The rolling hills that are caused by the nearly even weathering of the sandstones, are punctuated by steep basaltic outcrops, which are the remains of Neogene (Miocene) volcanic necks[2] (i.e. the cone of the volcano has been eroded which left behind the harder central region (neck) where the magma previously made its way to the surface).

[3] Altenbunslar is one of the sixteen constituent communities that form the town of Felsberg in Schwalm-Eder-Kreis, North Hesse, Germany.

BC, in the nearby Quiller Forest, a prehistoric people of the Corded Ware culture settled.

The first recognised use of the name Altenbrunslar was in a document from 1381, in the list of possessions of Friedrich III von Hertingshausen († 1422), a knight from the surrounding area.

[3][6] In 1527, after the Protestant Reformation, Johannes Bonecker (Bydenkap), a monk from the Breitenau Monastery, applied for the post of vicar in Altenbrunslar.

For instance, in the Seven Years' War, when in 1760 John Manners, Marquess of Granby lead his troops to confront the French, he bridged the River Eder at Brunslar.

[10] During the Second World War, the Allies bombed and breached the Edersee Dam in the night of 16–17 May 1943, as part of Operation Chastise.

[11] The resultant flood wave hit Altenbrunslar half an hour later (the dam is about 30 km (19 mi) upstream).

On the bell is written in Gothic script: "im jahr des herren 1487 gegrüßt seist du maria" (in the year of the Lord 1487 greetings to thee Mary).

Otto W. Werren, a local artist, had the idea to weave old fire brigade hoses, which have a bright yellow-green colour, into the posts of the handrails on the side of the bridge.

Altenbrunslar was chosen as Dolles Dorf (English: great village) in the Hessischer Rundfunk television programme of the same name.