BANGALORE: Adorned with baroque palaces and churches, interesting inn signs and spiritual statues on every street corner, the massive cathedrals and stunning castles here are a treat to the eyes. Tranquil dawns with the reflection of willows shimmering in the boat’s wake is how one could best describe this heavenly abode. The colossal locks with towering walls will deliver you to a new and lovely level. The Rhine Valley or Middle Rhine (German Mittelrhein) is the most famous section of the river Rhine, running between the cities of Bonn and Mainz in Germany and spanning the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate. The section from Koblenz to Bingen, also known as the Rhine Gorge, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the entire valley is often called The Romantic Rhine.
The Rhine Valley in Western Germany is a romantic region of fertile vineyards, steep hills, dense forests, historic towns, magnificent medieval castles, and idyllic wine-growing villages great for hiking, biking and for scenic boats trips on the Rhine. The scenic region offers wine tasting tours in Rhine Valley, and wine festivals in autumn after harvesting. Along the Rhine which has a length of only thirty-five miles, there are more castles than in any other river valley in the world. Built to protect power and possessions, they were not only well-fortified residences and refuges, but also lucrative customs posts and hideouts for infamous robber barons.
As one of the most important transport routes in Europe, the Middle Rhine Valley has for two millennia facilitated the exchange of culture between the Mediterranean region and the north. It is an outstanding organic cultural landscape, the present-day character of which is determined both by its geomorphological and geological setting and by the human interventions such as settlements, transport infrastructure, and land use that it has undergone over 2,000 years. As a result, it is an outstanding example of an evolving traditional way of life and means of communication in a narrow river valley. The terracing of its steep slopes in particular has shaped the landscape in many ways for more than two millennia.
The appearance of the Middle Rhine Valley is characterised by the interaction between its physical natural features, the human interventions, and its tourist image. In the 65 km stretch of the valley the river breaks through the Rhenish Slate Mountains, connecting the broad floodplain of the Oberrheingraben with the lowland basin of the Lower Rhine.
At the 5 km long Bingen Gate (Bingen Pforte), widened in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Rhine enters the upper canyon stretch of the river. Just before the Gate there are two small towns; Bingen on the left bank noteworthy for political symbols, Rudesheim on the right dominated by the 12th-century Bromserberg fortress. The vineyards of the Rudesheimer Berg are among the best in the Rheingau (Rhine district). After the Bingen Gate comes the 15 km long Bacharach valley, which is indented with smaller v-shaped side valleys. The small town of Lorch extends at right angles to the Rhine up the valley, lined with terraced vineyards. It is notable for its fine Gothic parish church of St Martin Bacharach, at the entrance of the Steeger valley contains many timber-framed houses and retains its medieval appearance. Kaub (a small town on the right bank) and its environs contain a number of monuments, among them the Pfalzgrafenstein castle, the town wall of Kaub itself, and the terraced vineyards, created in the Middle Ages. Oberwesel (on the left bank) has preserved a number of fine early houses, as well as two Gothic churches, the medieval Schonburg castle, and its medieval town wall.
The valley landscape begins to change at Oberwesel with the transition from soft clay-slates to hard sandstone. The result is a series of narrows, the most famous of which is the Loreley. This stretch of river was once hazardous for shipping and is reputed to be the place where the fabulous treasure of the Niebelungs lies hidden. Across the river on the right bank is St Goarshausen, with its castle of Neu-Katzenelnbogen. The third Katzenelnbogen fortress is Burg Reichenberg; its design suggests that it may have been inspired by Crusader fortresses in Syria and Palestine. Bad Salzig on the left bank marks the beginning of the section known as the Boppard Loops (Bopparder Schlingen). On the right bank is the twin town of Kamp Bornhofen.
Located at the start of a horseshoe loop in the river, Boppard originated as a Roman way-station, and was replaced in the fourth century by a military fort. Beyond Boppard is Osterspai with its timber-framed houses from the sixteenth to eighteenth centuries and a ruined moated castle. Oberspay and Niederspay have fused into a single town and contain more timber-framed houses than anywhere else on the Middle Rhine — there is a particularly fine group on the waterfront.
On the left bank, Rhens is where the German Emperors were enthroned after being elected in Frankfurt and crowned in Aachen Cathedral. The fortress of Marksburg, along with Pfalzgrafenstein the only surviving medieval fortifications on the Middle Rhine, towers above Braubach. Although much altered after the coming of the railway in 1860, Lahnstein preserves its imposing parish church of St John the Baptist.
The castle of Stolzenfels, which belonged to the Elector of Trier, was restored in 1835 by the Prussians. Of the buildings in Koblenz that survived severe aerial bombardment during the Second World War mention should be made of the Romanesque basilicas of St Kastor, Our Lady, and St Florin, and the New Castle, the first and most important early classicist building in the Rhineland.
Outdoor activities
The famous towering rock of Loreley and the ruins of the magnificent fortress of Burg Rheinfels are must-sees for visitors in the Rhine Valley area. The fortress of Burg Rheinfels is home to labyrinthine alleys and tunnels. Other remarkable medieval castles in the region include Marksburg Castle, Ehrenbreitstein, and Schloss Stolzenfels. Guided tours are usually organised in Rhine Valley’s medieval castles.
The dramatic landscapes of Rhine Valley are not only scenic but also perfect for outdoor activities such as hiking. Biking is also a popular way of exploring the region. There are good hiking trails and bicycle paths along the both east and west banks of the river. Boat trips on the river Rhine are popular way of sightseeing the romantic Rhine, the longest river in Germany.
Practical information for your stay
Rhine Valley has a temperate climate with warm, humid summers and cool winters. In winter, the mercury can drop to below zero temperatures. Rhine Valley is best visited in spring, summer and autumn. Many wine festivals in Rhine Valley region take place in October. There are plenty of cozy guesthouses and small hotels in Rhine Valley with great views over the river, the vineyards and the hills.
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