Herborn offers several ways to enjoy a short trip of discovery: historic buildings, guided tours on request and regular markets. From the Dillblick observation tower, you can see across Herborn, the surrounding area and the Dill Valley. This makes it easy to plan a stay combining city history, architecture and views over the valley.
Old Town and Architectural History
In Herborn, you can see remnants of the town wall and the town gates Steinerne Pforte and Neue Pforte, also known as Leonhardsturm. The surviving towers include Hexenturm, Bürgerturm, Speckturm and Dillturm. These names provide several specific points of reference for exploring the city’s history.
Herborn’s residential palace was first mentioned in a document around 1350. The Hohe Schule was founded in 1584 by Count Johann VI of Nassau-Katzenelnbogen. These two dates mark different chapters in the city’s history: an early mention of the palace and the school’s founding by a ruler known by name.
The Protestant Town Church is considered possibly the oldest building in Herborn. Its interior features architectural styles ranging from Gothic through Renaissance to Baroque. Herborn’s old town is also home to historic sights such as the Alte Färberei at Mühlbach 5/7 and the Ältestes Wohnhaus, dating from 1445, at Mühlgasse 5. The details about the buildings and their addresses make a city walk especially interesting for travellers interested in architecture and how a city has developed.
Choose a Guided Tour to Suit Your Interests
The guided tour “The 1,000-Year-Old Town Church” introduces architectural styles from Romanesque to Renaissance, the Gothic choir, the net vault and the princely family crypt. It therefore focuses on the church’s architectural history and its distinctive areas.
The “Hohe Schule” guided tour covers the history of the Hohe Schule and takes visitors to the palace, church and town hall; the assembly hall and museum are also visited. It lasts about 90 minutes and can be booked at any time on request. Check availability before your trip. If you are particularly interested in dating half-timbered architecture, “Half-Timbered Architecture Special” offers a different focus: the tour explains how half-timbered buildings from six centuries can be dated, and it too can be booked at any time on request.
You can choose according to what interests you most: would you like to focus on a single church and its architectural styles, the history of the Hohe Schule, or the development of half-timbered architecture over several centuries? The topics and approximate duration of the Hohe Schule tour provide practical guidance. For all tours available on request, it is advisable to confirm the date before your trip.
Markets and Event Dates
Herborn’s weekly market takes place every Friday at Kornmarkt and Holzmarkt. If you are planning a visit to the market, check the dates locally. This will help you fit your visit into your stay without confusing the weekly market with an annual festival.
The Martinimarkt takes place in Herborn on the second weekend of November each year and has been mentioned since 1465. Potato Sunday falls on the second Sunday in September in Herborn’s town centre. There are potato-based specialities; shops and stalls open at 12 noon, and admission is free. The two events therefore differ both in season and in occasion. Check the specific event dates and programmes for your trip.
Accommodation to Suit Your Trip
If you want to plan your accommodation around a guided tour, check its availability in advance. For weekly and annual markets, check the latest dates before planning your trip.
Herborn has plenty to offer even outside market visits: the surviving sections of the town wall and its towers, the residential palace, the Hohe Schule and the Protestant Town Church each offer a different perspective. The Dillblick observation tower complements these buildings with views across Herborn, the surrounding area and the Dill Valley. When choosing a hotel, you can decide whether your trip will focus primarily on city history, a guided tour, a market date or the surrounding landscape.
Discover more destinations: Lahnau, Hüttenberg, Dietzhölztal, Schöffengrund, Greifenstein, Haiger, Ehringshausen, Dillenburg.
For the broader travel overview: Lahn-Dill-Kreis.
