A Visit to the Best

Landmarks in Town

With your Tour GuideAllison Funkhouser

Faust Hotel

The hotel opened in 1929 by Walter Faust and was originally called The Traveler’s Hotel. It was known as one of the best hotels in Texas. Because it

was so close to the train station it became a popular place to stay for businessmen and soldiers on their way to war. The hotel was renamed The

Faust Hotel in 1936 and registered as a Texas Historic Landmark in 1985. The Faust is also well known for being haunted.

First Protestant Church

This building sits on the spot where the German Protestant Church was built in 1846. It was the first church of New Braunfels. The current building slowly

started in 1875 and was added on through the years. My parents were married in this church in 2000 with a ceremony that was half English and half German.

Naeglin’s Bakery

Naeglin’s began in 1868 in the spot where Liberty Bistro is. It has been at the current location since 1870. This is the oldest operating bakery in all of Texas.

It was run by the same family for three generations. Even though it is no longer owned by the Naeglin’s family it still makes great German treats.

Downtown Gazebo

This landmark was built in 1905 as the Music Pavilion. Many concerts have taken place over the years here. It was renovated in 1926 so that a women’s

bathroom could be added underneath. It is one of the most well known buildings in town and is considered to be the center of New Braunfels. The

gazebo was registered as a Texas Historic Landmark in 2003.

Comal County Courthouse

The courthouse was built in 1898 to replace the original courthouse from 1860. It is made of native limestone and has pink granite columns and a bell tower

that rings on the hour. The builder saved money by making copies of blueprints from the Giddings, TX courthouse built in 1897. It has been changed and added

on over the years, but it is currently under construction to make it as close to original as possible. It became a Texas Historic Landmark in 1983.

Landa Park

This was a popular Indian campsite before the Europeans settled. The land was first purchased in 1860 by Joseph Landa. The city later bought it in 1936 for

$80,000. The park contains the Comal Springs, which come from an opening in the Edwards Aquifer, and has 96 different species of trees. It is considered one of the most beautiful parks and is a popular place for summer concerts, 4th of

July fireworks, parties and Wurstfest.

Lindheimer’s Home

Home of Ferdinand Lindheimer. He was a local botanist as well as the editor of the Neu Braunfelser Zeitung from November 12, 1852 until August 30, 1872.

He published the newspaper in the back of this house. It is now a museum run by the New Braunfels Conservation Society. The house was registered as a

Texas Historic Landmark in 1936.

Schlitterbahn

The name means “Slippery Road” in German. The park was built in 1979 on the Comal River. It only had 4 water slides around a small version of the guard

tower of the Solms Castle in Germany. Over the years the park has gotten bigger and added many more rides. It is now 65 acres and is the #1 water park

in the world.

Brauntex Theatre

Built in 1942. It operated as a movie theatre for 50 years. Over that time it became run down so a group decided to restore it into a performing arts

theatre in 1998. The theatre reopened on April 29, 2000 with a performance by the San Antonio Symphony Orchestra. In February of 2012 it ran the

production of the Aristocats starring Allison Funkhouser.

Seekatz Theatre

It was built in 1901 by brothers Otto and Louis. It would hold the Kindermaskenball, Firemen’s Ball, Fourth of July dances and theatre

productions. It later became a movie theatre. A fire destroyed the building in 1941. It was renovated in 2004 so that it could reopen as a beautiful place to

host parties and events.

Phoenix Saloon

Constructed in 1871. It was a brewery, saloon and restaurant. The cook, Willie Gebhardt, made hamburgers and chili seasoned with a mix that later became famous and sold as Gebhardt’s Chili Powder. In 1922 it became a department store and later a copy store from 1997-2007. The building was then reopened

using the original name The Phoenix Saloon in 2010.

Auf Wiedersehen. Tschüss!