like most german towns, homberg was likely laid out according to a plan in hohenstaufen times (1138–1254). peculiarities in the way that homberg was built, not apparent at first glance, hint at something recognizable as a town plan. homberg is in itself a double town, consisting of the old town ("altstadt"), first mentioned in a document in 1231, and "die freiheit" ("the freedom"). die freiheit was an independent town, having been founded in 1356 and united with the old town in 1536. the old town itself consisted of three wards.