The best cycling routes around Niedernhausen

It's worth driving past: The forest changes completely over 10m. When the sun shines and warm air blows through the trees, and the resinous pine scent comes into its own, you immediately feel like you're wandering through Southern Europe and will soon reach the Mediterranean. Top!

The first stone enclosure of the spring, serving as a drinking fountain, was built in 1823. It was open and enclosed by a 1.6-meter-high wall. Access for non-spa guests was blocked from then on. This led to protests at the time. Later, the unprotected spring was criticized, so a metal grate was placed over it (the so-called "Cheese Dome"). The current Kochbrunnen Pavilion was built in 1887/88 as part of the magnificent spa complex and stood at the end of the drinking hall. A staircase led down from the hall to the bubbling spring, from which the fountain maids filled glass jugs to serve the healing water to the spa guests in glasses. Seven decorative grilles closed off the temple, which visitors could peek into. However, it was only accessible through the drinking hall. After the war, in April 1952, the operators, as they had already done in 1937, established a new serving area in the fountain colonnade at Bowling Green. The 129-meter-long colonnade was fully glazed. The drinking hall, the portal, and the open section of the promenade were demolished in July 1955. The following year, the spa administration removed the ornate domed roof and replaced it with a simple sloping one. The Kochbrunnen fountain was inaugurated in December 1970. In 1976/77, the pavilion was relocated and renovated; at the same time, three of the seven ornate grilles had to be reconstructed. One original grille was preserved, and the roof was rebuilt, somewhat simplified, as an octagonal dome. The bubbling spring was closed, and a residual amount of water now flows through a four-armed, curved spout into a stone basin. The temple has since been accessible from four sides.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kochbrunnen

The Kochbrunnen in Wiesbaden is the city's most famous and hottest thermal spring. This sodium chloride thermal spring was the center of Wiesbaden's drinking cure in the 19th century.[1] Its name refers to its water temperature of over 66 °C.

Idstein's old town is always worth a visit.

Beautiful view of Wörsdorf and the surrounding area.

This forest, dubbed the northernmost pine forest in Europe (though I'm not an expert, I'd guess it's *Pinus pinea*), was probably a mistake. In the 19th century, the Kapellenberg hill was reforested, and these pines were planted on its barren, rocky southern slope. The city's 1878 accounts mention 11,500 young *Pinus* saplings – without specifying them further. Did *Pinus pinea* sound much more like a pine tree to the buyer than *Pinus sylvestris*? In any case, the Mediterranean plants seem to thrive here, attracting many a surprised glance from passersby.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meisterturm