Friedberg (Hesse) Voyage Tips and guide

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Friedberg is a charming medieval town dating to the 12th or 13th century in North Hesse. Its main claim to international fame is the fact that Elvis Presley was stationed here during his military service (1958-1960).

The town was founded under Staufer king Friedrich I (aka "Barbarossa" - red beard) as a planned city and had its heyday in the medieval era. For a long time the castle was in different hands (and subject to different laws) than the city, a situation not uncommon in medieval central Europe - Nuremberg had a similar arrangement until the local patricians bought out the owners of the castle.

While he lived in nearby Bad Nauheim during that time, Friedberg was the site of Elvis Presley's garrison during his military service. The town is doing all it can to benefit from "Elvis pilgrimages" and has renamed a central square after him and even installed a pedestrian traffic light with a dancing Elvis (green light) and a standing Elvis (red light).

• 50.33198.760881 Friedberg (Hess) station. Served by  S6   

• 50.34248.752971 Friedberg castle. A castle dating back to the 12th century, the high time of the Staufen dynasty.  
• 50.33688.75532 Stadtkirche. Gothic church built between 1260 and 1410  

• 50.33938.755133 Mikveh. This Jewish ritual bath was built in the 13th century and in use until the Nazi era by the local Jewish community. It owes its preservation (the nearby synagogue was destroyed by the Nazis) to the fact that local people - eventually including Nazi party members - argued that it had been built by Christians and was an important historical relic. It's now open to visitors.  
• 50.33618.755874 Wetterau-Museum. A museum on local history, including an exhibit of the time Elvis Presley spent in Germany.  

• 50.352238.79151 Dorheimer Hof, Wetteraustraße 70, ☏ +49 6031 7370-0, fax: +49 6031 7370-40. Double €70 – 80 including breakfast buffet. 

• 50.335048.745522 Garni-Hotel Stadt Friedberg, Am Seebach 2a, ☏ +49 6031 60 70, fax: +49 6031 60 71 00.