Townapedia
Gelnhausen, das Schiftor Dm0 foto7 2016-08-09 14.09
Gelnhausen, das Schiftor Dm0 foto7 2016-08-09 14.09 · Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0
Gelnhausen Marienkirche Arbeitsgerät vom Bau der Kirche (Heberad und Steinkasten) (8342611434)
Gelnhausen Marienkirche Arbeitsgerät vom Bau der Kirche (Heberad und Steinkasten) (8342611434) · Heribert Pohl --- Thanks for half a million clicks! from..., CC BY-SA 2.0
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Betty Goldschmidt
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Betty Goldschmidt · Reinhardhauke, CC BY 3.0
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Rosa Goldschmidt
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Rosa Goldschmidt · Reinhardhauke, CC BY 3.0
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Joseph Goldschmidt
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Joseph Goldschmidt · Reinhardhauke, CC BY 3.0
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Lina Karoline Flörsheim
Stolperstein Gelnhausen Berliner Straße 8 Lina Karoline Flörsheim · Reinhardhauke, CC BY 3.0

Gelnhausen, Germany

Gelnhausen is a town of 21,881 people in Hesse, Germany, founded in 1170.

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Population21,881 GeoNames
RegionHesse
Elevation159 m 522 ft
Founded1170
Time zoneEurope/Berlin
Land area45.2 km²
Nearest airportFrankfurt Airport (FRA) 50 km

Why visit Gelnhausen

Townapedia lists 166 museums and landmarks, 25 parks and trails, 150 places to eat, 15 places to stay and 38 attractions in and around town.

Highlights include Bauer Würfl, Hofladen Weißkirchhof, Kaiserpfalz Gelnhausen and Läuthäuschen.

About Gelnhausen

Gelnhausen (German pronunciation: [ɡɛlnˈhaʊzn̩] ) is a town, and the capital of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located approximately 40 kilometers east of Frankfurt am Main, between the Vogelsberg mountains and the Spessart range at the river Kinzig. It is one of the eleven towns (urban municipalities) in the district. Gelnhausen has around 22,000 inhabitants.

From the Wikipedia article Gelnhausen (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Travel tips from other travellers: Gelnhausen on Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Things to do38

Bauer Würfl

Farm and orchard · 3.7 km

Erdbeer- und Spargelanbau

Mo-Fr 09:00-19:00; Sa 08:00-18:00; Su 09:00-14:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 92710

Hofladen Weißkirchhof

Farm and orchard · 2.1 km

1, Gelnhausen

Mo-Su 10:00-19:00

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Casino

Cinema and theater

3 Brüder Fischinger Straße, Gelnhausen

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Eichelkopf

Scenic view · 5.7 km

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Erkberg

Scenic view · 5.7 km

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Galgenberg

Scenic view · 4.6 km

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Habernickel

Scenic view · 1.4 km

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Hartenberg

Scenic view · 3.4 km

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Herzberg

Scenic view · 2.8 km

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Hofladen Kliem

Farm and orchard · 5.2 km

Sa 09:00-14:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6058 2709

Kuhruh

Scenic view · 2.2 km

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Meerholzer Heiligenkopf

Scenic view · 3.5 km

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26 more on the map.

Museums and landmarks166

Kaiserpfalz Gelnhausen

Monument and historic site · 0.6 km

Ehemalige Wasserburg u. Kaiserpfalz

Mar-Oct Tu-Su 10:00-17:00; Nov 01-Dec 23 Tu-Su 10:00-16:00;...

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Läuthäuschen

Monument and historic site · 2.8 km

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Radio Museum

Museum · 1.5 km

6-8 Florianstraße, Linsengericht

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 7869569

Ziegelturm

Monument and historic site

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Alte Schule

Monument and historic site · 3.7 km

2 Gelnhäuser Straße, Gründau

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Einhorn-Apotheke

Monument and historic site

1 Krämergasse, Gelnhausen

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Haus Symeren

Monument and historic site

1 Holzgasse, Gelnhausen

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Heimatmuseum

Museum · 5.7 km

51 Alte Dorfstraße, Hasselroth

Su[-1] 14:00-17:00 || "Nach Vereinbarung"

Open in Google Maps · +49 6055 4900

Inneres Holztor

Monument and historic site

Ehemaliger Hauptausgang nach dem Büdinger Wald

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Philipp Reis-Geburtshaus

Monument and historic site

45 Langgasse, Gelnhausen

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Katholische Kirche Christkönig

Monument and historic site · 5.6 km

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Mineralien & Fossilien Museum

Museum · 3.7 km

Jan-Dec Su[2] 14:00-17:00 || "sowie nach Vereinbarung"

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 7897172

154 more on the map.

Parks, trails and playgrounds25

Barbarossafreibad

Sports field and stadium · 1.3 km

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 2401

Hailerer Sonnenberg

Hiking and trails · 2.3 km

Open in Google Maps · Wikipedia

Hardt bei Bernbach

Hiking and trails · 5.6 km

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Kinzigaue bei Gelnhausen

Hiking and trails · 1.7 km

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Tagkaute von Lieblos

Hiking and trails · 4.9 km

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Tongrube von Hailer

Hiking and trails · 3.2 km

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Tongrube von Meerholz

Hiking and trails · 4.4 km

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Spiellatz Kapellenweg

Playground · 5.0 km

08:00-20:00

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Spielplatz An der alten Schule

Playground · 5.5 km

08:00-20:00

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Spielplatz Platanenweg

Playground · 4.5 km

08:00-20:00

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13 more on the map.

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Restaurants and cafes150

Abol Afrika

Restaurant · African

9 Langgasse, Gelnhausen

Mo off; Tu-Su 17:00-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 788 429 0

Bierschorsch

Restaurant · German · 3.8 km

30 Büdinger Straße, Gründau

Mo-Th 17:30+; Fr-Su off

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 92730

Bistro Donna Isabella

Restaurant · Italian · 5.2 km

7 Frankfurter Straße, Gründau

Mo-Su 11:00-14:30,17:00-22:00; We off

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 9712160

Caesar’s Küche am Steines

Restaurant · International · 1.8 km

3 Von-Carlshausen-Allee, Linsengericht

Tu-Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 11:00-15:00,17:00-23:00; Mo off

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 72233

Café Hofzeit

Cafe · Bistro · 3.7 km

1 Büdinger Straße, Gründau

Tu-Fr 09:00-18:00; Sa,Su 09:00-16:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 927120

Delizia

Restaurant · Italian

12 Untermarkt, Gelnhausen

Tu-Sa 12:00-14:45,17:00-22:00; Su 12:00-21:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 9775008

Dorfkrug

Restaurant · German · 4.0 km

1 Schulweg, Linsengericht

We-Sa 17:00-22:00; Su 11:00-14:00,17:00-20:00; Mo,Tu off

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 3233

Durrani

Restaurant · Afghan

9 Brentanostraße, Gelnhausen

Mo off; Tu-Sa 17:30-23:00; Su 11:30-14:30,17:30-23:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 7897544

El Sabor

Restaurant · Spanish · 0.6 km

5 Freigerichter Straße, Gelnhausen

Mo-Fr 11:30-14:00,17:00-23:00; Sa 17:00-23:00; Su 12:00-21:30

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 9678994; +49 6051 9678995

Fellini Piccolo

Restaurant · Italian · 5.4 km

26 Frankfurter Straße, Gründau

Oct-Mar: Mo-Fr 11:00-14:30,17:00-23:00; PH,Sa,Su 11:00-23:00;...

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 9675014

Flugplatz 1 - Alpenküche rockt Hessen

Restaurant · Regional · 1.0 km

1 Am Flugplatz, Gelnhausen

Tu-Su 12:00-14:30, 17:00-22:00

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 4900495

Gasthaus Baurat

Restaurant · German

13 Stephanusberg, Gelnhausen

Th,Fr,Su-Tu 11:30-14:00,18:00-22:00, Sa 18:00-22:00; We off

Open in Google Maps · +49 6051 3709

138 more on the map.

History

Gelnhausen is located on the German Fairy Tale Route, a tourist route, and nicknamed "Barbarossastadt". The Imperial Palace Gelnhausen was founded by Emperor Frederick Barbarossa between 1169 and 1170 because the Gelnhausen settlements were at the intersection of the Via Regia trade road. Gelnhausen received town privileges. The emperor also granted trade privileges like the staple right which forced traveling merchants to offer their goods in the town for three days. In 1180 the Gelnhausen Act was passed and Henry the Lion exiled. Westphalia became a district of Cologne, while the rest of Henry's Saxony territory passed to Count of Anhalt Bernhard. Henry's Bavarian territories were bestowed upon Otto of Wittelsbach who had been a loyal ally of Emperor Barbarossa.

Gelnhausen was a thriving trade town and head of a league of 16 towns of the Wetterau region. However prosperity came to an end in 1326 when Emperor Louis IV gave the town in pawn to the counts of Hanau, redeemed shortly afterwards. In 1349 Count Günther von Schwarzburg received Gelnhausen from Emperor Charles IV for renouncing his claims as elected King of the Romans, in condominium with the counts of Hohnstein, who sold their share to Schwarzburg in 1431. Schwarzburg was acquired in 1435 by Elector Palatine Louis III and the Hanau, since raised to a county.

From the History section of Gelnhausen on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Where to stay15

Churches and places of worship27

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Shopping44

Gas and EV charging12

Schools, colleges and libraries19

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Healthcare11

Map of Gelnhausen

250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.

Getting there and nearby towns

Frankfurt Airport (FRA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 50 km away.

Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.

Reviews, tips and questions

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Sources and licences

Photo credits

Page built November 8, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us or suggest a place.