Hattersheim am Main: Old Post House, Rosarium and Animal Enclosure

Hattersheim am Main combines postal and industrial history with green spaces and destinations for walks, bike rides and family outings. The Old Post House, the town museum and the Waterworks Avenue each tell a different part of the town’s story; the animal enclosure on the Schwarzbach adds another option. This makes it possible to tailor your trip to different interests: history, outdoor routes or local destinations for a day out.

Postal history and archaeological finds

The Old Post House was a horse-changing station and post station of the Thurn and Taxis postal service on the medieval Frankfurt–Mainz escort road. From 1489 to 1850, this postal service held the German postal monopoly. For historical and artistic reasons, the Old Post House is listed in the monument register of the State of Hesse as a cultural monument under Section 2(1) of the Hessian Monument Protection Act. Here, the history of a specific postal site meets the broader history of the postal monopoly.

The Hattersheim town museum is located in a former Sarotti workshop building in Hattersheim’s Chocolate Quarter. Its archaeological focus is particularly on the Celts. On display are finds from the Celtic and Neolithic periods, discovered during various excavations in the town. The museum therefore focuses both on the finds and on their origins in Hattersheim.

Industrial heritage is also part of the town’s story beyond its individual buildings. The Route of Industrial Heritage Rhine-Main passes through the Hattersheim municipal area, connecting important industrial heritage sites between Miltenberg am Main and Bingen am Rhein. The Main Cycle Route also runs through the area and is considered one of Germany’s most varied long-distance cycle routes. The two routes have different emphases: one on industrial heritage, the other on cycling over longer distances.

Waterworks Avenue and outdoor routes

The approximately two-kilometre-long Waterworks Avenue leads to the waterworks built in 1909 and is closed to motor traffic. It is part of the Regionalpark circular route and a destination for walks and bike rides. Nature and industrial history come together here; at the same time, Waterworks Avenue is protected as a natural and cultural monument. Its length, destination and uses give the avenue a clear place in Hattersheim’s plans for outings.

The Celtic Park also contributes to Hattersheim’s overall green character. The park contains archaeological finds, linking archaeology with one of the town’s green spaces. Anyone interested in early history will find another point of interest within the town, in addition to the archaeological focus of the town museum.

Rosarium and animal enclosure

The Rosarium is on the western edge of Hattersheim, between the cemetery and the historic Waterworks Avenue. It is easily reached on foot or by bike from the town centre. Concerts, readings and festivals enrich the town’s cultural life at the Rosarium. The site thus combines its location on the edge of the town with cultural events and the option of getting there on foot or by bike.

The Hattersheim animal enclosure is on the Schwarzbach, at the corner of Glockwiesenweg and Eschenbachstraße. From the town centre, the Schwarzbachweg leads there on foot or by bike. As a small petting zoo, the enclosure is a destination for families. It is home to donkeys, Rhön sheep, goats and pygmy goats, as well as geese, ducks, chickens, rabbits and various bird species. The variety of animals makes the enclosure a specific destination for a shared outing, without requiring any particular programme.

When planning your trip, you can decide which of Hattersheim’s attractions to prioritise, based on your interests: cultural history at the Old Post House and the town museum, outdoor routes and industrial history at Waterworks Avenue, or a visit to the Rosarium and animal enclosure. This gives you several different destinations around town to choose from, without needing to combine them into a single route.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Kriftel, Flörsheim am Main, Kelkheim, Sulzbach, Hofheim am Taunus, Eppstein, Hochheim am Main, Schwalbach am Taunus.

To the main travel overview: Main-Taunus.