From the River Main to the Fairytale Road
As the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, Jakob and Wilhelm, Hanau is the starting point of the German Fairytale Road (Märchenstraße). Hanau is situated right on the River Main and was occupied by the Huguenots in the 17th century.
This French influence is most notable in the gardens of Philippsruhe Castle, which is one of the first examples of Versailles architecture in Germany. A short path connects the castle grounds to the Wilhelmsbad City Park, a former 18th-century spa.
Hanau’s city centre has lots of shops, restaurants and cafés. Don’t miss the theatrical performances of the Grimms’ fairytales at the Fairytale Festival; you can watch these in spring and summer every year in the amphitheatre by Philippsruhe Castle.