Königstein im Taunus is near the city of Frankfurt am Main, set on the southern slopes of the Taunus hills. The beautiful location and pleasant climate have attracted several clinics to the town, which has a high reputation as a convalescence and spa resort. Königstein and its districts Falkenstein, Mammolshain and Schneidhain are also popular living areas for many of those who work in Frankfurt/Main or the surrounding Rhein-Main region. The origin of the castle and the town are lost in time. Legend says that the Frankonian king Chlodwig (466—511) founded the fortress on the present castle heights together with a chapel in the valley
below.
The first known record of Königstein dates from 1215. Königstein castle, a royal foundation, stands on the major trade route Frankfurt—Cologne and protects the Wetterau region. Königstein was the fief of the counts of Nürings (Falkenstein) who were followed by the lords of Hagen-Münzenberg and later (1255—1418) the lords of Bolanden-Falkenstein. It was during this later period (1313) that Königstein was given its town Charter. The castle then passed to the Eppstein family (1418—1535), who were followed by the counts of Stolberg, who introduced the Reformation. Under the Elector of Mainz, who became the lord of Königstein in 1581, started the Counterreformation. The castle was now expanded into a fortress. |
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During the French Revolutionary Wars the fortress was destroyed in 1796. In 1803 Königstein became part of the Duchy of Nassau, and in 1866 it came under Prussia. Under the Electorate of Mainz Königstein was a centre of local government, but under the Duchy of Nassau in 1867 it was subordinated to the Obertaunus region before finally being merged with this completely in 1885. From 1918—1928 Königstein was an auxiliary district which included that part of the Wiesbaden district which was under French occupation and belonged to the "toehold" of Mainz on the east bank of the Rhine.
Since 1945 Königstein has been part of the German Federal State of Hessen. The administrative reforms in Hessen led to the merger in 1972 of the Obertaunus and Usingen districts to form the Hochtaunus district. Also in 1972, Schneidhain (Ist April) and Mammolshain and Falkenstein (Ist August) became part of Königstein. Together with its three districts, Königstein im Taunus had 15832 inhabitants on 30 June 1992. The history of the three surrounding districts has often been closely linked with that of Königstein itself.
The Falkenstein ruins stand high above the district of the same name, which is the highest area of Königstein and an officially recognized health resort. Mammolshain, an officially recognized resort, is famous for its stone, its fruit and its chestnut trees. Schneidhain, which was a small village until the middle of the 20th Century, has expanded considerably in the past few decades, not least through the creation of an industrial estate.
After falling into obscurity and poverty as a result of the development of new trade routes and forms of transport, the small town was given new life in the 19th Century by Doctor Pingler, who founded a spa in the Billbach valley in 1851. Many spa visitors and summer vacationers were attracted, and a number of new buildings rose. The spa business reached its pinnacle before the First World War. In 1935 Königstein was officially recognized as a spa with a particularly healthy climate.
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