Frankenau, Hesse, Germany

🇩🇪 Frankenau is a small town in Waldeck-Frankenberg district in Hesse, Germany.

Geography: Location Frankenau lies in the Kellerwald range south-west of the Talgang (566 m-high mountain). It is found on the southern edge of the Kellerwald-Edersee National Park on the upper reaches of the Lorfebach, a tributary to the Eder. Frankenau lies 10 km east of Frankenberg, and 33 km north-east of Marburg.

Neighbouring communities Frankenau borders in the north on the community of Vöhl, in the east on the community of Edertal and the town of Bad Wildungen, in the south on the community of Haina, and in the west on the town of Frankenberg (all in Waldeck-Frankenberg).

Constituent communities The town of Frankenau consists of the centres of Allendorf, Altenlotheim, Dainrode, Ellershausen and Louisendorf.

History Frankenau and its neighbouring town Frankenberg are believed to have come into being in Frankish times. The area was settled at one time by the Chatti. The actual place Frankenau was built as a border fortification against the Saxons. The town's founding is assumed to have taken place between 500 and 750, with town rights later being granted by Heinrich Raspe, Landgrave of Thuringia, in 1242.

The oldest surviving document about Frankenau was issued on 4 April 1266 and affirms the granting of town rights.

Frankenau was for centuries a poor, little farming town. A particularly heavy fate befell the townsfolk on 22 April 1865 when almost the whole town burnt down in a fire. Through the townsfolk's enormous efforts, the town was built again.

Today, Frankenau is, as an acknowledged resort town, one of Waldeck-Frankenberg's holiday centres and has also been since the early 1970s the main centre of the greater community then formed.