Solms

County of Solms: Town of Solms
*Grafschaft Solms-Burg-Solms*
County of Solms: Town of Solms Grafschaft Solms-Burg-Solms
1258–1415
Status	State of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital	Solms
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Partitioned from Solms	1258
• Annexed to S-Braunfels	1415
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	County of Solms
Solms-Braunfels

County of Solms
*Grafschaft Solms*
County of Solms Grafschaft Solms
1129–1258
	Coat of arms
Status	State of the Holy Roman Empire
Capital	Solms
Government	Principality
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Established	1129
• Partitioned to S-Braunfels; and S-Burg-Solms	1258
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Duchy of Franconia
Solms-Braunfels
Solms-Burg-Solms
	Full style: Count of Solms, Lord of Münzenberg, Wildenfels and Sonnenwalde

Solms
Solms
Town
	Coat of arms
	Location of Solms within Lahn-Dill-Kreis district <imagemap>File: Lahn-Dill-Kreis Solms.png \| 240x240px poly 206 77 257 17 279 16 285 32 290 37 299 58 319 53 330 48 361 48 361 69 351 74 346 109 352 113 330 129 290 152 276 128 261 119 258 109 243 110 231 92 Dietzhölztal poly 292 150 288 168 269 178 259 180 257 192 212 226 219 242 229 245 236 260 245 267 245 290 227 303 173 321 170 344 175 347 157 357 136 375 128 371 110 382 93 379 100 367 103 348 120 307 124 287 116 285 117 281 115 278 111 277 102 258 105 254 104 248 93 247 86 237 91 228 81 221 76 197 84 194 107 174 125 171 139 136 145 128 175 106 178 105 205 77 226 88 244 112 254 111 261 121 277 128 Haiger poly 362 71 375 66 388 68 403 79 412 81 420 94 416 110 410 114 411 147 406 156 414 197 427 196 428 188 447 188 453 192 455 208 440 222 435 218 429 225 410 230 404 224 388 224 387 205 379 203 373 195 347 195 330 216 318 220 281 172 289 165 290 151 309 144 313 140 333 127 343 124 351 113 347 108 349 75 Eschenburg poly 457 193 471 182 485 194 488 203 482 221 454 253 465 259 460 281 471 292 460 305 460 311 450 318 453 337 456 350 436 345 423 339 402 339 398 331 402 322 382 335 376 335 377 321 399 298 401 286 408 285 398 272 397 260 393 252 404 239 401 233 404 226 407 230 426 224 436 220 441 223 454 210 Siegbach poly 281 171 318 220 324 218 330 215 346 194 374 195 380 203 387 203 387 226 396 226 401 223 403 224 401 233 403 237 393 250 397 271 406 283 385 317 375 320 375 336 353 327 344 330 340 339 326 332 316 350 298 356 279 353 261 362 249 351 232 354 225 346 214 354 173 346 173 321 228 303 244 290 247 263 234 256 228 244 221 242 213 226 258 193 259 177 268 179 Dillenburg poly 79 372 89 381 114 381 127 372 135 375 173 349 191 351 198 351 202 353 211 354 221 345 231 352 223 363 228 376 211 406 194 410 154 422 152 441 161 448 158 462 142 466 135 459 129 459 114 431 96 431 91 436 85 421 64 413 72 393 Breitscheid poly 64 413 86 421 89 433 112 432 127 458 136 458 142 465 156 462 178 462 201 452 209 445 213 455 221 453 219 463 212 465 203 484 213 496 233 490 233 507 223 503 218 508 200 514 196 513 177 532 172 548 162 556 149 556 138 566 130 561 115 568 108 563 106 568 89 557 73 551 71 546 85 532 90 505 71 491 71 480 57 464 52 431 Driedorf poly 104 565 105 562 119 569 132 561 136 564 154 557 166 557 174 545 176 531 182 528 191 512 205 514 217 509 223 502 230 509 255 511 255 514 274 505 310 521 321 518 321 532 296 563 306 573 309 588 319 586 326 582 351 583 364 601 352 598 347 606 332 616 326 613 308 619 307 624 302 633 293 629 287 644 275 649 275 655 259 659 243 650 236 627 233 614 213 611 206 597 197 595 182 612 178 614 177 619 166 636 145 620 126 615 110 602 Greifenstein poly 471 292 466 310 473 317 479 328 493 324 504 323 509 317 542 301 553 301 577 313 589 299 596 299 588 319 600 356 632 358 631 362 626 368 627 377 616 396 603 389 568 392 546 400 535 389 537 374 529 370 524 376 508 378 495 368 479 382 457 373 458 350 454 339 450 324 Bischoffen poly 157 462 164 451 157 440 154 422 192 406 209 407 226 387 231 376 222 363 231 356 249 352 252 360 263 360 276 351 296 358 314 352 326 334 343 337 350 329 376 337 383 335 380 350 375 352 367 389 355 392 346 396 333 420 333 432 324 447 316 449 306 460 294 460 282 477 274 483 262 484 257 491 253 493 255 510 236 509 234 494 229 488 211 496 203 482 214 463 221 451 211 455 210 447 198 453 187 455 175 459 Herborn poly 335 429 346 433 355 439 354 448 349 455 364 471 374 467 373 464 376 463 383 481 366 494 345 489 334 493 334 503 327 520 308 519 273 503 255 513 255 503 254 494 260 491 260 487 271 485 276 482 279 476 294 462 306 460 314 449 325 449 Sinn poly 381 336 396 324 402 324 398 331 403 339 424 339 456 348 458 373 451 397 437 410 430 425 436 431 444 423 453 425 462 434 451 436 437 446 428 444 406 448 400 452 390 448 379 463 372 463 371 470 360 470 350 458 354 441 334 429 332 418 350 395 366 391 375 351 382 347 Mittenaar poly 458 374 479 381 493 369 511 380 531 372 534 374 532 390 543 400 601 388 616 393 607 403 589 460 573 463 564 489 566 498 557 511 537 507 527 517 518 506 508 505 489 483 503 481 501 476 506 476 508 464 499 459 492 450 485 453 480 440 465 437 453 424 445 424 434 430 432 429 439 415 453 399 Hohenahr poly 387 449 401 449 430 445 440 445 455 465 452 479 459 494 455 517 446 516 421 528 405 531 404 541 415 550 408 573 417 590 414 602 402 605 366 606 354 582 328 582 324 585 308 585 306 571 296 561 322 536 323 519 329 518 335 503 334 496 350 488 366 494 383 485 380 473 378 462 384 462 Ehringshausen poly 439 444 444 440 450 435 462 435 480 440 484 452 494 452 499 461 507 463 507 472 503 474 502 479 494 479 490 483 508 507 510 517 510 530 507 537 517 541 505 607 486 620 466 611 458 611 448 619 435 614 427 615 425 620 417 617 400 609 402 605 412 598 415 589 406 574 411 569 413 548 406 540 406 534 431 518 427 527 452 517 458 517 459 495 452 480 454 460 Aßlar poly 593 532 594 517 602 518 615 536 631 534 630 556 654 578 670 608 667 628 648 634 644 622 638 621 620 651 605 656 586 606 579 587 584 543 598 535 Lahnau poly 509 506 519 506 527 519 538 506 560 511 578 537 596 532 596 536 585 543 579 588 606 657 619 653 637 623 644 622 647 629 653 633 667 629 680 629 678 648 657 669 646 672 634 687 615 686 604 693 593 698 587 694 585 705 576 715 565 712 540 738 531 743 524 742 516 748 513 730 491 700 472 707 465 688 472 680 468 657 478 655 485 653 483 635 486 617 508 608 514 561 517 540 509 538 Wetzlar poly 520 749 521 738 534 741 565 715 578 713 585 705 585 693 622 696 640 703 645 711 652 715 661 715 699 715 723 729 725 736 719 744 704 748 702 758 696 768 681 769 660 761 655 760 646 775 630 782 613 797 611 803 602 810 601 813 592 827 582 813 579 802 560 774 540 772 531 775 Hüttenberg poly 385 607 400 605 400 611 417 616 426 621 435 614 448 615 455 610 471 611 486 617 486 651 478 659 470 653 468 657 471 686 467 690 471 706 470 712 465 726 451 734 432 746 420 742 411 716 413 705 403 709 391 686 379 660 382 639 367 638 375 615 383 614 Solms poly 242 650 259 659 273 659 275 649 289 644 291 627 306 630 312 624 306 618 328 613 339 614 351 599 361 599 368 606 385 606 385 615 379 612 364 637 382 640 379 654 390 685 374 688 369 688 354 702 325 668 320 689 320 694 304 714 294 717 265 695 265 685 258 684 260 672 249 668 Leun poly 305 711 311 699 322 692 324 671 338 680 353 702 365 689 391 684 400 708 414 706 410 714 415 728 417 741 425 747 433 746 452 733 464 750 466 764 471 762 473 768 469 780 475 796 465 811 465 829 454 834 459 819 447 822 434 829 428 851 412 844 396 846 375 809 377 802 359 793 366 781 364 777 359 777 357 746 331 744 302 725 Braunfels poly 451 734 464 727 473 703 493 701 514 728 516 750 523 750 525 763 533 776 558 775 581 802 583 814 594 828 582 825 544 839 540 852 529 853 523 847 507 847 501 852 494 845 462 828 463 812 474 800 468 781 475 772 474 762 467 762 Schöffengrund poly 451 832 461 830 476 837 493 843 500 852 506 852 510 847 521 847 538 855 543 850 544 834 574 826 589 826 586 831 576 830 577 864 584 869 584 878 593 920 622 908 620 919 616 919 618 927 628 928 624 933 607 934 602 928 597 936 593 928 582 927 570 935 563 948 557 948 560 956 539 970 525 970 518 954 513 963 503 945 503 939 497 939 491 919 471 912 449 888 440 873 440 855 Waldsolms poly 405 0 401 26 382 36 379 51 360 61 358 48 330 46 316 54 297 57 279 17 257 16 204 79 181 104 148 125 138 134 126 169 109 173 84 193 74 196 82 218 92 230 87 239 89 247 106 254 109 278 118 281 115 286 122 288 124 304 100 364 92 380 0 303 0 0 North Rhine-Westphalia poly 0 306 81 373 70 384 67 413 58 416 49 440 54 461 72 478 72 490 90 508 85 528 71 546 104 564 104 579 98 607 87 633 80 646 85 660 80 668 64 668 48 679 66 686 55 695 31 697 16 688 0 685 Rhineland-Palatinate poly 406 0 401 26 382 34 376 54 360 60 360 70 376 66 395 74 400 79 415 82 421 97 420 112 411 113 412 148 403 156 415 194 426 195 430 187 457 190 472 181 483 193 487 206 482 222 455 253 463 261 459 276 470 291 467 312 476 319 481 327 501 323 511 316 544 297 579 312 589 296 597 300 588 324 599 356 636 360 630 369 629 379 646 390 652 422 688 424 697 403 704 404 721 371 747 376 751 389 767 392 791 415 803 404 828 422 828 0 Marburg-Biedenkopf poly 627 377 642 386 649 421 686 424 698 403 705 405 725 369 748 375 755 390 767 392 791 413 800 405 808 405 828 422 828 818 786 813 766 798 752 804 745 798 721 797 702 809 696 825 691 839 673 837 657 853 640 870 630 869 648 888 650 896 661 894 652 923 631 931 619 922 621 910 602 913 592 921 591 897 581 875 582 868 573 845 578 827 594 831 605 814 614 796 633 779 648 773 658 761 697 767 704 751 722 742 727 731 703 717 661 712 654 715 638 702 623 693 600 694 612 689 619 684 640 684 647 672 669 663 684 637 669 628 667 604 653 572 630 550 630 534 611 536 604 522 596 516 593 533 584 532 578 536 559 514 567 499 568 475 586 461 602 419 606 408 Gießen (district) poly 552 964 560 958 558 946 568 946 573 934 581 934 582 929 593 928 598 937 604 928 608 935 627 932 653 926 662 896 651 893 641 889 631 870 638 870 670 838 693 839 701 812 717 797 742 797 751 802 767 799 786 813 828 817 829 1026 670 1026 669 1018 662 1021 646 1019 635 1015 626 1025 611 1010 590 1017 588 1000 582 995 581 978 Wetteraukreis poly 340 1026 349 1020 348 1014 375 996 399 987 400 973 395 968 400 953 412 964 438 951 456 946 466 947 467 936 493 929 498 938 505 938 502 948 508 952 512 962 520 955 526 968 541 969 551 963 580 976 580 997 591 1001 587 1012 590 1019 610 1010 621 1024 635 1016 653 1022 668 1015 668 1025 Hochtaunuskreis poly 105 567 112 602 120 616 148 620 170 634 198 597 204 599 211 609 232 618 245 651 252 673 259 673 259 683 265 687 266 696 298 714 309 713 303 727 330 745 357 744 358 776 366 777 358 786 377 806 395 844 400 849 412 843 426 851 445 820 458 819 455 832 438 853 440 871 450 883 461 905 487 916 493 928 469 936 464 947 451 944 432 954 415 966 402 954 394 965 399 987 367 998 349 1010 347 1017 340 1025 0 1026 0 683 17 687 38 699 58 696 65 686 53 677 67 670 81 667 84 658 81 648 87 629 99 607 Limburg-Weilburg desc bottom-right </imagemap>
	Solms Solms
	Coordinates: 50°32′23″N 08°24′26″E / 50.53972°N 8.40722°E
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
Admin. region	Gießen
District	Lahn-Dill-Kreis
Government
• Mayor (2022–28)	Frank Inderthal (SPD)
Area
• Total	34.05 km2 (13.15 sq mi)
Elevation	144 m (472 ft)
Population (2022-12-31)
• Total	13,862
• Density	410/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	35606
Dialling codes	06442
Vehicle registration	LDK
Website	www.solms.de

Solms is a town west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Hessen, Germany with around 13,500 inhabitants. In the constituent community of Burgsolms once stood the ancestral castle of the Counts and Princes of Solms.

Geography

Location

Solms lies right in the Lahn valley at the mouth of the eponymous little river Solmsbach and is nestled between the foothills of both the Taunus and Westerwald at heights from 140 to 400 m above sea level. It is about 7 km west of Wetzlar and 30 km northeast of Limburg an der Lahn.

Neighbouring communities

Solms borders in the north on the community of Ehringshausen and the town of Aßlar, in the east on the town of Wetzlar, in the southeast on the community of Schöffengrund, in the southwest on the town of Braunfels and in the west on the town of Leun (all in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis).

Constituent communities

The town consists of the following centres:

Albshausen
Burgsolms
Niederbiel
Oberbiel
Oberndorf

Solms is a town west of Wetzlar in the Lahn-Dill-Kreis, Hessen, Germany with around 13,500 inhabitants. In the constituent community of Burgsolms once stood the ancestral castle of the Counts and Princes of Solms.

Politics

Town council

The municipal elections in 2011 yielded the following results:^[3]

Party	Seats
Freie Wählergruppe (FWG)	23.4
Social Democratic Party (SPD)	40.3
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)	23.0
Free Democratic Party (FDP)	2.6
Greens	10.7

Note: FWG is a citizens' coalition.

Town of Solms Youth Council

Since 2002 there has been a Town of Solms Youth Council serving as the town's official board representing youth's interests and needs. It is elected every two years by children and youths who either live in the town or go to the comprehensive school.

Partnerships

The town of Solms maintains partnerships with the following places:

Liezen, Styria, Austria
La Grand-Combe, Gard, France
Schmiedefeld am Rennsteig, Thuringia, Germany

Economy and infrastructure

Oberbiel is home to two commercial-industrial areas. A shipping company has set up shop at the newer one, while the older one, on an island in the river Lahn, was established in the early 20th century. It was originally home to a brad factory, a wireworks and a ball bearing factory.

History

Solms had its first documentary mention in 788 in a donation document from the Lorsch Monastery. The villages that nowadays form the town of Solms belonged for centuries to the County of Solms, an independent state within the Holy Roman Empire, elevated to a county in 1223, until it was dissolved in 1806. Early branches of the House of Solms^[4] were Burgsolms (extinguished 1415), Konigsberg (near Biebertal, extinguished 1364), Old and New Hohensolms (at Hohenahr, extinguished in the 14th century) and Braunfels. The still existing lines are the princely branches of Solms-Braunfels, Solms-Hohensolms-Lich with their seat in Lich and Solms-Baruth, furthermore the Counts of Solms-Laubach with their seat in Laubach, Solms-Rödelheim-Assenheim with their seat in Assenheim, Solms-Sonnewalde and Solms-Wildenfels. The Burgsolms castle at Solms, ancestral seat of the family since around 1100, was destroyed in 1384 by a coalition of nearby towns under the leadership of Wetzlar, forcing count John to move to Greifenstein castle.

After a short while being part of the Duchy of Nassau, Solms passed to Prussia in 1815.

As part of Hesse's municipal reforms, the communities of Albshausen and Oberbiel voluntarily merged on 1 July 1971 to form Bielhausen, while Burgsolms and Oberndorf did the same to form Solms. By state law, these two new communities were amalgamated with Niederbiel on 1 January 1977 to make the new greater community of Solms, which in 1978 was granted town rights.

A new residential area has been being built on the western edge of Oberbiel since the 1990s.

Sightseeing

Kloster Altenberg (Altenberg Monastery) - Burial place of the blessed Gertrud von Altenberg (1227-1297), Saint Elisabeth's daughter

Grube Fortuna (Oberbiel) - Visitors' Mine including a light and mine railway museum (Iron ore was mined here until 1983.)

Stone Bench (Oberbiel Forest) - A secluded place, that may have originally served as a hunting post
Jewish Cemetery (Burgsolms) - Tombstones from 1705 to 1939
Gallows of Solms (Forest between Burgsolms/Oberndorf and Albshausen) - Memorial against death penalty: Erected in stone in 1750, the gallows has never been used for an execution.
Schäferburg ("Shepherd's castle", Niederbiel) - Log cabin and barbecue area on the edge of the forest (Westerwald side) overlooking the city and the Lahn valley
Former Hunting Lodge Dr. Roth, later a children's home (Albshausen) - A kind of counterpart to Niederbiel's "Schäferburg" on the Taunus side (built around 1920)
Old Station Braunfels-Oberndorf (Oberndorf) - Representative building on the disused Solmsbach-valley-route to Brandoberndorf