Hanau
Hanau (German pronunciation: [ˈhaːnaʊ̯]) is a town in the Main-Kinzig-Kreis, in Hesse, Germany. It is located 25 km east of Frankfurt am Main and is part of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main Metropolitan Region. Its station is a major railway junction and it has a port on the river Main, making it an important transport centre. The town is known for being the birthplace of Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm and Franciscus Sylvius. Since the 16th century it was a centre of precious metal working with many goldsmiths. It is home to Heraeus, one of the largest family-owned companies in Germany.
Hanau | |
|---|---|
 Goldsmiths' House (Hanau old town hall) | |
 Flag  Coat of arms | |
Location of Hanau within Main-Kinzig-Kreis district  | |
  Hanau  Hanau | |
| Coordinates: 50°07′58″N 08°55′01″E | |
| Country | Germany |
| State | Hesse |
| Admin. region | Darmstadt |
| District | Main-Kinzig-Kreis |
| Government | |
| • Lord mayor (2021–27) | Claus Kaminsky[1] (SPD) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 76.49 km2 (29.53 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 104 m (341 ft) |
| Population (2021-12-31)[2] | |
| • Total | 98,502 |
| • Density | 1,300/km2 (3,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| Postal codes | 63450, 63452, 63454 63456, 63457 |
| Dialling codes | 06181 |
| Vehicle registration | HU |
| Website | www.hanau.de |
Hanau, once the seat of the Counts of Hanau, lost much of its architectural heritage in World War II. A British air raid in 1945 created a firestorm, killing one sixth of the remaining population and destroying 98 percent of the old city and 80 percent of the city overall.
In 1963, the town hosted the third Hessentag state festival. Until 2005, Hanau was the administrative centre of the Main-Kinzig-Kreis. On 19 February 2020, a gunman attacked two bars and a kiosk in Hanau, murdering nine people with roots outside Germany, before shooting his mother and himself.