Lahnau lies roughly midway between Gießen and Wetzlar, on the northern side of the Lahn. For trip planning, the town offers two distinct points of interest in cultural history: the Roman Forum in Waldgirmes and the municipality’s local history museum. It is also surrounded by appealing, heavily wooded countryside with fertile agricultural land. Archaeological finds, local architectural history, and the landscape offer different perspectives on Lahnau.
Roman History in Waldgirmes
The visitor center at the Roman Forum in Waldgirmes displays numerous finds, replicas, models, and information panels. There is also a 3D print of the horse’s head. Finds, reproductions, and explanatory panels offer different ways to explore the subject. Visitors interested in historical context can also join guided tours, which explain the peaceful coexistence of Germanic peoples and Romans, along with other historical contexts.
The Forum’s original foundations are also brought to life through a reconstruction, and there is an equestrian statue on site. The exhibition of finds and models, the reconstruction of the foundations, and the guided tours each focus on different aspects. Depending on your interests, you can explore the objects on display, the reconstructed site, or the historical explanations in greater depth.
Local History Museum: Architectural History and Everyday Life
Lahnau’s local history museum is itself housed in a protected historic building: the building was constructed in 1840/1841. The courtyard includes a large farmstead with a core dating from 1620 and a barn from the 19th century; both are built using half-timbering. The different dates show how building elements from several centuries come together here. Alongside its exhibits, the museum also offers a look at historic building techniques.
The carriage house contains the casting mold for the equestrian statue of Emperor Augustus, created by Heinrich Janke of Braunfels. Information panels there describe the history of the Celts, Romans, and Germanic peoples, as well as the excavations at the Roman Forum. The museum also features a reconstruction of Dorlar’s ladder house, along with agricultural implements. In this way, rural everyday life meets regional history and archaeological discoveries.
Countryside and Other Cultural Destinations in the Lahn-Dill District
Lahnau’s wooded countryside and fertile agricultural land are also part of what defines the area. Other places in the Lahn-Dill district offer their own cultural highlights. In Wetzlar, the Lottehaus recalls Goethe’s encounter with Charlotte Buff and the summer of 1772. Two rooms on the first floor house a permanent exhibition on the origins and impact of Goethe’s first novel, “The Sorrows of Young Werther.”
Another highlight is in Solms-Oberbiel: the Fortuna Mine visitor mine is the only anchor point in Hesse on the European Route of Industrial Heritage. In Dillenburg, Villa Grün presents objects and faithfully recreated scenes of industrial and craft production in the Dill region across more than 20 rooms; the basement also houses an elaborate, multimedia mining exhibition. These regional examples differ in subject matter from Lahnau’s highlights, broadening the selection to include literary history, mining, and industrial and craft production.
Discover more destinations: Haiger, Dillenburg, Siegbach, Mittenaar, Hüttenberg, Bischoffen, Solms, Herborn.
Go to the main travel overview: Lahn-Dill district.
