Lauterbach Things to Do Tips by Weissdorn

Chateau Hohhaus

Chateau Hohhaus is the only city palace that once belonged to General George Frederik Riedesel Free Lord of Eisenbach and was built between 1769 and 1773 by George Veit Koch. This baroque palace is a three-winged building, surrounded by a marshall courtyard. In the Roccoco Hall, the town stages events, among other events the regionally well-known Hohhaus concerts. The Hohhaus, whose name means "Hofhaus" or "royal stewart house", used to be a royal administration building, which belonged to a neighbouring principality. Today they have a small museum in the side building to this chateau, which contain among other items, a late Gothic Maria Alter that was made in Lauterbach, which is one of Hesse's sacral masterpiece works. They also have some pretty astounding antique furniture pieces, including the the carved entry hall from 1777, the old town fathers meeting table from 1664 and a city file cabinet from the 17th century, and a speech podium for the mayor from 1743. They also have a lot of Hessian farm stuff to see in the musuem, including costumes the people used to wear, and several displays of how people used to make all kinds of things by hand.

Open from Tuesday - Sunday from: 10.00 - 12.00 and 14.00 - 17.00
Closed Mondays.

Address: Berliner Platz 1, D-36341 Lauterbach

Phone: +49 (6641) 2402

Website: http://www.hohhaus.de

The Golden Ass House

This is the longest half-timbered house in the state of Hesse. You can find it around the corner from the town castle. The house bears the name "Güldenen Esel" or the Golden Ass House.
This complex half-timbered house used to be a horse-changing station for coaches moving through the Holy Roman Empire and an inn, which is why it's so long (remember this town is crossroads for 3 major historical roads). It was originally built in 1530 along the town walls. They used to brew their own beer here, which ticked of the mayor, who already had a brewery inside the town, and what really miffed him was that it was outside the city walls, so he couldn't charge taxes - yup, free enterprise through the centuries. Later this house was used for the Cent Court. That had nothing to do with making money, but was the old name for "parish". From 1821 the "Golden Ass House" was a post office and a horse changing station again. The city finally bought this house in 1862, where they turned it into a grammer school. Today it houses a music school and the Hohhaus Library, which contains more than 80,000 books. Next to this special library they also have a public library.

"I Lost My Sock in Lauterbach" Statue

This statue is dedicated to this old folks song:

I lost my sock in Lauterbach,
Without it I can't go home.
So I'm gitting m'self back to Lauterbach,
To git my sock back again.

I lost my heart in Lauterbach,
Without it I can't live on;
So I'm gitting m'self back to Lauterbach,
That gal's got give it back to me.

Daddy, when are you going to give that piece of valley,
Daddy, when are you going to will me something?
My gal's getting riper than the wheat,
I don't wanna be single no more.

My gal's got black-brown eyes,
She's purdy as a dove, she is,
When I stand by the window and look at her,
She looks back friendly at me.

You all can't be happy all the time,
You all can't be crying all the time.
Sometimes I git to go out with my girl,
Sometimes I gotta stay home alone.

Now I have built me a house on top of a snail,
But that snail's a sneaking off.
And now my gal's pouting at me,
'Cause I ain't got no house no more.

Old Mill

The old mill is one of the oldest buildings in Lauterbach, and serves as a souvenier store today, where you can buy a minature of the Lauterbach Little Rascal. Traditional Lauterbach pottery is made and sold here too. Earlier in Hesse, every town had it's own pottery pattern, which were almost forgotten after the Second World War. If it wasn't for some villagers that take pride in their traditions. You don't have to worry about kitschiness of buying something like this, because even the people of Lauterbach have this kind of pottery in their homes, too.
The house was built as a mill in 1398 and known as the Town Mill. Today it is now known as the "Töpferhaus" or pottery house.

Directions: On the Berliner Platz next to the "I lost my sock in Lauterbach" statue.