The town and stately seat of Braunfels were first mentioned in 1246. Braunfels lies in the German State of Hesse in the Lahn River Valley.

Castle Braunfels, was originally built in the 13th century by the Counts of Nassau, and was the residence of the Solms-Braunfels family.
It was destroyed by the Rhenish League of Towns in 1384; rebuilt and became the seat of the Counts of Solms.
In 1679 the town and castle were burnt down and again rebuilt mostly with the original stones.