Castles Along The Rhine River
by Rick Hendershot
The Rhine River is one of Germany's most popular tourist
attractions. This famous river has been at the heart of German
history for centuries, dating back to at least Roman times. In
fact the river marked the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar himself conquered the areas of Europe to the south
and west of the Rhine, and the Germanic tribes retained control
of the lands to the north of the river.
When the Roman Empire collapsed in about 400 AD the Germans
flooded across the river and created a succession of states
which would later become the Holy Roman Empire and eventually
modern day Germany.
Picturesque feudal castles guard the gorge.
The Rhine is hundreds of miles long, flowing north from
Switzerland through Germany and the Netherlands to the North
Sea, but it is the 35 mile stretch between Bingen and Koblenz
that is the destination of thousands of tourists every year.
Along this narrow section of the gorge there are more castles
than in any other river valley in the world.
Many of these castles are in ruins, but some have been restored
as hotels and are open for tours. The castles stand like
sentinels on the cliffs above both sides of the river creating
the perfect environment for stunningly picturesque boat tours.
The castles are an unmistakable and unique feature of the
mid-Rhine landscape. They were built by feudal overloards, to
protect their lands from marauders who travelled up and down the
river.
One of the most famous spots along this section of the river is
the Lorelei Rock at St. Goarshausen. This is the deepest and
narrowest points on the Rhine and is the inspiration for a
famous German legend. As the story goes, a nymph lived in the
Lorelei rock high above the Rhine. She is said to have lured
fishermen to their destruction with her singing until she was
overcome with love and plunged to her own death. A bronze statue
of the nymph overlooks the river.
As you travel along the river, you see quaint, colorful villages
that cater especially to tourists. The most popular are St. Goar
and Bacharach, each with its own castle open for touring. And of
course there are unlimited opportunities for sampling the German
cuisine and exquisite Rhine wine.
In the heart of wine country
Most of Germany's vineyards are located in the Rhine valley. At
Bingen, the Nahe river flows into the Rhine and along its banks
are some of the most perfect south facing vineyards. North of
Bingen the wine growing region is called the Mittelrhein. It is
a magical place with vineyards growing among the fairy tale
castles and snuggled into the overhanging rock face.
All of the German wine regions along the Rhine produce
distinctive styles of wine, but in general Rhine wine is fuller
and richer than Mosel wines. As in the Mosel, the primary grape
is the Reisling, but there are other varieties of grapes too.
The German wine research facility at Geisenheim has created many
new hybrids such as Ehrenfelser, Scheurebe, and Kerner, offering
visitors a wide variety of different tastes.
The best way to see this area
There are several ways to see this scenic area along the Rhine.
Several river cruise companies offer tours along the most
spectacular part of the gorge. It takes about two hours to
cruise from St. Goar to Bacharach, and most visitors agree this
is the best way to get the maximum castle exposure.
But it's not the only way. There is also a train that runs
between the villages in the area, and you can stop at numerous
points along the way to sample the local culture. Tourists can
also drive the highway along the banks of the river. Or the more
adverturous can ride a bicycle along the many trails, and hop on
a ferry at various points to cross over to the other side of the
river.
See Linknet Travel News for more travel articles.
by Rick Hendershot
The Rhine River is one of Germany's most popular tourist
attractions. This famous river has been at the heart of German
history for centuries, dating back to at least Roman times. In
fact the river marked the eastern frontier of the Roman Empire.
Julius Caesar himself conquered the areas of Europe to the south
and west of the Rhine, and the Germanic tribes retained control
of the lands to the north of the river.
When the Roman Empire collapsed in about 400 AD the Germans
flooded across the river and created a succession of states
which would later become the Holy Roman Empire and eventually
modern day Germany.
Picturesque feudal castles guard the gorge.
The Rhine is hundreds of miles long, flowing north from
Switzerland through Germany and the Netherlands to the North
Sea, but it is the 35 mile stretch between Bingen and Koblenz
that is the destination of thousands of tourists every year.
Along this narrow section of the gorge there are more castles
than in any other river valley in the world.
Many of these castles are in ruins, but some have been restored
as hotels and are open for tours. The castles stand like
sentinels on the cliffs above both sides of the river creating
the perfect environment for stunningly picturesque boat tours.
The castles are an unmistakable and unique feature of the
mid-Rhine landscape. They were built by feudal overloards, to
protect their lands from marauders who travelled up and down the
river.
One of the most famous spots along this section of the river is
the Lorelei Rock at St. Goarshausen. This is the deepest and
narrowest points on the Rhine and is the inspiration for a
famous German legend. As the story goes, a nymph lived in the
Lorelei rock high above the Rhine. She is said to have lured
fishermen to their destruction with her singing until she was
overcome with love and plunged to her own death. A bronze statue
of the nymph overlooks the river.
As you travel along the river, you see quaint, colorful villages
that cater especially to tourists. The most popular are St. Goar
and Bacharach, each with its own castle open for touring. And of
course there are unlimited opportunities for sampling the German
cuisine and exquisite Rhine wine.
In the heart of wine country
Most of Germany's vineyards are located in the Rhine valley. At
Bingen, the Nahe river flows into the Rhine and along its banks
are some of the most perfect south facing vineyards. North of
Bingen the wine growing region is called the Mittelrhein. It is
a magical place with vineyards growing among the fairy tale
castles and snuggled into the overhanging rock face.
All of the German wine regions along the Rhine produce
distinctive styles of wine, but in general Rhine wine is fuller
and richer than Mosel wines. As in the Mosel, the primary grape
is the Reisling, but there are other varieties of grapes too.
The German wine research facility at Geisenheim has created many
new hybrids such as Ehrenfelser, Scheurebe, and Kerner, offering
visitors a wide variety of different tastes.
The best way to see this area
There are several ways to see this scenic area along the Rhine.
Several river cruise companies offer tours along the most
spectacular part of the gorge. It takes about two hours to
cruise from St. Goar to Bacharach, and most visitors agree this
is the best way to get the maximum castle exposure.
But it's not the only way. There is also a train that runs
between the villages in the area, and you can stop at numerous
points along the way to sample the local culture. Tourists can
also drive the highway along the banks of the river. Or the more
adverturous can ride a bicycle along the many trails, and hop on
a ferry at various points to cross over to the other side of the
river.
See Linknet Travel News for more travel articles.
RHINE RIVER GERMANY
RHINE RIVER HOTELS
RHINE RIVER GERMANY HOTELS
RHINERIVERGERMANY
RHINE RIVER HOTELS
RHINE RIVER GERMANY HOTELS
RHINERIVERGERMANY
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