier Institute is a double-courtyard complex founded by Louis Frédéric Garnier in 1836 as a boarding school for boys. The courtyard contains a fountain inaugurated in 1896, with busts of Garnier and Karl Wilhelm Schenk. Numerous half-timbered houses characterise Burgholzhausen’s restored historic centre. Its narrow lanes invite you to take a leisurely stroll—a more peaceful walk than the longer route that connects all four districts of Friedrichsdorf.

Marked with a yellow “F”, the Friedrichsdorf Circular Walking Trail is 18.3 kilometres long. The route connects all four districts, making it a different kind of outing from a stroll through the historic town centre. For those looking for an active adventure, the Taunus climbing forest also offers activities suitable for family outings, trips with friends, club activities and team-building experiences.

More places to visit in the wider Hochtaunus destination

Other places and activities in the wider Hochtaunus destination add to the options. The Hessenpark Open-Air Museum is in Neu-Anspach in the Hochtaunuskreis district. Its family trail shows children and adults together how people used to live and work. Bus route 63 connects Wehrheim and Neu-Anspach/Anspach station with the Neu-Anspach/Anspach Hessenpark stop; check the current timetable before travelling. Six e-bike charging stations are available right by the museum. A bicycle service station allows visitors to carry out minor repairs and maintenance themselves.

The Saalburg Roman Fort also offers a historical focus: guided tours cover the interior of the fort, the outer civilian settlement and the Limes. The “extra muros” tour takes visitors through the settlement and the outer area, including the fort bath, hostel, ramparts and Limes. At Kronberg Castle, a permanent exhibition in the north wing of the middle castle has presented the castle’s history since 2008. In clear weather, the nearly 44-metre-high free-standing tower offers far-reaching views as far as the Spessart and Odenwald. The museum and interiors can only be visited as part of a guided tour.

For active days, the Hochtaunus offers trails of various lengths. The Windeck health-climate hiking trail (WE2) is an easy, 3.33-kilometre circular route that starts and ends at the Windeck car park in Königstein im Taunus; it runs mostly sheltered from wind and sun around the Großer Feldberg. The Weiltalweg follows the Weil through Weilrod and continues for a total of 47.5 kilometres to Weilburg on the Lahn. The Hochtaunus Health Climate Park covers around 20 square kilometres across five towns and municipalities and has twelve portals and nearly 30 trails. These regional options are independent additions to Friedrichsdorf’s museums, historic centres and walking routes.

Discover more destinations: Usingen, Königstein in the Taunus, Grävenwiesbach, Oberursel, Wehrheim, Bad Homburg vor der Höhe, Glashütten, Schmitten.

Go to the wider travel overview: Hochtaunus.