Biedenkopf () is a spa town in western Hesse, Germany with a population of 13,491 (2020).
Geography
Location
The town of Biedenkopf lies in the west of Marburg-Biedenkopf district. Ringed by mountains reaching up to above sea level – the Sackpfeife in the Rothaargebirge reaches this height – the town lies on the upper reaches of the river Lahn. Together with 18 other municipalities, it belongs to the Lahn-Dill-Bergland region.
Neighbouring communities
Clockwise from the north, the following towns and communities border on Biedenkopf: the towns of Hatzfeld and Battenberg in Waldeck-Frankenberg district, in Marburg-Biedenkopf district the towns of Münchhausen am Christenberg and Wetter and the communities of Dautphetal and Breidenbach as well as the towns of Bad Laasphe and Bad Berleburg in Siegen-Wittgenstein district.
Divisions within the town
Biedenkopf
Breidenstein
Dexbach
Eckelshausen
Engelbach
Katzenbach
Kombach
Wallau
Weifenbach
Christian communities
Evangelical-Lutheran congregation of Biedenkopf
Parish of St. Josef Biedenkopf (Roman Catholic) Free Evangelical Congregation of Biedenkopf New Apostolic Congregation of Biedenkopf
Politics
Town council
Biedenkopf's town council consists of 37 seats. At the last election in 2011, the seats were apportioned thus: CDU: 10 seats SPD: 14 seats FDP: 1 seat Bürgerblock Biedenkopf: 7 seats UBL Wallau: 5 seats
The CDU and SPD form a grand coalition.
Town partnerships
La Charité-sur-Loire, France
Oostduinkerke, Belgium
Wépion-sur-Meuse, Belgium
Neustadt an der Orla, Germany
Cogoleto, Italy
Kecskéd, Hungary
Culture and sightseeing
Museums
Schloss Biedenkopf (stately home) with Hinterlandmuseum
Schartenhof Eckelshausen
Wallau village museum
Dorfstube Engelbach
Private Holder tractor museum in Engelbach
Schenkbarsches Haus
Sport
Indoor swimming pool at the community centre
Lahnauenbad (outdoor swimming pool) Indoor and outdoor swimming pool in Wallau community 4 sports halls in the main community (Großsporthalle, Stadtschule, Lahntalschule, Jahn-Halle) Großsporthalle (sports hall) in Wallau, gymnasium in Weifenbach Aue-Tenniscenter Franz-Josef-Müller-Stadion (stadium) Sports field in Wallau, football pitches in most communities Riding hall Shooting range Trimm-Dich-Pfad ("Trim-Yourself-Path") Perfstausee (reservoir) with bathing beach
Regular events
Every seven years, the town holds a Grenzgang in which people walk around the borders of the town's forest.
Culinary specialities
The Kartoffelbraten – or popularly the Brott – is a typical Biedenkopf culinary custom which has grown out of the autumn potato harvest. In many places in the forest, traditionally in early autumn, the tasty tuber is cooked in the glow of a heap of charcoal made from freshly felled beechwood. The unpeeled potato tastes best with butter, salt, liverwurst and salad. For the Biedenkopfer Kartoffelbraten, only three kinds of salad are traditionally served: radish salad, onion salad and herring salad.
Economy and infrastructure
Planning
In the 2001 Middle Hesse Regional Plan, the former district seat (Kreisstadt) Biedenkopf is designated the middle centre in the rural area. The town is part of the Marburg - Dautphetal - Biedenkopf - (Bad Laasphe) development belt. This belt's job is to open up the region, to make possible an exchange of goods and services between middle centres as well as to connect the region to the high centre of Marburg and to the long-distance transportation network. Building on public transport is thus given special importance.
Moreover, there exists a local transport and population belt, Dillenburg - Steffenberg - Breidenbach – Biedenkopf, with a regional connective function. Together with Dautphetal and Breidenbach, Biedenkopf is described as a commercial hub.
Transport
Highways
Bundesstraße 62
Bundesstraße 253
Bundesstraße 453
Alongside the two regional buslines 481 (RKH line 5301) and 491 (RKH line 5356), other local buses serve the town.
Railway
The Obere Lahntalbahn is the only railway line that serves the town. In May 1987, passenger traffic towards Dillenburg on the Scheldetalbahn was discontinued. Minor freight services persisted for a few years serving the Buderus firm until December 2002.
