Landstuhl dates back to Celtic

The Landstuhl Union Community was established in 1971 and includes the villages of Bann, Hauptstuhl, Kindsbach, Mittelbrunn, Oberarnbach as well as the city of Landstuhl. It has almost 17,000 inhabitants plus several thousands of U.S. servicemembers and members from other NATO countries. The community’s mayor is Klaus Grumer, whose office is in the Landstuhl town hall, built in 1898 as a spa hotel.

***image1*** Landstuhl is more than 2,500 years old. It was originally a settlement sitting at two main roads. One was leading from Metz in the west to Worms in the east; the other one went from Trier in the north to Strassburg in the south.
The first traces of continuous settling are graves from the late Celtic period, around 500 years before Christ.

When the Roman Emperor Claudius extended the streets coming from the Rhine River, Landstuhl was included. At the edge of the moorland, which today is Kaiserstrasse, a street settlement was established which became the center of administration. Coins found are evidence for a field of graves in the Roman settlement, used between the first and fourth century.

The Romans gave up Landstuhl at the end of the fourth century after the Alemanni conquered the area. With the beginning of the fifth century and after Teutons came through Landstuhl on their way to Gaul in France, almost all settlements in the area were destroyed.

Sometime before the year 800, the settlement received the name Nannostuol after a noble man called Nantharius. In the 16th century, the name changed into Landstuhl.

The city is also known for its castle – called Nanstein – constructed by Emperor Friedrich Barbarossa in 1150. It wasn’t until 1518, when Knight Franz of Sickingen became owner of the castle and the land. He strengthened the castle into a fortress. When he and his allies lost the War of the Knight of the Holy Roman Empire, Landstuhl as center of administration also lost its economical basics.

***image2***The sons of Franz of Sickingen got the castle back in the middle of the 16th century, and Landstuhl’s golden age started. A new palace was built on the castle ruins. Today, the castle ruins are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. January through March, and October through November, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April through September.

Nanstein is closed for visitors on Mondays and for the month of December. In summer, theater plays are performed in the castle yard. For guided tours in English and prices, call the Landstuhl Union Community office at 06371-83-119.

Landstuhl started developing in the beginning of the 18th century. After several wars, only four to five families came back to the destroyed houses in Landstuhl. Reconstruction of the city started in the second half of the 18th century and after tearing down all fortifications, impressive houses were built along the street.

When the German Empire was established in 1871, some factories were founded in Landstuhl such as breweries, an alcohol distillery and nail factory. At the turnover of the century, the city with two spas tried to get recognition as an official resort town.
There were no major destructions during World War II. In the 1950s, Americans built the military hospital on top of Kirchberg. Within 20 years, the population doubled.

Among several significant buildings in town is the “Alte Kapelle,” or old chapel, on Ludwigstrasse, constructed in 1300 and located on the area of former Parish Church St. Andreas. The former spa and resort hotel, “Moorbad,” on Schlossstrasse was built in 1896. Moorland soil from the area was used to heal joint and female diseases. Today, the facility houses apartments, offices, doctors’ practices, stores and restaurants.

The “Rentei” on Kirchenstrasse was built in 1767. It was the house and office of official administrators of the town. Next to the Rentei is the Catholic church St. Andreas, built in 1752. The Sickingen tomb is underneath the altar room. A monument shows Franz of Sickingen in his armaments standing on a lion.

Since the Middle Ages, the “Zehntenscheune” has been located at the east end of Kirchenstrasse in front of the town wall. In former times, farmers had to pay their taxes in form of natural items there. Above the gate, there is the crest of the Sickingen family. Worth seeing in Zehntenscheune is the original oak timberwork. Today, the building, renovated in 1984, is used for exhibitions, lectures and other events.

A rich landowner named Didier built a manor in the style of a palace. It’s called the “Didiersche Herrenhaus” and is located on Kaiserstrasse. It had two big gates with archs over, houses for domestic servants and stables. Today it houses the forest administration office.

Worth seeing in Bann is the forest house, built in 1761 with a well-kept rococo portal. Hauptstuhl has remains of some Celtic graves, which hint to a settlement between the years 1000 and 500 before Christ. In Mittelbrunn, there are the ruins of a medieval chapel, Verenakapelle. The village is located along the mill hiking path, where 13 mills can be found.

The Landstuhl community offers various hiking and biking trails and a natural swimming pond in Kindsbach. The city of Landstuhl has a public swimming pool, tennis courts, shooting range, fishing pond and a culture and convention center, where theater plays, musicals, concerts and other events take place.
Landstuhl received its city rights in 1323. Since July 14, 1995, the city officially is called Sickingenstadt Landstuhl due to its close relationship to Knight Franz of Sickingen.

For details, visit www.landstuhl.de.