Taunusstein

Taunusstein
Town
General view
Coat of arms
Location of Taunusstein within Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis district <imagemap>File: Taunusstein in RÜD.svg | 240x240px poly 219 355 213 361 212 367 203 368 205 374 199 378 186 378 170 384 166 391 160 389 151 398 153 408 147 409 149 417 135 420 146 436 155 438 157 447 148 451 139 448 138 455 125 461 116 468 116 481 102 492 86 474 69 460 43 445 29 428 30 414 39 416 45 408 54 398 65 386 81 393 93 390 106 388 113 381 112 371 113 360 118 354 111 348 120 338 125 335 128 319 130 312 142 314 142 328 153 327 162 336 172 335 180 331 189 326 194 323 209 333 Lorch am Rhein poly 171 387 189 406 181 409 195 420 206 427 216 436 216 459 215 486 219 506 227 515 227 523 238 535 248 544 249 555 251 568 241 570 224 569 205 569 190 573 166 573 155 572 149 562 144 550 140 526 134 510 122 500 107 494 145 511 145 503 139 496 143 493 142 490 133 489 128 489 115 480 114 475 121 469 124 463 131 459 136 457 139 450 150 453 146 459 148 460 154 452 160 453 166 456 172 458 167 450 155 449 157 438 152 437 146 436 137 422 144 422 152 419 147 409 153 407 151 399 160 389 171 387 Rüdesheim am Rhein poly 172 388 185 377 195 378 202 377 207 369 215 366 236 383 229 390 239 411 248 419 270 449 278 462 280 489 286 499 285 507 307 523 312 524 297 537 304 544 307 553 288 562 273 567 251 569 250 552 249 542 228 526 228 515 217 499 215 471 217 436 207 427 189 414 187 405 177 390 Geisenheim poly 221 357 214 362 235 383 228 388 237 411 244 414 277 461 281 489 286 500 284 511 311 524 299 537 307 553 345 536 367 524 389 519 390 505 385 487 382 477 377 474 382 470 368 458 366 442 344 437 340 432 330 421 314 408 310 406 326 400 338 394 317 391 286 379 280 369 280 346 269 338 262 343 251 343 245 347 236 352 231 357 218 359 Oestrich-Winkel poly 386 395 408 384 411 391 422 398 429 397 429 405 421 417 425 431 432 445 446 456 453 459 460 468 467 474 466 481 462 478 448 483 436 481 425 471 416 459 401 448 393 438 384 423 392 414 Kiedrich poly 329 421 340 414 343 399 355 398 362 404 369 395 380 393 387 395 388 406 393 413 384 422 385 432 396 444 413 460 436 479 444 485 458 479 463 478 468 473 450 462 451 456 437 449 422 419 430 403 430 398 421 395 411 388 406 381 403 377 414 369 417 371 424 369 438 382 447 389 464 402 471 401 473 408 486 406 501 413 498 424 496 438 508 442 511 456 499 456 494 461 505 471 517 485 500 487 477 493 464 500 455 506 438 513 417 520 390 520 388 506 387 493 383 477 383 470 368 459 367 440 344 437 337 431 330 423 334 417 340 403 345 399 354 402 360 405 363 401 364 399 371 395 383 394 Eltville poly 504 415 494 432 495 440 509 439 510 450 509 458 498 456 492 461 504 471 513 483 534 477 553 471 547 453 531 438 515 430 504 416 Walluf poly 273 337 284 333 301 342 322 341 321 346 338 357 340 365 349 366 368 364 368 360 377 358 388 356 393 356 387 345 396 342 396 332 404 335 434 319 439 325 442 323 447 325 449 320 455 317 460 306 471 308 469 313 471 316 470 323 468 330 479 335 485 340 481 348 460 352 465 358 471 357 465 364 473 366 474 372 478 377 482 378 489 377 497 377 506 381 500 388 499 393 492 388 472 388 471 398 470 403 464 403 450 392 439 383 428 373 420 371 411 371 403 379 408 383 398 387 384 392 376 395 361 400 361 405 353 400 344 397 341 406 332 418 328 420 321 413 312 407 321 402 332 399 342 394 325 391 302 385 287 380 282 368 281 349 279 342 270 337 Schlangenbad poly 275 333 279 329 287 327 294 325 299 330 316 322 334 310 352 308 356 300 352 297 351 293 353 290 349 280 359 277 361 273 373 268 383 252 379 247 382 240 393 234 408 231 412 236 422 226 424 235 426 243 430 246 455 238 454 243 454 248 445 259 446 281 451 292 456 297 459 302 456 311 449 320 446 323 440 323 430 320 406 334 397 332 395 342 386 345 392 355 377 358 368 361 357 369 340 365 340 358 321 346 321 340 307 343 284 332 Bad Schwalbach poly 233 350 236 347 245 346 250 343 262 343 271 336 280 330 290 327 298 327 316 324 325 315 333 310 352 307 355 299 348 290 351 288 350 281 358 275 373 265 381 254 378 241 370 233 361 226 348 226 353 215 361 214 363 208 373 197 372 191 375 184 372 168 360 165 348 164 339 160 339 153 326 150 327 143 319 138 310 145 297 149 287 155 264 158 269 165 260 172 248 176 230 177 209 186 215 192 209 202 197 208 179 220 182 228 179 240 189 251 201 258 214 269 227 277 237 282 230 292 225 306 230 329 Heidenrod poly 378 162 376 171 372 175 375 180 392 172 407 164 420 154 426 145 433 147 446 144 439 133 448 134 456 130 451 121 457 113 467 120 480 118 487 112 509 119 511 112 518 115 539 109 540 101 520 95 510 82 509 74 516 66 514 57 520 54 505 53 492 57 478 71 469 90 459 91 448 84 437 88 424 89 428 79 423 76 417 68 407 68 397 67 382 70 378 80 370 86 361 89 371 90 376 102 382 110 394 111 398 120 403 128 409 132 393 138 377 147 376 160 Aarbergen poly 375 180 392 171 396 172 398 167 418 156 427 143 433 148 443 146 444 144 439 135 447 134 455 131 451 119 458 112 465 120 472 118 483 118 489 113 502 118 513 121 513 133 513 148 518 155 522 158 536 163 537 180 540 190 548 198 545 213 547 219 527 228 506 238 494 249 486 250 479 238 477 234 469 239 478 250 477 257 483 265 483 274 488 279 478 286 477 291 471 295 465 291 458 294 453 291 447 289 444 271 447 259 454 250 456 236 430 245 425 241 425 233 425 225 418 228 414 235 409 231 400 235 382 237 374 240 371 233 367 231 362 226 351 224 355 217 361 215 368 204 373 197 376 186 375 179 Hohenstein poly 474 372 473 367 466 368 471 359 461 355 481 348 485 341 478 332 469 331 472 308 461 305 458 295 464 292 469 296 479 291 480 285 489 279 485 273 478 258 480 251 472 240 475 235 486 248 494 250 513 232 531 229 552 220 547 212 548 198 537 183 541 176 538 167 546 161 569 158 570 162 574 159 580 167 564 172 566 176 558 185 566 188 568 194 572 196 573 201 576 210 580 207 594 202 627 206 627 224 634 226 645 246 626 254 632 259 627 262 642 271 644 284 633 297 615 303 605 309 587 319 569 321 565 317 544 321 537 319 527 331 515 338 502 355 Taunusstein poly 519 52 550 58 550 64 559 56 570 53 593 39 604 39 618 34 626 44 631 56 634 63 646 57 658 79 652 89 641 95 630 100 633 108 610 110 608 123 617 125 627 130 627 144 618 154 615 160 613 169 607 174 597 176 595 191 595 203 576 209 569 193 559 184 568 177 582 166 573 153 541 160 521 154 512 138 514 118 524 113 541 102 519 91 508 79 516 66 Hünstetten poly 660 81 647 93 631 100 631 108 615 109 609 123 616 125 632 127 626 137 629 143 621 149 617 158 616 168 609 173 600 176 595 200 625 206 629 222 636 228 640 235 653 227 668 225 676 216 688 209 687 199 695 190 699 190 705 202 725 198 732 204 734 216 745 222 761 209 767 206 778 205 789 208 792 202 792 189 791 184 795 175 802 167 818 165 839 160 861 155 856 143 838 125 821 120 801 119 799 126 786 137 780 127 769 133 756 134 752 144 738 153 731 155 722 149 719 134 715 128 721 122 723 115 715 112 719 102 726 98 729 96 725 90 733 87 746 78 743 72 723 67 724 63 716 61 709 57 689 64 669 80 Idstein poly 644 277 642 270 628 261 631 259 626 254 646 247 640 237 654 226 669 226 687 210 688 199 696 196 703 203 721 200 730 200 729 208 733 215 741 223 767 207 775 213 789 212 800 219 791 224 782 233 788 245 799 245 806 255 806 263 814 264 813 268 800 267 796 261 788 259 780 264 773 265 771 271 767 275 758 285 753 275 734 279 727 275 713 280 699 276 687 274 678 277 664 278 654 280 Niedernhausen poly 742 71 755 63 759 52 783 51 790 31 792 34 804 29 816 30 813 40 827 42 830 49 825 54 838 55 849 67 865 75 868 92 862 97 865 102 861 107 847 111 825 121 802 117 799 125 786 136 778 127 765 133 756 134 751 145 740 150 730 156 722 146 720 134 716 130 723 120 717 112 721 101 736 102 728 91 742 84 746 77 Waldems poly 1 0 463 0 482 20 486 58 462 84 434 79 419 63 373 65 373 75 356 88 361 96 372 90 373 109 391 114 403 130 376 147 372 160 345 158 317 127 309 138 260 153 259 164 246 170 217 176 172 220 172 238 232 280 222 300 224 347 195 321 170 332 134 307 121 318 118 334 103 364 107 385 65 382 28 412 27 431 64 458 97 491 133 511 148 570 243 572 314 555 378 525 423 522 531 481 569 472 635 481 754 596 0 595 Rhineland-Palatinate poly 552 466 545 454 511 424 495 407 473 405 473 387 500 391 507 381 498 374 479 376 473 369 481 368 498 357 515 338 521 337 536 321 565 318 569 326 627 299 642 289 643 278 695 275 696 283 750 275 756 284 743 296 750 297 754 311 783 312 780 327 790 357 798 357 801 365 825 358 822 374 828 396 821 418 806 413 791 419 801 448 815 444 824 454 804 465 809 470 790 479 789 475 763 487 762 533 746 532 713 543 704 543 639 481 Wiesbaden poly 465 0 481 22 487 59 499 51 518 51 551 57 588 38 600 38 621 35 636 63 641 54 659 79 663 80 700 59 721 59 726 69 740 69 753 61 753 52 782 49 787 28 769 11 796 10 807 1 Limburg-Weilburg poly 879 524 858 539 812 530 779 535 761 535 761 505 764 493 762 488 788 477 795 475 807 468 803 465 826 451 815 444 800 449 789 418 804 412 815 421 831 395 822 371 825 359 803 368 798 353 793 357 778 328 788 313 758 308 748 296 773 263 788 259 801 269 815 268 811 262 800 244 788 244 790 226 801 218 791 211 773 211 768 205 778 205 790 209 794 189 819 189 796 210 801 216 814 210 849 221 851 232 861 229 859 223 880 213 Main-Taunus-Kreis poly 806 0 795 10 770 10 788 31 815 28 812 40 825 41 833 53 851 68 863 74 869 91 865 101 825 120 854 139 859 154 801 165 790 186 816 190 798 213 811 207 851 221 852 229 859 231 858 226 879 213 880 0 Hochtaunuskreis poly 753 593 703 540 717 545 741 530 774 534 809 529 854 540 880 524 880 593 Groß-Gerau (district) desc bottom-left </imagemap>
Taunusstein Taunusstein
Coordinates: 50°8′N 8°9′E
Country	Germany
State	Hesse
Admin. region	Darmstadt
District	Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis
Subdivisions	10 districts
Government
• Mayor (2019–25)	Sandro Zehner (CDU)
Area
• Total	67.03 km2 (25.88 sq mi)
Elevation	381 m (1,250 ft)
Population  (2022-12-31)
• Total	30,810
• Density	460/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
Postal codes	65232
Dialling codes	06128
Vehicle registration	RÜD, SWA
Website	www.taunusstein.de

Taunusstein (German: [ˈtaʊnʊsˌʃtaɪn] ) is the biggest town in the Rheingau-Taunus-Kreis in the Regierungsbezirk of Darmstadt in Hessen, Germany. It has 30,068 inhabitants (2020).

Geography

Location

Taunusstein lies roughly 10 km northwest of Wiesbaden and about 10 km west of Idstein and the Autobahn A 3. It is part of the Untertaunus (lower Taunus) range.

Taunusstein itself is a rural area and is about 30 km from the river Rhine. The lowest point in Taunusstein is 310 m above sea level, and the highest 613.9 m.

Neighbouring communities

Taunusstein borders in the north on the communities of Hohenstein and Hünstetten and the town of Idstein, in the east on the community of Niedernhausen, in the south on the district-free city of Wiesbaden and in the west on the community of Schlangenbad and the town of Bad Schwalbach.

Constituent communities

Taunusstein is made up of ten Stadtteile:

Stadtteil	Population
Bleidenstadt	7,852
Hahn	7,344
Hambach	368
Neuhof	3000000
Niederlibbach	570
Orlen	1,240
Seitzenhahn	1,366
Watzhahn	295
Wehen	6,831
Wingsbach	762

History

The town of Taunusstein came into being on 1 October 1971 through the merger of the formerly self-governing communities of Bleidenstadt, Hahn, Neuhof, Seitzenhahn, Watzhahn and Wehen, whereupon Taunusstein was also given town rights. On 1 July 1972, the communities of Hambach, Niederlibbach, Orlen and Wingsbach were amalgamated into the town of Taunusstein.

In 1991, Dr.-Peter-Nikolaus-Platz, a square in the constituent community of Hahn, was dedicated and named after the longtime mayor of Taunusstein. Fronting onto it are the "Taunus" community centre, the Catholic church centre of St. Johannes Nepomuk and the New Town Hall, whose functions together make the square into the new town centre. The "Taunus" community centre was opened in 1989, the church centre in 1991, both designed by the Hamburg architect Bernhard Hirche, from whom also sprang the whole concept of planning the new town centre. It was not until 1998, on the other hand, that the Town Hall, designed by another architect, could be dedicated.

Population development

Each time at 31 December (counting only those with their main residences in the town)

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1998 28,192 —     1999 28,354 +0.6% 2000 28,745 +1.4% 2001 28,942 +0.7% 2002 29,113 +0.6% 2003 29,307 +0.7%

Year Pop. ±% 2004 29,389 +0.3% 2005 29,325 −0.2% 2006 33,212 +13.3% 2007 29,221 −12.0% 2008 29,012 −0.7% 2009 28,871 −0.5%

Year Pop. ±% 2010 28,853 −0.1% 2011 28,920 +0.2% 2012 29,097 +0.6% 2016 29,620 —

Religion

• There are several Lutheran and Catholic churches in almost every constituent community.
• Baháʼí community in Hahn
• New Apostolic church in Wehen
• Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Neuhof (Triebgewann industrial park)

Politics

Town council

The municipal election held on 27 March 2016 yielded the following results:

Parties and voter communities		% 2016	Seats 2016	% 2011	Seats 2011	% 2006	Seats 2006
CDU	Christian Democratic Union of Germany	39.9	18	35.1	16	40.7	18
SPD	Social Democratic Party of Germany	22.7	10	30.3	14	30.2	14
GREENS	Alliance 90/The Greens	12.0	5	21.1	9	14.4	6
FWG	Independents	15.3	7	7.5	3	8.7	4
FDP	Free Democratic Party	10.1	5	6.0	3	6.1	3
Total		100.0	45	100.0	45	100.0	45
Voter turnout in %		50.4		48.9		46.3

Mayor

Mayor Sandro Zehner (CDU), running unopposed, was elected to a second term on 26 May 2019 on the first vote with 79.1% of the vote. Voter turnout was 58.8%.

River Aar

The Aar (Lahn) has its source in the stadtteil Orlen 500 meters from the ruins of Roman Castle Zugmantel and the Bundesstraße 417 in the Orlen part of Taunusstein.

Limes

Map of Upper Germanic Limes

The north of Taunusstein is crossed by the Upper Germanic Limes, a line of frontier forts begun in AD 86 by the Romans which stretched from near Bonn on the Rhine to near Regensburg on the Danube. It divided the Roman Empire from the unconquered Germanic tribes. Close to Orlen and the Bundesstraße 417 is a replica of a Limes watchtower, right beside the remains of the castrum Zugmantel.

The Upper-Germanic-Rhaetian Limes (the Limes Germanicus) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Coat of arms

The town's arms might be described thus: Azure a lion rampant Or armed and langued gules, in his forepaws an escutcheon, argent a cross gules.

The golden lion recalls the centuries-long overlordship of the Counts and Princes of Nassau, and at the same time draws on the old arms borne by the Nassau Amt seat of Wehen and the communities of Hahn and Seitzenhahn, all of which were charged with a lion or a lion's head. The cross is an attribute of Saint Ferrutius, the Bleidenstadt Monastery's patron saint. This monastery was founded as early as the 8th century and earned much credit for bringing Christianity and culture into the region on the upper Aar. The former community of Bleidenstadt bore this cross in its former coat of arms.

The official blazon reads: In blau ein rotbewehrter goldener Löwe, in seinen Pranken ein silberner Schild mit durchgehendem roten Kreuz.

Signpost in Wingsbach

Economy and infrastructure

Transport

There are two railway stations (in Hahn and Bleidenstadt) which lie on the stretch of the Aartalbahn running through Taunusstein, however since 1983 the line was only used for steam tourist trips run by the Nassauische Touristik-Bahn (NTB). But since a truck damaged a bridge on the line in Wiesbaden-Dotzheim on 20 November 2009 then the line had to be closed completely. Despite promises from the city council of Wiesbaden money to replace the bridge has not been forthcoming, and the NTB are themselves facing financial problems due to not being able to run any trains on the line.

In 1998 it was proposed that the line be reopened to form part of a new light rail line into Wiesbaden Stadtbahn, this was however dropped in 2001. Although some plans for such a line have been revived since the 2011 election, these do not currently involve this section of the line.

The town is also linked to Wiesbaden over Bundesstraßen 417 (Neuhof/Wehen) and 54 (Hahn). The nearest Autobahn interchange is on the A 3 (Cologne–Frankfurt) in Idstein.

The nearest international airport is Frankfurt Airport, about 25 miles away. The smaller Mainz Finthen Airport, a regional public airfield, is about 15 miles away.

Established businesses

• Institut Fresenius in Neuhof
• Motorola Deutschland (German business headquarters, advertising and marketing) in Neuhof
• Brita GmbH water filtration, international headquarters in Neuhof and Wiesbaden

Education

• Silberbachschule, primary school in Wehen
• Obere Aar integrated comprehensive school in Hahn
• Regenbogenschule, primary school in Bleidenstadt
• Gymnasium in Bleidenstadt
• Sonnenschule primary school in Neuhof
• Untertaunus vocational schools in Hahn
• Europa-Schule Taunusstein - bilingual Realschule in Neuhof

Sport and leisure facilities

• Stadion am Halberg in Wehen, former home stadium to SV Wehen Wiesbaden's first team
• Outdoor swimming pool in Hahn
• Silberbachhalle in Wehen
• Aartalhalle in Neuhof
• Sporting grounds in almost every centre
• Sport and youth centre in Bleidenstadt

Culture and sightseeing

Museum

In 1995, the Museum of the Town of Taunusstein, with permanent rooms at the Wehen Castle, was established. Since then, there has been a thematic emphasis on more recent regional history as seen in a permanent exhibit featuring this, which lately has also presented information about Taunusstein's condition in, before and after the World War II. This it does mainly by exhibiting everyday culture in the first half of the 20th century. A second and equally valid pillar is the displays in the series Kunst im Schloss ("Art at the Palace") through which contemporary art – not only from the local region – is offered a forum in Taunusstein.

Buildings

Wehen Castle

Wehen Castle

Formerly used for, among other things, a widow's seat and a hunting palace, it now houses the Taunusstein Museum.

Wehen Evangelical church

This was built by using stones from the old town fortifications, with a black marble altar brought from the Idstein palace church in 1722 and furnishings from the secularized monasteries at Marienhausen and Eberbach. The historic Voigt organ is one of the few instruments by Wiesbaden organ builder Heinrich Voigt still preserved in its original state. It was built in 1890 for the Old Catholic congregation of Wiesbaden and acquired by the Wehen congregation in 1899. In October 1999 it was restored to its original condition.

Former Wehen school

Built about 1900, this building is transitional in design between the Gründerzeit and Art Nouveau.

Former monastery with church, Bleidenstadt

(Nowadays parish church of the Catholic parish of St. Ferrutius). Above the church's main door is the statue of Saint Ferrutius, the patron saint, from the 17th century. Inside the building are a wall tabernacle from High Gothic times, made of sandstone and built into the quire, a baptismal font from 1696, a Late Baroque Madonna and an organ remodelled in the Baroque style. In the belfry are two bells from 1309 and 1411.

Evangelical church, Bleidenstadt

(Formerly Catholic parish church of Saint Peter on the Mountain, after 1530 relinquished to the new Protestant community). The church has the constituent community's oldest stone memorial, a tomb slab commemorating the Minister Johannes von Spangenberg, who died in 1363. The lower part of the churchtower is of Romanesque Revival origin and built with a decorative rose window with sandstone ornamentation.

Jewish graveyard in Wehen

The Jewish graveyard in the constituent community of Wehen on the Halberg is roughly as old as the community itself.

In 1329, Count Gerlach of Nassau-Weilburg mandated the settlement of Jews. The gravestones from that time no longer exist. The oldest one still standing is from 1694. Today, 55 graves are still to be seen in the graveyard. Until 1749, Jews from Wiesbaden were also buried here. In 1726, the Jews applied for leave to build a wall around the graveyard; however, they were forbidden to do so, as it would not have done for the Jewish cemetery to look nicer than the Christian one. So, they simply dug a ditch. After 1933, when the Nazis had come to power, the graveyard was still used for burials; however, it was forbidden to put gravestones on these newer graves.

Regular events

• Bleischter Kerb (kermis)
• Orlener Markt (market)
• Orlener Kerb (kermis)
• Hahner Kerb (kermis)
• Zentrumsfest ("Centre Festival")
• Weher Markt (With this market it is a tradition for companies in Weher to take their employees for brunch at the market)
• Weher Kerb (kermis)
• Wingsbacher Kerb (kermis)
• Neuhofer Kerb (kermis)
• TIGA (Taunusstein industrial and business exhibition; in even-numbered years)
• Waldweihnachtsmarkt Hahn ("Forest Christmas Market", at the Altenstein Forest House)

Sport

One of the local football clubs, located in Wehen, is called SV Wehen and in April 2007 they won promotion into the 2nd tier of the German Football League (Second Bundesliga). As such the local facilities that they had been using were no longer sufficient for professional football, prompting relocation to Wiesbaden, where they became known as SV Wehen-Wiesbaden. As of 2020–21 season, they however play in the 3rd tier.

The team is sponsored by one of the major companies of the area, Brita, with the founder of Brita, Heinz Hankammer, being a former chairman of the football club. During his time he made funds available which allowed the team it to outdo most teams at this level for many years, and gain promotion into the professional leagues.

Twin towns – sister cities

See also: List of twin towns and sister cities in Germany

Taunusstein is twinned with:

• Herblay-sur-Seine, France (1973)
• Yeovil, England, United Kingdom (1987)
• Caldes de Montbui, Spain (1989)
• Wünschendorf/Elster, Germany (1991)
• Toro, Italy (2016)
• Merkwiller-Pechelbronn, France (2022)

Notable people

• Carl Friedrich Emil von Ibell (1780–1834), government president of the Duchy of Nassau/Hesse-Homburg
• Emil Erlenmeyer (1825–1909), chemist
• Horst Arndt (1934–2014), rower, Olympic medalist, died here
• Johannes Hill (born 1988), baritone

External links

• Official website (in German)
• Taunusstein-Niederlibbach’s homepage (in German)
• Taunusstein town centre at architect's site (in German)
• Rheingau-Taunus website (in German)
• Taunusstein-Wehen: history, photo gallery (in German)
• Taunusstein at Curlie (in German)