If you want to know what a Roman fort on the German frontier really looked like, the Saalburg is the place, and these building remains lie in the forest just southwest of it, part of the civilian and military landscape that grew up around the fort. The Saalburg itself was rebuilt at the beginning of the twentieth century on the orders of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who was fascinated by Roman history and keen to present the German empire as the heir of Rome. The walls, gates, headquarters building and granaries were reconstructed on the original foundations, based on the archaeology of the time, and today the fort houses a museum full of finds from the frontier, along with workshops, a Roman garden and regular events with reenactors.
Around the fort, the remains of the civil settlement, the bath house, temples and other buildings are scattered through the forest, along with the earth bank and ditch of the frontier. The Limes runs along the ridge of the Taunus here, and the Saalburg guarded an important pass, still used by the B456, the road from Bad Homburg to Usingen. The whole frontier is a World Heritage site.
Bad Homburg, six kilometres away, is a spa town with a long history of elegance. It was the summer residence of Kaiser Wilhelm II, who stayed in the castle, and its casino and spa park attracted the aristocracy of Europe; the Homburg hat, made famous by Edward VII, is named after the town. Nearby, the Hessenpark open-air museum near Neu-Anspach shows rural buildings from across Hesse, moved and reconstructed in a village setting.
The B456 over the pass is a fast road through the forest with a few good curves, but it carries a lot of traffic, especially at rush hour and on weekends, when the Saalburg and the Taunus attract crowds. Smaller roads through the forest and the villages of the Usinger Land north of the ridge are quieter and more scenic. Watch for cyclists, walkers, deer and speed cameras. Wehrheim, about four kilometres away, has fuel and basic services; Bad Homburg and Oberursel have everything. Try the local apple wine and Hessian dishes in one of the traditional inns, and allow time to explore the fort properly.