Alsfeld is best described as a blend of a historic bourgeois European town and its rural-agricultural environs and shaped by typical Lutheran-Pietist characteristics, such as austerity and a Protestant work ethic. It is well known for its well-preserved old town with hundreds of picturesque timber-frame houses, and part of the German Timber-Frame Road.

The town is known for its Altstadt, the historic town centre, with its uninterrupted blocks of historic buildings. The Altstadt has a typical layout for a medieval town. The town wall was built in an almost perfect circle centred on the market place (for strategic reasons). Roads lead mostly straight from the gates in the wall to the town centre. One can deduce where the town wall was from the picturesque narrow streets which remain in their original state: their bends and curves in those small streets follow the original town wall.

Cultural life is characterized on the one hand by numerous celebrations at Alsfeld market place and nationally because of the Hessenhalle, primarily because of the concerts.

Events

• Regular rock, Pop and traditional concerts held in the Hessenhalle community center

• Alsfeld Herbal and Fairy Tale-Day (On a Sunday in May/June)

• Alsfeld Whitsun Fair

• Alsfeld Town Festival (1. Saturday in August)

• Alsfeld Christmas Market

• Vogelsberg Specialties: Various popular activities staged by the citizens of Alsfeld on the first Saturday of each month

• Farmers and specialty market on the third Saturday of each month

• Annual theatre productions take place in local high schools