Hessen is a big state in modern Germany that masks a remarkably dynamic cultural landscape. To the East were the Abbots of Fulda and their fiercely Catholic traditions. To the South, a global crossroads of trade arose around the mercantile city-states of the Main and Wetterau. However, to the North and the West lie dark forests and rolling hills dotted with half-timbered towns and ruined castles. For many of our favorite fairy tales, this is the land of magic and mystery.
