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Café Kuchen-Schmiede: New meeting point for Freienseen opened!
Opening of the Café Kuchen-Schmiede in Freienseen on May 22, 2025: a new village meeting place for the community with creative commitment.
Café Kuchen-Schmiede: New meeting point for Freienseen opened!
On May 22, 2025, the “Café Kuchen-Schmiede” opened its doors in the former Freienseen village shop, attracting numerous visitors from Freienseen and the surrounding region. This project, carried out by a dedicated team of women and supported by a male specialist, marks an important step in the revitalization of the former village shop.
The café, which was created as part of the extensive renovation of the former village blacksmith's shop, offers furniture that was carefully selected from the Schwalmtal, including chairs from Michael Bender and the Laubach youth guest house. The interior is designed to be cozy and comfortable, highlighting the challenge of converting a historic building.
A new center of the community
The “DorfSchmiede Freienseen” project has transformed the former village forge, which had been empty for a long time and was in poor condition, into a new center for the village community. In addition to the café, the building now also functions as a meeting place, day care facility and offers age-appropriate apartments. The rooms of the former blacksmith's shop in the semi-detached house from the 17th century reflect the dense half-timbered structure and the carefully crafted elements.
The commitment of citizens was crucial to the transformation of the cultural monument. The local government was also pleased about the revival of this important social meeting place. Mayor Hermann Hans Herrmanski celebrated the opening together with the singing group Lampenfieber e.V., who provided vocals for the event.
Importance of the café for the village community
Café Kuchen-Schmiede is open on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. and invites visitors to enjoy cake on site or to take it home. The café is operated together with the Dorfschmiede support association and the Vogelsberger Generation Network Neighborhood Family Association, which also benefits neighborly cooperation in rural regions.
The initiative shows how active civic engagement can revitalize villages, especially in times of declining population and the closure of local services. Despite these challenges, rural regions offer a high quality of life and are important for shaping a sustainable future, especially for young people and families who want to turn their backs on city life. Such community projects not only promote social cohesion, they are also a central part of village renewal and development.
Overall, this project shows that creative ideas and commitment can make a decisive contribution to strengthening rural communities. The Freienseen village smithy is viewed not only as a historical building, but also as a central element of social life in Freienseen. You can find out more about rural development and the role of villages on bmel.de.