A Cruise on the Rivers that made Germany
The mighty Rhine River has seen the rise and fall of empires but still flows placidlyto Holland. The Rhine and its sister the Moselleare still the vital highways of commerce today as they have been for hundreds of years. The history of Germany is reflected in their waters as you cruise by the cities and towns that dot the shoreline.
My cruise started on the Moselle with visits to Trier, Bernkasel, and Cochem. This is wine country and the vineyards climb the hillsides above the river as its glides toward the Rhine.
The monstrous Porta Nigra at the city of Trier was built in Roman times. This black stone portal reminds you of how much history it must have witnessed since 180 A.D.The Marketplatz is the center of the old city and displays the mandatory fountain and half timbered houses of the old city squares in Germany. I sat pleasantly in the sun sipping a lager as I watched the people stroll by while my wife shopped her way around the square. The ruins of the Roman Baths further enlighten those seeking the history of the area. Wine is hallmark of the Moselle region and the next town Bernkasel Kues is the site of one of the more famous vineyards.
Bernkasel has a fountain dedicated to the legend of the Doctorwine. In the 13th century, the Archbishop of Trier was in this areawhen he became deathly ill. After countless potions didn't work, he was poured a Riesling from this small local vineyard and was cured.
Wandering the cobblestone streets and narrow lanes surrounded by half timbered houses made me feel this town had captured the essence of the old German river towns. Chairs and small tables decorate the street in front the local Weinstubes ( wine cafe). You must stop and see the skinny and tall Sptizhaus which houses one of these cafes. Its unique architecture makes its one of the most photographed sites in this part of Germany. A small castle overlooks the quaint town but I was going to visit a larger one in Cochem.
The river cruise ship docked just before sunrise at Cochem. I looked out the floor to ceiling glass door of my cabin as the sun began to rise. I could just see the magnificent Reichsburg Cochem ( Imperial Castle Cochem) sitting across the river on a large hill. I strolled along the riverbank and watched the sunlight glint off the castle walls as the countryside was revealed by the morning light. I carefully photographedthe postcard image of this river guardian from the middle ages as the towncame alive with people.
I made my way up the steep and winding Schlossstrasse (castle road) to this restored giant of stone to see it up and close and learn its history. The main hall has suits of armor and heavy wooden tables where German knights could have stood. I looked over the ramparts and could see the whole valley. The river sliced between the green vine covered hills. The castle wasbuilt around the12th century to dominate and tax the river commerce. It was the home to princes and was eventually taken over by the Hohenstaufen Dynasty of German Kings. Hence the imperial designation. When the French invaded this part of Germany in the 17th century the castle and town were destroyed. It sat as a ruin till in 1868, when it was purchased by a Berlin businessman who began a 22 year restoration.In 1890 the completed fairy tale style neo-Gothic castle stood upon and incorporated the old Romanesque castle ruins. It was the home of a law school during the Nazi era and is now owned by the city of Cochem.
I finished my day wandering the town square of Cochem and having a "Bratwurst mit Brochen" (Brat on a bun). My wife slathered hers with German mustard. It was far superior to stadium Brats I was used to. As night closed in, the river led our ship downstreamtoward the Rhine passing through the city of Koblenz. The Rhine meets the Moselle in Koblenz at the Deutsches Eck, the German Corner. The large park is dominated by the huge statute of Kaiser Wilhelm I who unified Germany in 1870.
The morning sun brought the first Rhine Castle we could see into view. The Marksburg sits high above the river and is light colored stone walls and high parapet reflected the light.the ship glided by under its watchful gaze and continued upstream to Rudesheim am Rhein.
The cloudy weather made the castles we passed in the Rhine Gorge seem dreary and foreboding. The Lorelei rock that is over 400 ft high dominates one of the narrowest and deepest parts of the river. It is the place of the famous ballad of the forlorn women who jumped to her death from the rock. One of the few castles not destroyed or rebuilt on the Rhine is the old toll station of Phalzgrafenstein which sits right on the river below the Burg Gutenfels at Kaub. It white walls, black roof, and red accents make it one of the more colorful castles along the middle Rhine. There are 27 different ones between Koblenz and Rudesheim.
Rudesheim am Rhein was our southernmost destination on this great river. I spent the afternoon wandering its narrow Drosselstasse and visiting the famous Mechanical Musical Instrument Museum. The beautiful architecture of the Hotel Lindenwirt caught my attention with its stacked wine barrels and attractive appearance. A Bratwurst at a cozy Bierstube and a Klosch beer made for a pleasant afternoon. My wife and I strolled the busy waterfront on our way back to the ship. We stopped at several stores to buy Christmas ornaments to hang on our tree back home. Germany is famous for its Christmas markets but we were here in August but could still find holiday treasures to bring home. Evening approached as we cruised north with the current. The medieval Rheinstein Castle came into view on the western shore as the sun set. It was the last castle I would see as we would pass thru the gorge at night to arrive in the morning at Cologne (Koln).
Cologne has been a center of commerce and industry since the Romans founded it in the first century. The Alt Stadt ( old city) has restored buildings and the riverfront promenade takes you close to the cathedral which with its towering twin spires. The huge Gothic Cathedral dominates the skyline of this two thousand year old city on the Rhine. The Cathedral was started in the 13th century and not completed till 1880. It is one of the most visited sites in Germany. During WWII, the city was the target of the first 1000 plane bomber raid by the Royal Air Force and much of the city and the cathedral were destroyed or damaged during the war. Today it is a bustling cultural center withover 20 museums and hundreds of galleries.
The river continues past Cologne and enters the Netherlands. It splits into several tributaries as it flows to Amsterdam and the sea.I will always remember this mighty river and its castles and towns that have helped define and c
