Hadamar – History, Glass Art and Nature

Hadamar combines local history and a culture of remembrance with glass art, a rose garden and trails around the town. Its diverse sites offer different ways to explore the area: from themed displays on Hadamar’s past and present to historic rooms and trails through a memorial landscape.

Museums and Local History

The Hadamar Town Museum is located in the Marstall building of Hadamar Castle, a service building dating from around 1625. Its permanent exhibition is arranged in themed displays and invites visitors to discover Hadamar’s past and present from different perspectives. Interactive stations offer children and families a fun way to explore history.

The Glass Museum at Hadamar Castle also focuses on a distinct chapter of the town’s history. It is housed in the renovated living quarters of Prince Johann Ludwig in the castle—the former, lavishly furnished residence of the princely family. The exhibition explores different aspects of glass art, which has a tradition in Hadamar spanning more than 70 years.

The Hadamar Nativity Scene Exhibition displays nativity scenes from around the world across seven rooms. A classic guided tour of the town also takes in the grounds of the Renaissance castle, the Gothic Church of Our Lady and the Baroque parish church. This offers a view of Hadamar’s history that ranges from collections and exhibitions to landmarks in the townscape.

Memorial and Memorial Landscape

The Hadamar Memorial is housed in the historic building of the former Hadamar killing center. Visitors can tour historic rooms and explore the grounds. The permanent exhibition “Transferred to Hadamar: The History of a Nazi ‘Euthanasia’ Killing Center” tells the story of the Nazi “euthanasia” murder campaigns in Hadamar in 1941 and from 1942 to 1945.

The outdoor exhibition “Garden – Institution Cemetery – Memorial Site” focuses on the grounds of the former institution, particularly its former cemetery and the site, which was transformed into a memorial landscape in 1964. The outdoor exhibition is accessible even when the memorial is closed. The memorial is about a ten-minute walk from Hadamar railway station.

Rose Garden, Hiking Trails and Cycling Routes

The Hadamar Rose Garden was established on the Herzenberg plateau in the mid-1990s. During the summer months, it is a popular destination for botany and rose culture, offering a different focus from the town’s museums and memorial sites.

The “Wunderschön Wandern” hiking map published by the town administration features 17 varied circular hiking trails around Hadamar. Signposted trails lead through recreational areas and nature reserves close to town and offer distant views of the Westerwald and Lahn Valley uplands. Circular route RWW 1 starts at the swimming pool in Hadamar, passes a 400-year-old oak and continues into Niederhadamar Forest. RWW 9 starts at Herzenberg, heads toward Oberzeuzheim and Niederzeuzheim, then follows the banks of the Elbbach back to town. The routes therefore offer different features, including a forest and ancient oak on one, and a riverside stretch and return to Hadamar on the other. When planning a specific walk, it is worth checking the current route.

There is also a regional connection for cycling: long-distance cycle route R8 leads to Hadamar. From there, regional cycle paths offer further ways to explore the area and connect to destinations in the nearby Lahn Valley and Westerwald. In addition to Hadamar, you can also discover Niederhadamar as a destination in its own right.

Plan Your Stay

Your preferred focus for the trip can help you choose accommodation: the town museum, glass museum and memorial are well suited to a culture- and history-focused visit, while the circular trails and cycling connections offer more ways to spend time outdoors. If you would like to combine the two, you can include the exhibitions and memorial sites alongside a hike or bike ride in your travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Elbtal, Hünfelden, Fussingen, Limburg An Der Lahn, Weilmünster, Bad Camberg, Brechen.

Go to the main travel overview: Limburg-Weilburg.