In Grenzau, the castle, village and Brexbach Valley each offer a different perspective on the area. The castle stands on a rocky spur above the valley; from its tower, you can look down onto the historic castle village, with its old half-timbered houses and a picturesque village church. The trails also have their own distinctive features: they lead through the valley, along the Brexbach stream or to artworks accompanied by explanatory information boards.
Grenzau Castle and views into the valley
Grenzau Castle was first mentioned in 1213. Its triangular keep is a striking feature of the complex, which stands on a rocky spur above the Brexbach Valley. Guided tours are available on request. This lets you focus your visit on the castle’s history, while the view from the tower brings the present-day village together with the surrounding landscape.
From the tower, the view stretches across the wooded Brex Valley and down to the historic castle village of Grenzau. You can see old half-timbered houses and the village church, picturesquely situated in the village. The castle and village thus offer two different perspectives: from above, views across the valley and houses; from below, the individual buildings that make up the historic village.
For visits, the castle courtyard, castle tower and viewing platform are open from April to the end of October on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Guided tours are available on request. If you plan to make a visit part of your trip, check the published opening times before you travel.
Trails through the valley and village
Genusstour 3 begins at a small hiking car park in the Grenzau district, at the foot of the castle, and runs directly through the Brexbach Valley. The starting point and route give this tour a direct connection to the castle and the valley landscape. If you would first like to get your bearings when choosing a route, you can use these two features as reference points: the start at the foot of the castle and the path through the valley.
Genusstour 2 has a different focus: it follows the Brexbach stream along the narrow “Raubritterpfad” (“Robber Knights’ Path”) above the Grenzau district. The route descriptions distinguish the two tours without requiring you to assume a walking time or level of difficulty. Tour 3 focuses on its starting point at the foot of the castle and its route through the Brexbach Valley; Tour 2 focuses on the stream and the narrow path above Grenzau. This lets you choose based on the landscape feature that interests you most.
The Grenzau themed trail offers another way to explore the area. Along the route, you’ll encounter several artworks accompanied by explanatory information boards. If you’d like to discover art along a trail rather than as a single destination, this offers a different experience from the view from the castle tower or the routes through the valley and surrounding area described above.
Local history and an annual market
The Brexbachtal Railway is also part of the area’s history: its route passes through Grenzau. Grenzau station was the railway’s operational hub until it closed in 1996. The station adds another subject to the castle’s history and gives the area a clearly dated connection to the railway.
A craft market is held annually at the foot of the castle on the second Sunday in August. The market offers a separate reason to plan your visit around this recurring date. If you’re planning to come to Grenzau specifically for the market, check the exact date in advance. At other times of year, the castle, valley views, village and trails offer different ways to explore Grenzau according to your interests.
Discover more destinations: Hilgert
Return to the main travel overview: Höhr-Grenzhausen.
