Steinau an der Straße: Castle and Grimm Museum

Steinau an der Straße combines an important Renaissance castle with a special Grimm story: the former administrative building where the Grimm family lived is now home to the Brothers Grimm House Museum. Steinau is also located along two long-distance themed routes. This lets you combine architectural history, fairy tales and regional orientation.

Castle and Grimm Sites

Steinau Castle is one of the most important Renaissance castles in Hesse. Its fortress architecture is combined with imposing castle design. Two distinct aspects of castle architecture meet here: the defensive character of a fortress and the grand design of a castle. This makes the building a tangible point of reference if you are interested in the history and architecture of the town.

The castle houses an exhibition dedicated to the philologists and collectors of fairy tales Jacob Grimm (1785–1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786–1859). The Brothers Grimm House Museum Steinau offers a different way to explore their fairy tales. Visitors can see, hear and feel the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales there using interactive features. While the exhibition in the castle is dedicated to the brothers, the museum focuses on experiencing their fairy tales.

Two Themed Routes for Orientation

Steinau is on the 600-kilometre German Fairy Tale Route, which runs from Hanau via Steinau to Bremen. The German Half-Timbered House Route offers a different regional framework: its route runs from the Weser Uplands through North Hesse to the Vogelsberg and Spessart; Steinau is also on this route. This distinction is useful for planning your trip: one route is connected with fairy tales by its name and stated endpoints, while the other is connected with half-timbered houses by its name and the route described.

The routes provide a long-distance perspective, while the castle and Grimm Museum offer specific points of interest in Steinau. If you are looking for accommodation, you can first consider whether these cultural and fairy-tale themes should be the focus of your stay, or whether you would like to include other places in the wider destination of Main-Kinzig district.

More to Explore in Main-Kinzig District

The wider destination of Main-Kinzig district offers other, distinct excursion ideas. In Bad Orb, the 9-metre-high Wartturm tower on Molkenberg is a viewpoint and a starting point for hikes. Its panoramic view extends across Bad Orb, the Spessart and the Vogelsberg. The Haseltal valley in Bad Orb offers a different experience: a path along the Hasel stream, the Haselweiher pond and a Kneipp facility invite you to linger and relax; the destination is also accessible by car. This means that within Main-Kinzig district, a viewpoint and a valley with water and a Kneipp facility offer different attractions.

The Kinzigsee lake in Langenselbold offers water-based activities: the swimming lake has a sandy beach, a large sunbathing lawn and clear water. You can swim, sunbathe, play beach volleyball, sail, windsurf and stand-up paddle there. As seasonal details may change, it is advisable to check the latest information before visiting.

The time of year can also play a role when choosing a destination for an outing. The orchard meadow area from Bergen-Enkheim to Maintal-Hochstadt covers around 320 hectares. Some of the sunny slopes are protected nature reserves; in spring, blossoming trees and colourful meadows invite you to go for walks and outings. Steinau, with its castle and Grimm themes, and the orchard meadow area from Bergen-Enkheim to Maintal-Hochstadt therefore offer different kinds of excursions. The wider destination of Main-Kinzig district also offers other landscapes and leisure activities.

Discover more destinations: Birstein, Rodenbach, Freigericht, Sinntal, Wächtersbach, Bruchköbel, Hasselroth, Brachttal.

Back to the overview of the wider destination: Main-Kinzig district.