Germany (Lonely Planet, 6th Edition) - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [534]
Post office (Hindenburgstrasse 9; 9am-6.30pm Mon-Fri, 9am-1pm Sat)
Tourist office ( 404 1316; www.tourismus.gss-siegen.de, in German; Rathaus, Markt 2; 9am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11am-3pm Sat & Sun)
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Sights
A jailbird arriving in prison might well gripe: ‘This sure ain’t no palace’. Well, in Siegen, it is. The Unteres Schloss, a mustard-coloured baroque palace, now houses the local jail along with other city-government offices. The elegant three-wing structure originally served as the residence of the Protestant princes of Nassau-Oranien, who had split off from the family’s Catholic branch in 1623.
Right next to the prison wing, the Museum für Gegenwartskunst (Museum of Contemporary Art; 405 770; www.kunstmuseum-siegen.de; Unteres Schloss 1; adult/concession/family €3.90/2.60/7.70; 11am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri-Sun, 11am-8pm Thu) mounts changing exhibits that zero in on the latest trends and players in the art world. Its permanent exhibition presents works by Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud and Cy Twombly, all of them recipients of the Rubenspreis (Rubens Prize) awarded by the city to an international artist every five years.
Halfway up the hill looms Siegen’s signature landmark, the late Romanesque Nikolaikirche (Markt; 10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-noon Sat Apr-Oct). It’s easily recognised by the golden crown atop the steeple, placed there by a local ruler in 1652 to commemorate his promotion from count to prince. The church itself has an unusual hexagonal floor plan but is otherwise rather plain on the inside.
From Markt, Burgstrasse slopes up to the Oberes Schloss, a classic medieval fortress and the ancestral home of the rulers of Nassau-Oranien. Its labyrinth of rooms now houses the Siegerlandmuseum ( 230 410; Burgstrasse; adult/concession/family €3/1.50/6; 10am-5pm Tue-Sun), which would be a mediocre collection of old paintings were it not for its nine Rubens originals, including a self-portrait and a large-scale work viscerally depicting a lion hunt. Other rooms cover aspects of local history.
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Sleeping & Eating
The local and the regional tourist offices can help with room reservations.
Berghotel Johanneshöhe ( 387 8790; www.johanneshoehe.de; Wallhausenstrasse 1; s €50-95, d €86-120; ) Handy if you’re motorised, this hilltop hotel will treat you to sweeping views (somewhat marred by the autobahn). Rooms come in different sizes and comfort levels. The nicest are large, stylish and have French balconies overlooking the valley. Enjoy the same views from the restaurant over creative German fare (mains €10 to €20).
Park Hotel ( 338 10; www.parkhotel-siegen.bestwestern.de; Koblenzer Strasse 135; r €100-160; ) This modern 88-room property offers four-star amenities at three-star prices. Although it goes mostly after the business brigade, it offers such welcome leisure facilities as a sauna and steam room.
Laternchen ( 231 8000; Löhrstrasse 37; mains €10-20; dinner Thu-Tue) This charismatic restaurant is dressed in wood and candlelight and is a romantic spot to enjoy delicious modern German cuisine with the occasional French touch. Its signature dish is a pungent garlic soup. It’s in one of Siegen’s few historic buildings, with neat leaded-glass windows and a slate-covered facade.
Piazza ( 303 0856; Unteres Schloss 1; lunch €6-12, dinner €11-22; 11am-11pm) At the Museum für Gegenwartskunst, Piazza brings a dash of urban pizazz to sleepy Siegen. The chef uses mostly regional ingredients to whip up an inspired blend of German and Mediterranean flavours. The late Josef Paul Kleihues designed the sleek dining room.
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Getting There & Away
Direct trains depart hourly for Cologne (€18.70, 1½ hours), Frankfurt (€23.60, 1¾ hours) and Essen (€26.80, 2¼ hours). Change in Hagen for Dortmund (€2.90, two hours). Siegen is off the A45 connecting the Ruhrgebiet with Frankfurt and is also easily reached from Cologne via the A4.
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AROUND SIEGEN
Freudenberg
02734 / pop 18,600
About 12km