Town of Butzbach, Germany

     The city of Butzbach lies in a rural and pleasant farming area immediately at the base of the northeastern taunus arm (geological hilly range) in the Wetterau county in Hessen.  Wetterau was named from the small river Wetter, which runs through it.  The city is 50 km north of Frankfurt and 20 km south of Giessen, with a population circa of 10,000 and another 24,000 living in incorporated villages near the city.  The city is close to the autobahn Frankfurt-Kassel (A5), and Hanau-Dortmond (A45, Sauerlandlinie) at the Bundesstraßen (B3 and B448) and at the Bahnverbindung Frankfurt-Gießen-Kassel (Main-Weser-Bahn).

     A first settlement at this site is estimated at 3500 BC.  The Romans took over around 83AD and 2 castles/forts and one garrison was built and lasted until about 260 AD.  In the old city center between the city hall and Markus Church, relics of an old Germanic Alemman tribe settlement from the 5th century with Carolingian ceramics were found, thus supporting arguments of an interrupted settlement in the area.

     Butzbach was first mentioned in documents in a land register of the Lorsch Monastery in 773.  The city was possibly names "Butinesbach," and changed later on.  The city rights were bestowed under Phillip IV of Falkenstein in 1321.  Of the city murals, some parts still exist.  Especially impressive is a longer fortification part between the witch tower and the Markus Church.

     At the church square lies the Markus Church built in 1500 and the Michael Chapel from 1433.  The Rektorhaus (Kirchplatz 11) was restored in an exemplary manner and once the residence of Dr. Friedrich Ludwig Weidig (1791-1837), the pioneer of a democratic government.  At the market square there is the old post office, both richly decorated with woodwork.

     Butzbach was once the residence of Count Phillip III (1609-1643) of Hessen-Darmstadt.  His renaissance c castle was in use as an American garrison until a few years ago.  In the Faerbgasse lies the Solmser castle, today the local court, with a renaissance staircase from 1588.  As it has been for 600 years, the Weiseler street is the main shopping street in the city.  At its southern end, outside the city mural, lies the Wendlin Chappel with the formal hospital.  It is the oldest half-timbered church in Hessen from the first half of the city of the 15th century.  There also lies the Tepler-Stube with memoria from the partner city of Tepl.  Since the 15th century Butzbach celebrates the Falsemarkt in March and the Katharinemarkt in October.  The old city center festival takes place regularly at the beginning of September.

     Today Butzbach, the main city, is roughly 107 sq.km.  It includes the villages of Stadtteilen Bodenrod, Ebersgöns, Fauerbach, Griedel, Hausen Oes, Hoch-Weisel, Kirch-Göns, Maibach, Münster, Neider-Weisel, Ostheim, Pohl-Göns and Wiesental.  It holds a number of medium sized industrial enterprises producing machinery, textiles, paints, and railroad tracks.  Another large employer is the prison of the state of Hessen located here.

     The downtown holds a good number of half-timbered houses, some 4 and 5 stories high.  Parts of the old city wall can still be seen.  Butzbach had been a garrison city for more than a hundred years and was until recently the home of elements of the US Army's 1st Armored division.  A good sized military housing housing area and an elementary school still provides support to family members of soldiers stationed at nearby US Army Ayers garrison.  Immediately west of the city, exists remnants of the old Roman border fortification, the "Limes," which ran through most of what is known as Germany today.  A large Roman fort, which had approximately 600 men stationed in it, was excavated not far from Butzbach.  A reconstruction of a watch tower had been built on a hill overlooking the city at a place next to the Limes.

     Several touristic sites are:  The Roman Grenzwall Limes, historic market square Marktplatz with richly decorated half-timbered houses and the old fountain Brunnen, Markus Church with the cemetary of counts, Wendelin Chappel with artistic altar, the old city mural Stadtmauer with witch tower Hexenturm and defense walkway Wehrgang, a newly constructed museum, and much more.