Grebenhain - Volcanos in Vogelsberg

Gallery (7)

Grebenhain for friends of fairy tales

Typical for Grebenhain are legends of the devil (The Devil's Mill of Ilbeshausen, The Devil's Stone, The Cheated Devil of Ilbeshausen) and about mysterious things (the maid blinded by magic; the old woman in the Schershain), which were mostly collected by Theodor Bindewald in vernacular versions. Nature park guides of the Vogelsberg Volcano Nature Park offer guided tours to the legendary spots of the Upper Forest.

The coat of arms of Grebenhain municipality is presented by the half-timbered figure of "The Wild Man", which can also be found in the half-timbered construction of the Devil's Mill. The "man" term refers to the male figure in the shape of the cross strut on a stand in Alemannic and Franconian half-timbered buildings. During the transition from medieval to modern half-timbered houses in central Germany from 1470 to 1550, this kind of half-timbered construction was rebuilt. Male figures in this transitional period are generally referred to as "wild men". It is said to have historically had a function of warding off harm and derives from the nature of the "Wild Man".

Grebenhain Historical Tidbits

Since the beginning of the 9th century, the Vogelsberg over the valleys of the increasingly overpopulated Wetterau became more and more settled. After the martyrdom of Bonifatius and the subsequent transfer of his corpse from Mainz via Vogelsberg to Fulda, the influence of the Abbots of Fulda grew due to the increased donations from aristocrats to the monastery. The Codex Eberhardi of Fulda is the official source of many of these gifts. The deed of donation dated December 29, 1012 of the Franconian King Henry II of the forest of Zundernhart to the Fulda Abbey can also be found in the Codex Eberhardi. The document is the official first mention of the three villages of Grebenhain – Bermuthshain, Crainfeld and Ilbeshausen.

Grebenhain for holiday tourists and day visitors

Well-kept hiking trails in the basalt formations in the Oberwald, open-air and indoor swimming pools and a spa park with miniature golf facilities are offered by the climatic health resort Ilbeshausen-Hochwaldhausen. The volcanic cycle path runs through the centre of the municipality, and in Hartmannshain you will also find the end point of the southern railway cycle path. In addition, the Bonifatius route passes through the volcanic ring Vogelsberg Grebenhain. The municipality is therefore also a good starting point for active holidaymakers, whether they're on skates or wheels or in walking shoes. The Herchenhain heights offer a ski lift approx. 800m long. In the immediate vicinity, cross-country ski trails stretch throughout the Oberwald forest. A total of approx. 60 km of cross-country trails are available in Vogelsberg. In the Grebenhain area, the towns of Herchenhain and Bermuthshain are starting points for cross-country skiers.

Your contact in Grebenhain