Romantic Rhine
The mighty river flowing between the slate cliffs and their steep slopes covered
in vines that are made into world-famous wines, the numerous fortresses, castle
ruins and manor houses crowning the hills, the picturesque, historical towns,
with their majestic cathedrals, churches and museums, and the white and
brightly decorated riverboats make this one of the most beautiful river
landscapes in the world.
Even today, in our highly technical world, hardly anyone is left unmoved by
the picturesque harmony of this landscape. The river was first put to canvas by
Dutch and English landscape painters, including William Turner, the famous
English painter, in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Romantischer Rhein
Tourismus GmbH
Loreley Besucherzentrum
56346 St. Goarshausen
Tel: +49 (0) 6771 – 95 93 8-0
Fax: +49 (0) 6771 – 95 93 814
info@romantischer-rhein.de
www.romantischer-rhein.de
Geschäftsführerin:
Claudia Schwarz
Presse: Annette Klemm
Phone:-20
The cliffs with the legendary maiden Loreley
“I wonder why I am so weary,
What’s making me so depressed,
It must be the tale old and dreary,
That’s keeping my mind quite obsessed
The air is cool, night is sinking
And quietly’s flowing the Rhine
The Tops of the mountains are blinking
In purple-red sun-setting shine.”
The Loreley cliff near St. Goarshausen and opposite the twin town St. Goar is
known throughout the world. It is clouded in legend, has been sung about, and
has been visited by millions. It was the writer Clemens von Brentano who
narrated the story of the bewitching beauty with the golden hair. Heinrich
Heine used that as the basis for his story, and Friedrich Silcher put it to music,
that is still sung. The Loreley-visitors' centre in front of the open-air stage is
the main information centre.
In an entertaining way the visitor learns
interesting facts about the Loreley mythology, the geology, flora and fauna,
wine, shipping, culture and the people who live in the region.
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Castles surrounded by myth and legend
Romanticism is most closely associated with the ancient walls of the castles
and castle ruins. Their violent past was long, long ago. Many of the old
castlewalls have been given a new lease of life, and are now castle hotels or
youth hostels. There is hardly a hill without a castle on the op of it. There are
almost 40 of them between the Mäuseturm (Mouse Tower) near Bingen and the
Rolandsbogen in Remagen. The Marksburg castle towering over Braubach has
never been destroyed, and is now the headquarters of the German castle
association, and provides a good example of medieval life in a castle.
Wines from the Rhine are world famous
The elegant Riesling wines from the Rhine are treasured all over the world.
The vineyard pubs and restaurants are popular places for enjoying the wines
and regional specialities.
Festivals and events
The numerous wine and local fairs on the romantic Middle Rhine are both well
known and popular. Several days in the year the Rhine is "on fire". Shining,
sparkling lights, mysterious Bengal fire and the longest boat convoy in Europe,
with 80 vessels, as well as seven firework displays, transform the romantic
river into a nocturnal fairy-tale landscape.
It is the same there as all along the Rhine valley: The golden-coloured wine
sparkles in the glasses, which gently clink together as they have always done
when friends meet. Raise your glasses for a toast to romance - Romance on the
Rhine.
Unesco world heritage
In 2002 the UNESCO included in its World Heritage list the upper middle
Rhine valley between Bingen/Rüdesheim and Koblenz. The Unesco paid
tribute to the cultural landscape’s variety and beauty.
The Upper Germanic-Rhaetian boundary wall Limes was included in the list in
2004.
The Roman World Discovery Museum in Rheinbrohl informs about this
outstanding archeological monument of the Roman era and its culture about
2000 years ago.
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Romantischer Rhein Tourismus GmbH . Loreley Besucherzentrum
56346 St. Goarshausen Tel. +49 6771 – 95 93 80
E-Mail: info@romantischer-rhein.de www.romantischer-rhein.de
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