Medieval fortifications with a double city wall

The year is 1414 and on the day before Ascension Day, 16 May, the citizens of Korbach have cause to celebrate a special occasion: after decades of work, the town fortifications have finally been completed!

After the Old and New Towns were united in 1377, it was decided to secure both towns, which were already surrounded by their own walls, with a second, common wall. This gave rise to the double ring of walls. Between the walls, there were ramparts and moats. The inner wall was defended by a parapet walk, and the outer wall had remaining arrow slits. Numerous towers, some of which are still preserved today, served as defensive bastions for the resilient citizens. The city could be entered or left through five gates.

Together with the two Gothic hall churches, the stone warehouses of the Hanse merchants with their characteristic stepped gables and the historic town hall from 1377 with its Roland statue, the double ring of walls is one of the best-preserved examples of the medieval town. However, the interactive historical city tour "Between the Walls" is something new. As the name suggests, the 2.1 km long route leads around the historical Old Town between the two medieval city walls. Starting directly at the Wolfgang-Bonhage-MUSEUM KORBACH, visitors can learn interesting and curious facts about the town's history at 10 stations and get to know the many modern facets of Korbach. If a break is needed in between, numerous cafes and restaurants in the Old Town invite you to linger.

For even more stories from Korbach, there is the interactive app "Schatzsuche" (Treasure Hunt) by GrimmHeimat NordHessen (available for Android and iOS). For each station on the "Between the Walls" tour, the app provides additional information, fairy tales, and legends from the city's history, as well as a riddle question to answer. If all questions are answered correctly, there is a small surprise at the Tourist Information.

This is how it works:

Visit grimmheimat.de/schatzsuche. There you can download the free app "Schatzsuche in der Heimat der Brüder Grimm" (Treasure Hunt in the Home of the Brothers Grimm) for your smartphone or tablet. You can find the "Between the Walls" tour in the app under the "More Events" section.