Eppstein - Buildings

Buildings

The ruins of the Eppstein castle (first mention in 1122--"Ebbensten") give character to the old city centre of Eppstein.

The museum in Eppstein's castle is in the one building within the castle walls which was spared breakup in the early 19th century. You'll notice the baroque altar in the back, which Eppstein's Catholics acquired when they used the building as their chapel after the valley church (Talkirche) became Protestant during the Reformation. Upstairs are some books written by early travel writers who refer to Eppstein, including a copy of Dumas's Le chateau d'Eppstein, as well as paintings of the castle, some painted by members of one of the first painters' colonies in Germany—the "Kronberger Malerkolonie."

At the foot of the castle, in the middle of the historical old city, is the Talkirche (Valley Church), which today accommodates Eppstein's evangelical parish.

Eppstein's turn-of-the-century train station (1903) has been newly renovated and houses not only an RMV counter (Rhine-Main bus and commuter train information counter), the Bürgerbüro (citizens' information center), but also a restaurant/cafe.

The Villa Anna, above the train station, was built in the 1880s by the wealthy Frankfurt businessman Alfred von Neufville. Its grounds were designed by the famous landscaper Andreas Weber (who also designed the Frankfurt Zoo). With 200 exotic trees and bushes, its park is one of only two "Bergparks" (mountainside parks) in all of Hesse.

The Neufville Tower was built by the Neufvilles to house their private art collection and to serve as their "Jagdhaus" (hunting lodge).

Eppstein's beautification society keeps up a number of scenic overlooks, most of them built over a century ago during the flowering of Eppstein as a "Luftkurort" (climatic spa town).

The "Pionier-Tempel," an iron structure, earlier nicknamed the "omnibus" or "tram temple," is a five-minute walk from the train station. It was built in 1889 by the 2nd company of the "pionier" (engineer) battalion XI from Mainz-Kastel. In four days, 500 men cut the forest path between the Eppstein train station and Wildsachsen for the transport of timber. When they finished, in keeping with the late 18th century English tradition of landscape gardens dotted by gazebos and observation points, they built the scenic overlook.

The Kaisertempel with its Doric columns was built in 1894 as a memorial to commemorate the Prussian victory in the Franco-Prussian War (1870/71), which unified the German Empire under King Wilhelm I of Prussia. From the temple, there is a wonderful view of Eppstein as far as Bremthal.