Hessen sits at the center of the German watershed. Water in the western and southern part flows into the Rhine, and in the North and East, it flows into the Weser. The ancient capital of Marburg towers above the river Lahn, and its trade with the Rhineland. The Imperial Abbots of Fulda sat astride the Via Regia, carrying goods from the East to the markets of Frankfurt. From Kassel, goods could be ported to the Ruhr or shipped off to the Hanseatic port of Bremen.

In the early ages of Hessen, this trade blossomed into a center of power and wealth. The Dukes of Thuringia made Marburg their capital and the Counts of Hessen soon after. The region was likewise at the center of religious conflict, first as part of the Christianization of Europe, then later as a leading voice in the Reformation. Traces of these ancient conflicts abound, from the ruins of Hersfeld Abbey to the dark monastery church of Fritzlar.

Despite these ancient trade routes, the land only partially witnessed the industrial revolution. Its rugged landscape and lack of natural resources made such endeavors unreasonable. The lack of industrial heritage has preserved its historical geography, and we can thank this underdevelopment for one of the most beautiful regions in Germany.