The City of Felsberg is a small modern city in the heart of North Hesse with a history dating back to the Middle Ages and is surrounded by the forests described in the fairy tales by the Grimm brothers. It lies in the county of Schwalm-Eder, about 20 kilometers south of Kassel, and has about 2,500 inhabitants.
The infrastructure of the city of Felsberg, which has about a total of about 11,000 inhabitants within its 16 different districts, is very well outfitted: two grade schools as well as a comprehensive school with the different possibilities of college preparation or a middle school offered to the 10th grade. An all inclusive and well recognized social services center includes a day care center, large kitchen, home and seniors service and student study help. Also a child and women’s issues specialist brings Felsberg to the level of one of the best cities in Hesse as a far as social achievements and family friendliness. Felsberg is unique in north Hesse with its modern heated swimming pool, kindergarten, youth center, library, 15 registered doctors, and the exemplary senior residence, St. Valentin. Seven Protestant congregations, a Catholic ministry, a New Apostle Church, an Islamic congregation, as well as the unique to Hesse, Felsberg Liberal Jewish Congregation, all mirror the diversity and openness of the citizens of Felsberg.
There is also a Bee museum of the local beekeepers organization in the gatehouse of the former cloister Kartause Eppenberg; a museum of ancient history and the museum of local history in the city district of Gensungen.
About 100 various registered associations are found in Felsberg such as sports groups, choirs and singing clubs, hunting groups, a city association, a German-Turkish culture group, hiking, local culture, a horse riding center, small animal breeders, fishing groups– all adding to the lively parts of life in Felsberg and its districts.
Felsberg (Velisberc) was mentioned in a document in 1090.
The Romanesque substructure of the castle from the 11th century is located on a columnar basalt cone above the town of Felsberg on the old salt road that led from Bad Sooden-Allendorf on the Werra into the Ruhr area. The Ederfurt near Felsberg was strategically important. The castle was the seat of the Velisberc dynasty, who lived in the castle from 1090 to 1286, but then withdrew to their possessions in the Hessisch Lichtenau area and soon died out.
In 1238, the castle and town of Felsberg first came to the Landgraviate of Thuringia, but soon afterwards to the Landgraviate of Hesse as a result of the separation of Hesse from Thuringia after the death of Heinrich Raspe. The castle was then the seat of a number of landgrave officials. In 1367 landgrave knights, led by the knight Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, defeated a force of the Hersfeld abbot Berthold II von Völkershausen in the Eder lowlands near Altenburg. In 1375 the landgrave ministerial and governor of Lower Hesse, Friedrich von Felsberg, lived in the castle; two years earlier, the landgrave had pledged the tax revenue of the city of Felsberg to him. From 1333 onwards, Landgrave Heinrich II, “the Iron”, expanded the rock castle, and the fortifications were expanded again in 1387, 1388 and 1392. In the Mainz-Hessian War of 1427, Landgrave Ludwig I of Hesse led his contingent against the Mainz general Gottfried von Leiningen, who devastated the area of ??Gudensberg, Felsberg and Melsungen with 600 riders from Fritzlar. Ludwig defeated him decisively on the Großenengliser Platte between Fritzlar and Großenenglis and again near Fulda, although the Archbishop of Mainz, Konrad III. von Dhaun, who in the meantime had taken over the command of his army himself, and thus forced Kurmainz to the peace of Frankfurt.
From 1455 to 1458 the alchemist Klaus von Urbach lived on the Felsburg; Landgrave Ludwig I had brought him to make gold. From 1511 the mother of Philip the Magnanimous, Landgravine Anna, lived in the castle. Landgrave Moritz von Hessen-Kassel held his last parliament at the castle in 1626 before his abdication. The rock castle survived the Thirty Years’ War almost unscathed, but then slowly fell into disrepair. In 1762 the rock castle was conquered by Hessian hunters under Major von Linsingen during the Seven Years’ War and shortly afterwards destroyed by French troops.
The hilltop castle has an almost trapezoidal floor plan. On the north and west side there are late Gothic kennels with key notches from the 14th century. The entrance with gate also dates from the 14th century. The goal is reinforced by two flank towers and equipped with two machikulis at the base, which enabled the opponent to be defended on the ground.
1238 kamen Burg und Stadt Felsberg zunächst an die Landgrafschaft Thüringen, bald darauf aber durch die Trennung Hessens von Thüringen nach dem Tod Heinrich Raspes an die Landgrafschaft Hessen. Die Burg war damals Sitz mehrerer landgrafischer Beamter. 1367 besiegten landgrafische Ritter, angeführt von Ritter Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, in der Ederniederung bei Altenburg eine Streitmacht des Hersfelder Abtes Berthold II. von Völkershausen. 1375 bewohnte die Burg der landgrafische Ministeriale und Statthalter von Niederhessen Friedrich von Felsberg; zwei Jahre zuvor hatte ihm der Landgraf die Steuereinnahmen der Stadt Felsberg verpfändet. Ab 1333 baute Landgraf Heinrich II. „der Eiserne“ die Felsenburg aus, 1387, 1388 und 1392 wurden die Befestigungsanlagen nochmals ausgebaut. Im Mainz-Hessischen Krieg 1427 führte Landgraf Ludwig I. von Hessen sein Kontingent gegen die Mainzer General Gottfried von Leiningen, der mit 600 Reitern aus Fritzlar die Gegend von Gudensberg, Felsberg und Melsungen verwüstete. Ludwig besiegte ihn auf der Großenengliser Platte zwischen Fritzlar und Großenenglis und erneut bei Fulda entscheidend, obwohl der Mainzer Erzbischof Konrad III. von Dhaun, der inzwischen selbst das Kommando über seine Armee übernommen hatte, und zwang damit Kurmainz zum Frankfurter Frieden.
Von 1455 bis 1458 lebte der Alchimist Klaus von Urbach auf der Felsburg; um dort auf Geheiß des Landgrafen Landgraf Ludwig I Gold herzustellen. Um 1510 war Euricius Cordus Rentschreiber in Felsberg.
Ab 1511 bewohnte die Mutter Philipps des Großmütigen, Landgräfin Anna, das Schloss. Landgraf Moritz von Hessen-Kassel hielt 1626 vor seiner Abdankung sein letztes Parlament auf der Burg ab. Den Dreißigjährigen Krieg überstand die Felsenburg fast unbeschadet, verfiel dann aber langsam. 1762 wurde die Felsenburg im Siebenjährigen Krieg von hessischen Jägern unter Major von Linsingen erobert und kurz darauf von französischen Truppen zerstört.
Wappen der Stadt Felsberg
Während der Zeit des napoleonischen Königreichs Westphalen (1807–1813) war Felsberg Verwaltungssitz des Kantons Felsberg. Im Königreich Westphalen wurde 1808 die jüdische Glaubensgemeinschaft rechtlich den christlichen Kirchen gleichgestellt. Der Rabbiner Israel Jacobson (1768-1828) wurde unter Jerome Bonaparte Präsident des israelitischen Konsistoriums. Er zog von Seesen nach Kassel um, damit er seine Vorstellungen zu einem aufgeklärten, assimilierten Judentum in die politische Praxis umsetzen konnte. In Kassel eröffnete er ein liberales jüdisches Gebetshaus und förderte die Errichtung eines Seminars (Consistorial Schule Cassel) zur Ausbildung jüdischer Lehrer. Nordhessen, als Teil des Königreiches Westphalen, ist Geburtsort der Liberalen Jüdischen Bewegung, weltweit eine der großen Strömungen innerhalb des Judentums und bis zum Holocaust die größte jüdische Strömung in Deutschland.
Mehr: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
Burgruine Felsburg
Die Ruine thront auf einem schroffen Basaltfelsen über der Altstadt. In der guterhaltenen Ringmauer liegt die Burgkapelle. Sehenswert ist auch der Bergfried, im Volksmund “Butterfaßturm” genannt, da er hell angestrichen ist. Der Turm wurde 1388 errichtet. Die Aussichtsplattform kann über steile Holzstiegen erreicht werden. Vom Turm hat man eine wunderbare Rundsicht über Felsberg und die Ederniederung.
Öffnungszeiten: Die Burganlage ist nur im Sommerhalbjahr an Sonn- und Feiertagen von 13:00 bis 17:00 Uhr zugänglich (kein Eintritt; Führungen vermittelt der Burgverein Felsberg. Auf der Seite des Burgverein Felsberg sind viele Infos zur Anlage zu finden. ( Abbildung Altenburg links, Felsburg rechts).
Mehr: https://de.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
The City of Felsberg is a small modern city in the heart of North Hesse with a history dating back to the Middle Ages and is surrounded by the forests described in the fairy tales by the Grimm brothers. It lies in the county of Schwalm-Eder, about 20 kilometers south of Kassel, and has about 2,500 inhabitants.
The infrastructure of the city of Felsberg, which has about a total of about 11,000 inhabitants within its 16 different districts, is very well outfitted: two grade schools as well as a comprehensive school with the different possibilities of college preparation or a middle school offered to the 10th grade. An all inclusive and well recognized social services center includes a day care center, large kitchen, home and seniors service and student study help. Also a child and women’s issues specialist brings Felsberg to the level of one of the best cities in Hesse as a far as social achievements and family friendliness. Felsberg is unique in north Hesse with its modern heated swimming pool, kindergarten, youth center, library, 15 registered doctors, and the exemplary senior residence, St. Valentin. Seven Protestant congregations, a Catholic ministry, a New Apostle Church, an Islamic congregation, as well as the unique to Hesse, Felsberg Liberal Jewish Congregation, all mirror the diversity and openness of the citizens of Felsberg.
There is also a Bee museum of the local beekeepers organization in the gatehouse of the former cloister Kartause Eppenberg; a museum of ancient history and the museum of local history in the city district of Gensungen.
About 100 various registered associations are found in Felsberg such as sports groups, choirs and singing clubs, hunting groups, a city association, a German-Turkish culture group, hiking, local culture, a horse riding center, small animal breeders, fishing groups– all adding to the lively parts of life in Felsberg and its districts.
Felsberg (Velisberc) was mentioned in a document in 1090.
The Romanesque substructure of the castle from the 11th century is located on a columnar basalt cone above the town of Felsberg on the old salt road that led from Bad Sooden-Allendorf on the Werra into the Ruhr area. The Ederfurt near Felsberg was strategically important. The castle was the seat of the Velisberc dynasty, who lived in the castle from 1090 to 1286, but then withdrew to their possessions in the Hessisch Lichtenau area and soon died out.
In 1238, the castle and town of Felsberg first came to the Landgraviate of Thuringia, but soon afterwards to the Landgraviate of Hesse as a result of the separation of Hesse from Thuringia after the death of Heinrich Raspe. The castle was then the seat of a number of landgrave officials. In 1367 landgrave knights, led by the knight Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, defeated a force of the Hersfeld abbot Berthold II von Völkershausen in the Eder lowlands near Altenburg. In 1375 the landgrave ministerial and governor of Lower Hesse, Friedrich von Felsberg, lived in the castle; two years earlier, the landgrave had pledged the tax revenue of the city of Felsberg to him. From 1333 onwards, Landgrave Heinrich II, “the Iron”, expanded the rock castle, and the fortifications were expanded again in 1387, 1388 and 1392. In the Mainz-Hessian War of 1427, Landgrave Ludwig I of Hesse led his contingent against the Mainz general Gottfried von Leiningen, who devastated the area of ??Gudensberg, Felsberg and Melsungen with 600 riders from Fritzlar. Ludwig defeated him decisively on the Großenengliser Platte between Fritzlar and Großenenglis and again near Fulda, although the Archbishop of Mainz, Konrad III. von Dhaun, who in the meantime had taken over the command of his army himself, and thus forced Kurmainz to the peace of Frankfurt.
From 1455 to 1458 the alchemist Klaus von Urbach lived on the Felsburg; Landgrave Ludwig I had brought him to make gold. From 1511 the mother of Philip the Magnanimous, Landgravine Anna, lived in the castle. Landgrave Moritz von Hessen-Kassel held his last parliament at the castle in 1626 before his abdication. The rock castle survived the Thirty Years’ War almost unscathed, but then slowly fell into disrepair. In 1762 the rock castle was conquered by Hessian hunters under Major von Linsingen during the Seven Years’ War and shortly afterwards destroyed by French troops.
The hilltop castle has an almost trapezoidal floor plan. On the north and west side there are late Gothic kennels with key notches from the 14th century. The entrance with gate also dates from the 14th century. The goal is reinforced by two flank towers and equipped with two machikulis at the base, which enabled the opponent to be defended on the ground.
Landgraf Moritz von Hessen-Kassel hielt 1626 vor seiner Abdankung sein letztes Parlament auf der Burg ab. Den Dreißigjährigen Krieg überstand die Felsenburg fast unbeschadet, verfiel dann aber langsam. 1762 wurde die Felsenburg im Siebenjährigen Krieg von hessischen Jägern unter Major von Linsingen erobert und kurz darauf von französischen Truppen zerstört.
1640, gegen Ende des Dreißigjährigen Krieges, brannte die „kroatische Reiterei“ von Octavio Piccolomini, einem kaiserlichen General Wallensteins, Orte um Felsberg nieder. Die Kroaten nahmen als Söldner am Dreißigjährigen Krieg auf Seiten der kaiserlichen Katholischen Liga, als auch der bayrischen, spanischen, dänischen und französischen Truppen in Europa teil. Am 14. August 1640 trafen vor Fritzlar die beiden Hauptarmeen der kriegführenden Mächte aufeinander. Die kaiserlich katholischen Truppen unter Piccolomini and die schwedisch protestantischen, unter der Führung von Johan Banér, lieferten sich mehrere blutige Gefechte. Felsberg geriet zwischen die Fronten und erlitt große Schäden.
(https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/wm14AJN_Felsburg_Felsberg_HE_D)
Wappen der Stadt Felsberg
Während der Zeit des napoleonischen Königreichs Westphalen (1807–1813) war Felsberg Verwaltungssitz des Kantons Felsberg. Im Königreich Westphalen wurde 1808 die jüdische Glaubensgemeinschaft rechtlich den christlichen Kirchen gleichgestellt. Der Rabbiner Israel Jacobson (1768-1828) wurde unter Jerome Bonaparte Präsident des israelitischen Konsistoriums. Er zog von Seesen nach Kassel um, damit er seine Vorstellungen zu einem aufgeklärten, assimilierten Judentum in die politische Praxis umsetzen konnte. In Kassel eröffnete er ein liberales jüdisches Gebetshaus und förderte die Errichtung eines Seminars (Consistorial Schule Cassel) zur Ausbildung jüdischer Lehrer. Nordhessen, als Teil des Königreiches Westphalen, ist Geburtsort der Liberalen Jüdischen Bewegung, weltweit eine der großen Strömungen innerhalb des Judentums und bis zum Holocaust die größte jüdische Strömung in Deutschland.
Mehr: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
Mehr: https://de.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
The City of Felsberg is a small modern city in the heart of North Hesse with a history dating back to the Middle Ages and is surrounded by the forests described in the fairy tales by the Grimm brothers. It lies in the county of Schwalm-Eder, about 20 kilometers south of Kassel, and has about 2,500 inhabitants.
The infrastructure of the city of Felsberg, which has about a total of about 11,000 inhabitants within its 16 different districts, is very well outfitted: two grade schools as well as a comprehensive school with the different possibilities of college preparation or a middle school offered to the 10th grade. An all inclusive and well recognized social services center includes a day care center, large kitchen, home and seniors service and student study help. Also a child and women’s issues specialist brings Felsberg to the level of one of the best cities in Hesse as a far as social achievements and family friendliness. Felsberg is unique in north Hesse with its modern heated swimming pool, kindergarten, youth center, library, 15 registered doctors, and the exemplary senior residence, St. Valentin. Seven Protestant congregations, a Catholic ministry, a New Apostle Church, an Islamic congregation, as well as the unique to Hesse, Felsberg Liberal Jewish Congregation, all mirror the diversity and openness of the citizens of Felsberg.
There is also a Bee museum of the local beekeepers organization in the gatehouse of the former cloister Kartause Eppenberg; a museum of ancient history and the museum of local history in the city district of Gensungen.
About 100 various registered associations are found in Felsberg such as sports groups, choirs and singing clubs, hunting groups, a city association, a German-Turkish culture group, hiking, local culture, a horse riding center, small animal breeders, fishing groups– all adding to the lively parts of life in Felsberg and its districts.
Felsberg (Velisberc) was mentioned in a document in 1090.
The Romanesque substructure of the castle from the 11th century is located on a columnar basalt cone above the town of Felsberg on the old salt road that led from Bad Sooden-Allendorf on the Werra into the Ruhr area. The Ederfurt near Felsberg was strategically important. The castle was the seat of the Velisberc dynasty, who lived in the castle from 1090 to 1286, but then withdrew to their possessions in the Hessisch Lichtenau area and soon died out.
In 1238, the castle and town of Felsberg first came to the Landgraviate of Thuringia, but soon afterwards to the Landgraviate of Hesse as a result of the separation of Hesse from Thuringia after the death of Heinrich Raspe. The castle was then the seat of a number of landgrave officials. In 1367 landgrave knights, led by the knight Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, defeated a force of the Hersfeld abbot Berthold II von Völkershausen in the Eder lowlands near Altenburg. In 1375 the landgrave ministerial and governor of Lower Hesse, Friedrich von Felsberg, lived in the castle; two years earlier, the landgrave had pledged the tax revenue of the city of Felsberg to him. From 1333 onwards, Landgrave Heinrich II, “the Iron”, expanded the rock castle, and the fortifications were expanded again in 1387, 1388 and 1392. In the Mainz-Hessian War of 1427, Landgrave Ludwig I of Hesse led his contingent against the Mainz general Gottfried von Leiningen, who devastated the area of ??Gudensberg, Felsberg and Melsungen with 600 riders from Fritzlar. Ludwig defeated him decisively on the Großenengliser Platte between Fritzlar and Großenenglis and again near Fulda, although the Archbishop of Mainz, Konrad III. von Dhaun, who in the meantime had taken over the command of his army himself, and thus forced Kurmainz to the peace of Frankfurt.
From 1455 to 1458 the alchemist Klaus von Urbach lived on the Felsburg; Landgrave Ludwig I had brought him to make gold. From 1511 the mother of Philip the Magnanimous, Landgravine Anna, lived in the castle. Landgrave Moritz von Hessen-Kassel held his last parliament at the castle in 1626 before his abdication. The rock castle survived the Thirty Years’ War almost unscathed, but then slowly fell into disrepair. In 1762 the rock castle was conquered by Hessian hunters under Major von Linsingen during the Seven Years’ War and shortly afterwards destroyed by French troops.
The hilltop castle has an almost trapezoidal floor plan. On the north and west side there are late Gothic kennels with key notches from the 14th century. The entrance with gate also dates from the 14th century. The goal is reinforced by two flank towers and equipped with two machikulis at the base, which enabled the opponent to be defended on the ground.
1238 kamen Burg und Stadt Felsberg zunächst an die Landgrafschaft Thüringen, bald darauf aber durch die Trennung Hessens von Thüringen nach dem Tod Heinrich Raspes an die Landgrafschaft Hessen. Die Burg war damals Sitz mehrerer landgrafischer Beamter. 1367 besiegten landgrafische Ritter, angeführt von Ritter Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, in der Ederniederung bei Altenburg eine Streitmacht des Hersfelder Abtes Berthold II. von Völkershausen. 1375 bewohnte die Burg der landgrafische Ministeriale und Statthalter von Niederhessen Friedrich von Felsberg; zwei Jahre zuvor hatte ihm der Landgraf die Steuereinnahmen der Stadt Felsberg verpfändet. Ab 1333 baute Landgraf Heinrich II. „der Eiserne“ die Felsenburg aus, 1387, 1388 und 1392 wurden die Befestigungsanlagen nochmals ausgebaut. Im Mainz-Hessischen Krieg 1427 führte Landgraf Ludwig I. von Hessen sein Kontingent gegen die Mainzer General Gottfried von Leiningen, der mit 600 Reitern aus Fritzlar die Gegend von Gudensberg, Felsberg und Melsungen verwüstete. Ludwig besiegte ihn auf der Großenengliser Platte zwischen Fritzlar und Großenenglis und erneut bei Fulda entscheidend, obwohl der Mainzer Erzbischof Konrad III. von Dhaun, der inzwischen selbst das Kommando über seine Armee übernommen hatte, und zwang damit Kurmainz zum Frankfurter Frieden.
Von 1455 bis 1458 lebte der Alchimist Klaus von Urbach auf der Felsburg; um dort auf Geheiß des Landgrafen Landgraf Ludwig I Gold herzustellen. Um 1510 war Euricius Cordus Rentschreiber in Felsberg.
Ab 1511 bewohnte die Mutter Philipps des Großmütigen, Landgräfin Anna, das Schloss. Landgraf Moritz von Hessen-Kassel hielt 1626 vor seiner Abdankung sein letztes Parlament auf der Burg ab. Den Dreißigjährigen Krieg überstand die Felsenburg fast unbeschadet, verfiel dann aber langsam. 1762 wurde die Felsenburg im Siebenjährigen Krieg von hessischen Jägern unter Major von Linsingen erobert und kurz darauf von französischen Truppen zerstört.
Wappen der Stadt Felsberg
Während der Zeit des napoleonischen Königreichs Westphalen (1807–1813) war Felsberg Verwaltungssitz des Kantons Felsberg. Im Königreich Westphalen wurde 1808 die jüdische Glaubensgemeinschaft rechtlich den christlichen Kirchen gleichgestellt. Der Rabbiner Israel Jacobson (1768-1828) wurde unter Jerome Bonaparte Präsident des israelitischen Konsistoriums. Er zog von Seesen nach Kassel um, damit er seine Vorstellungen zu einem aufgeklärten, assimilierten Judentum in die politische Praxis umsetzen konnte. In Kassel eröffnete er ein liberales jüdisches Gebetshaus und förderte die Errichtung eines Seminars (Consistorial Schule Cassel) zur Ausbildung jüdischer Lehrer. Nordhessen, als Teil des Königreiches Westphalen, ist Geburtsort der Liberalen Jüdischen Bewegung, weltweit eine der großen Strömungen innerhalb des Judentums und bis zum Holocaust die größte jüdische Strömung in Deutschland.
Mehr: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
Burgruine Felsburg
Die Ruine thront auf einem schroffen Basaltfelsen über der Altstadt. In der guterhaltenen Ringmauer liegt die Burgkapelle. Sehenswert ist auch der Bergfried, im Volksmund “Butterfaßturm” genannt, da er hell angestrichen ist. Der Turm wurde 1388 errichtet. Die Aussichtsplattform kann über steile Holzstiegen erreicht werden. Vom Turm hat man eine wunderbare Rundsicht über Felsberg und die Ederniederung.
Öffnungszeiten: Die Burganlage ist nur im Sommerhalbjahr an Sonn- und Feiertagen von 13:00 bis 17:00 Uhr zugänglich (kein Eintritt; Führungen vermittelt der Burgverein Felsberg. Auf der Seite des Burgverein Felsberg sind viele Infos zur Anlage zu finden. ( Abbildung Altenburg links, Felsburg rechts).
(Abbildung Altenburg links, Felsburg rechts; Stich, 19 Jahrhundert).
Mehr: https://de.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Felsberg_(Hessen)
The City of Felsberg is a small modern city in the heart of North Hesse with a history dating back to the Middle Ages and is surrounded by the forests described in the fairy tales by the Grimm brothers. It lies in the county of Schwalm-Eder, about 20 kilometers south of Kassel, and has about 2,500 inhabitants.
The infrastructure of the city of Felsberg, which has about a total of about 11,000 inhabitants within its 16 different districts, is very well outfitted: two grade schools as well as a comprehensive school with the different possibilities of college preparation or a middle school offered to the 10th grade. An all inclusive and well recognized social services center includes a day care center, large kitchen, home and seniors service and student study help. Also a child and women’s issues specialist brings Felsberg to the level of one of the best cities in Hesse as a far as social achievements and family friendliness. Felsberg is unique in north Hesse with its modern heated swimming pool, kindergarten, youth center, library, 15 registered doctors, and the exemplary senior residence, St. Valentin. Seven Protestant congregations, a Catholic ministry, a New Apostle Church, an Islamic congregation, as well as the unique to Hesse, Felsberg Liberal Jewish Congregation, all mirror the diversity and openness of the citizens of Felsberg.
There is also a Bee museum of the local beekeepers organization in the gatehouse of the former cloister Kartause Eppenberg; a museum of ancient history and the museum of local history in the city district of Gensungen.
About 100 various registered associations are found in Felsberg such as sports groups, choirs and singing clubs, hunting groups, a city association, a German-Turkish culture group, hiking, local culture, a horse riding center, small animal breeders, fishing groups– all adding to the lively parts of life in Felsberg and its districts.
Felsberg (Velisberc) was mentioned in a document in 1090.
The Romanesque substructure of the castle from the 11th century is located on a columnar basalt cone above the town of Felsberg on the old salt road that led from Bad Sooden-Allendorf on the Werra into the Ruhr area. The Ederfurt near Felsberg was strategically important. The castle was the seat of the Velisberc dynasty, who lived in the castle from 1090 to 1286, but then withdrew to their possessions in the Hessisch Lichtenau area and soon died out.
In 1238, the castle and town of Felsberg first came to the Landgraviate of Thuringia, but soon afterwards to the Landgraviate of Hesse as a result of the separation of Hesse from Thuringia after the death of Heinrich Raspe. The castle was then the seat of a number of landgrave officials. In 1367 landgrave knights, led by the knight Konrad Spiegel zum Desenberg, defeated a force of the Hersfeld abbot Berthold II von Völkershausen in the Eder lowlands near Altenburg. In 1375 the landgrave ministerial and governor of Lower Hesse, Friedrich von Felsberg, lived in the castle; two years earlier, the landgrave had pledged the tax revenue of the city of Felsberg to him. From 1333 onwards, Landgrave Heinrich II, “the Iron”, expanded the rock castle, and the fortifications were expanded again in 1387, 1388 and 1392. In the Mainz-Hessian War of 1427, Landgrave Ludwig I of Hesse led his contingent against the Mainz general Gottfried von Leiningen, who devastated the area of ??Gudensberg, Felsberg and Melsungen with 600 riders from Fritzlar. Ludwig defeated him decisively on the Großenengliser Platte between Fritzlar and Großenenglis and again near Fulda, although the Archbishop of Mainz, Konrad III. von Dhaun, who in the meantime had taken over the command of his army himself, and thus forced Kurmainz to the peace of Frankfurt.
From 1455 to 1458 the alchemist Klaus von Urbach lived on the Felsburg; Landgrave Ludwig I had brought him to make gold. From 1511 the mother of Philip the Magnanimous, Landgravine Anna, lived in the castle. Landgrave Moritz von Hessen-Kassel held his last parliament at the castle in 1626 before his abdication. The rock castle survived the Thirty Years’ War almost unscathed, but then slowly fell into disrepair. In 1762 the rock castle was conquered by Hessian hunters under Major von Linsingen during the Seven Years’ War and shortly afterwards destroyed by French troops.
The hilltop castle has an almost trapezoidal floor plan. On the north and west side there are late Gothic kennels with key notches from the 14th century. The entrance with gate also dates from the 14th century. The goal is reinforced by two flank towers and equipped with two machikulis at the base, which enabled the opponent to be defended on the ground.
