English version fotolia.com / © andrzej2012 Exploring the UNESCO World Heritage Site Middle Rhine Castles and Palaces With rail & hike suggestions www.mittelrheinbahn.de Table of Contents Dear MittelrheinBahn passengers MittelrheinBahn – the perfect way to reach your destination MittelrheinBahn transports you along one of Germany’s most Brühl beautiful stretches of railway. It is a single line linking the cities of p. 6 Augustusburg and Falkenlust Castles Cologne, Bonn, Koblenz and Mainz, with a plethora of fascinating places of interest all the way along its length. These include majes‑ tic palaces and mighty fortresses as well as imposing castles and Bonn picturesque castle ruins. The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Upper Poppelsdorf p. 8 and Electoral Middle Rhine Valley alone has a good 40 of these – no other region Palaces in the world has as many. So it’s no wonder that the Rhine Roman‑ ticism of the 19th century was inspired by these age‑old structures. Bonn-Mehlem p. 10 Drachenburg Castle and Drachenfels Castle ruins Climb aboard the MittelrheinBahn and take a voyage of discovery through the castles and palaces of the region. By way of offering © Michael So nd e some ideas for your next excursion, we’ve provided information on rm a n n some of the most impressive examples in the following pages. Let yourself be carried away by the magic of these ancient buildings. Take in stunning views of the magnificent scenery. And the many rustic inns of the traditional Middle Rhine wine‑growing area are the perfect place to take a break and savour a glass of wine and some regional specialities. Scan the QR code to retrieve of one of © G r D the hiking routes or help you find your way to one of the palaces e K f f E u e R f h P e z i l n a l f a P n ‑ d and castles. The brochure is rounded off with discount vouchers for individual destinations and tips for events. Koblenz City Centre We hope you have fun hiking and exploring! p. 12 Romanticum and Ehrenbreitstein Fort Koblenz Hbf p. 16 Stolzenfels Castle Rhens p. 17 Marksburg Castle enig ick N Boppard-Bad Salzig p. 18 J. , Sterrenberg Castle and Liebenstein Castle in e t s n e b e i L St. Goar p. 21 g r Rheinfels Castle u B © from Hikes p. 22 Romantischer Rhein Tourismus GmbH Tourismus Rhein Romantischer / Trechtingshausen p. 28 Reichenstein Castle and Rheinstein Castle p. 30 p. 20 Gau-Algesheim Budenheim Tornow © Henry Bismarckturm Waldthausen Castle 2 (Bismarck Tower) 3 © Trans Regio © Trans MittelrheinBahn – ideal for all your destinations Whether you’re visiting one of the many places of interest or want What’s more, at many stations you can change onto other lines or to take a tour of discovery through the beautiful Rhine valley, you will other local public transport networks without a long wait. travel stress‑free and in comfort with the MittelrheinBahn (RB 26). Our bright and spacious trains have space for around 250 passen‑ We run an hourly service for the gers and 12 bikes. MittelrheinBahn’s modern electric carriages also entire Cologne to Mainz route have other features to make your journey more enjoyable: every day – until 2 am in some cases, and stopping at every station on the left bank of the large panoramic low-noise drive mode Rhine. For destinations between windows Mainz and Bingen, services run state of the art every half hour from 5 am to full air conditioning passenger information 8 pm Monday to Friday. And system the RB 26 even runs round the access aids for clock at the weekend between passengers with accessible, Cologne and Bonn. limited mobility barrier-free toilets © Trans Regio © Trans 4 5 © Horst Gummersbach © Horst Augustusburg and Castles Falkenlust Stop: Brühl How to get there: Augustusburg Castle is directly across from the station. From there it’s a short 2 km stroll along Falkenluster Allee to Falkenlust Castle. Two magnificent witnesses to an eventful past await you in Brühl – Augustusburg and Falkenlust Castles. They and their gardens and parkland have been UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1984. Augustusburg Castle was built by Elector and Archbishop of Co‑ logne Clemens August (1700 – 1761). He commissioned artists such as François de Cuvilliés the Elder and Balthasar Neumann, who between them created a great work of art encompassing architec‑ ture, sculpture, painting and garden art between 1725 and 1768. From 1725, Dominique Girard was responsible for the design of the famous baroque gardens in the French style. Peter Joseph Lenné added an English landscape garden in 1840. Just a short stroll away is the delightful Falkenlust hunting lodge, one of the most exquisite Gartenseite, Florian Monheim Florian Gartenseite, examples of German Rococo in existence. It was built by François Your route to the ‑ castle de Cuvilliés the Elder between 1729 and 1737, also for Elector Clemens August. www.schlossbruehl.de © Schloss Augustusburg Brühl Augustusburg © Schloss 6 7 Your route to the castle © Dr. Thomas Mauersberg, Universität Bonn Universität Mauersberg, Thomas © Dr. Poppelsdorf Palace and Electoral Palace Stop: Bonn Hbf Your route to the castle How to get there: Walk from the station towards the city centre and Bonn Minster, and then on towards the University or Hofgarten Park. The Electoral Palace has been used by the University since 1818. Bonn, Poppelsdorf Universität Mauersberg, Thomas © Dr. The castle as it stands today dates back to the turreted four‑wing building constructed by Munich court architect Enrico Zuccalli in Amongst other things, the palace houses a mineralogical collection 1697 – 1705. Robert de Cotte laid out the court garden to the south and the botanical garden in the palace grounds is one of the oldest in 1715 – 1723. In 1777, the castle was completely destroyed by fire and most diverse in the world. Poppelsdorf Palace, which was built and was reconstructed in a simplified form. In the 1920s it was in the 18th century to plans by Robert de Cotte, was extended by restored, only to be destroyed again in 1944. It acquired its present Balthasar Neumann. It was rebuilt in the 1950s after being destroyed appearance after reconstruction post‑1951, in which students also in the Second World War. took part. An avenue of chestnut trees leads from the Electoral Palace to Poppelsdorf Palace. www.botgart.uni-bonn.de 8 9 Your route to the castle fotolia.com / © kathomenden Today the castle and its grounds are listed monuments. Take a walk Drachenburg Castle and around the restored rooms and admire the historical furniture from the time the castle was built. Castle ruins Drachenfels Among the striking landmarks of the Siebengebirge is the 312 m Drachenfels hill. At the top of the hill you will find the picturesque Stop: Bonn‑Mehlem ruins of the castle of the same name – along with magnificent views. Archbishop Arnold I of Cologne had the castle built in 1138 How to get there: Ferry termi‑ for the purpose of fortification. However, it quickly lost its original nals are at the end of Austrasse. function when the Bonn city walls were built in the mid‑13th cen‑ After crossing the river, go along tury. The castle was largely destroyed in the Thirty Years’ War, and Drachenfelsstrasse and then any parts that remained collapsed in 1788 due to subterranean mi‑ take the steep footpath or the ning of valuable trachyte, used in the construction of churches. All rack railway up to Drachenburg that remains today of the castle’s grandeur is a few ruins, including Castle and Drachenfels Castle of the former great hall and the castle keep. © Schloss Drachenburg GmbH, Christoph Fein GmbH, Christoph Drachenburg © Schloss ruins. Our tip: Climb the steep hill on You will come across Drachenburg Castle half way up to Drachen‑ foot and take the historical rack Rack railway fels. The imposing residence in the Historicist style was built for railway back down. Bonn- KD ship banker (and later Baron) Stephan von Sarter, a native of Bonn, Mehlem between 1882 and 1884. Von Sarter had no children, and so the cas‑ www.der-drachenfels.de Drachenburg Castle tle was used for a variety of purposes in the decades that followed. Drachenfels Amongst other things, it was a hotel, a convalescent home for www.schloss-drachenburg.de Castle ruins women and a boarding school, before it slowly fell into disrepair. In 1971 the complex was acquired by a wealthy private owner who saved the castle. After renovating it, he transformed it into a public museum focusing on the life and culture of the time. 10 11 Your route to the Romanticum Touristik ‑ © Koblenz Voucher on p. 31 / 32 Romanticum and Ehrenbreitstein Fort Stop: Koblenz Stadtmitte (city centre) Touristik How to get there: Go along Schlossstrasse and then turn left into ‑ Viktoriastrasse. © Koblenz A striking building and ground‑breaking architecture await you in the heart of Koblenz city centre – the Forum Confluentes cultural Special feature: Go on a virtual journey down the Rhine on an centre. This masterpiece of modern architecture was designed imaginary steamship. You’ll encounter the beauty of the Rhine as by Dutch architecture firm Benthem Crouwel. The building’s bold you experience nature and watch the projection, and get to know and undulating façade and light‑flooded interior are home to the the legends and fairy‑tales of the river. You’ll also discover fascina‑ Middle Rhine Museum, Koblenz City Library, tourist information ting facts about the castles and buildings, crags shrouded in legend, and the Romanticum. The Romanticum is an interactive exhibition superb views of the Rhine and the river’s most famous travellers.