Cruising Germany’s Historic Cities and Rivers

By Terri and Martin Hirsch The historic highlights of Germany offered us a chance to embark on a fascinating journey to discover Germany’s past and present eras. Cruising through the Rhine, Main and Moselle Rivers brought to mind quaint villages, picturesque vineyards and a rich history of medieval fortresses and palaces. Our cruise began along Germany’s famous Rhine River on the Amadeus Waterways MS Amadagio. The Rhine River The Rhine River begins in the Swiss Alps and flows in a northerly direction until it reaches the North Sea in the Netherlands about 815 miles. The Rhine has been used for shipping since Roman times and is the most important river in Germany for commerce. The three most important tributaries, the Moselle, Main and Neckar Rivers drain the waters, keeping water level high all year long. These Rivers provide excellent conditions for vineyard agriculture and produce world famous wines. Dusseldorf and Cologne Dusseldorf was discovered more than 700 years ago. We were within walking distance from the center of the old town as we docked on the waterfront. Old Town has narrow lanes with the original beautiful cobblestones and town houses with peaked roofs. A walking tour took us to the town hall, the marketplace and the shopping area. The shopping area runs parallel to the Rhine River , making it an easy walk back to our ship. In the afternoon our cruise took us down the Rhine to Cologne . Cologne is the oldest and the largest city along the Rhine . It is famous for its perfume, Eau du Cologne, and its Koelsch beer. During World War II, 95% of the city had been destroyed in bombing raids. A 13th century gothic cathedral was one of the few buildings left standing. The cathedral was very impressive with its stained glass windows and its many forms of art. The highlight in the cathedral was the gold Shrine of the Three Kings. We continued our tour to the Schnutgen Museum , which houses Roman and gothic art. The Rhine Gorge The following morning we passed through the Rhine Gorge and cruised past the famous Lorelei Rock. The Lorelei Rock is associated with several legendary tales originating in German folklore. The story is: a maiden on the Lorelei Rock threw herself into the Rhine River in despair over an unfaithful lover. It is said her song had lured fisherman to destruction. The German poet, Heinrick Heine, made the Lorelei Rock folklore famous through his poem. No other river in the world has a greater concentration of castles or castle ruins than the Rhine Gorge. Our cameras were always ready to view the steep slope vineyards, castles and picturesque villages from the ship. A few of the most beautiful castles along the Rhine Gorge were: Stolzenfels Castle, rebuilt in 1842 as the summer residence of King Frederick William IV; The King Klopp Castle, erected upon the foundations of a Roman fortress; the Sooneck Castle, rebuilt in 1834 in a pseudo-Gothic style by Crown Prince Frederick Wilheim of Prussia. Our ship continued to glided through the wine-growing villages and vineyards, the numerous medieval castles and stylish palaces that once belonged to nobility. The Main River Sailing down the Rhine River we entered the Main River (pronounced “Mine”). On the Main River medium-size vessels (110m x 11.45m) navigate the total length of the river. Going upstream the ship approaches a lock and a gate opens up. Then the ship enters the lock chamber until it is completely inside. The gate behind the ship closes. The lock is then filled with water until it reaches the same water level as the higher side of the chamber. The second gate opens and the ship exits at the higher water level of the lock. Frankfurt We arrived in Frankfurt, the largest city along the Main River . Frankfurt, the largest medieval city in Germany was severely bombed during World War II. Post war reconstruction took place in a simple modern style, which changed the architectural face of Frankfort . Today it is the financial and transportation center of Germany . Although Frankfurt doesn’t have the monuments or the museums, it has the Bartholomew Cathedral. A short tour of this magnificent Cathedral took us from the entrance hall to the Cloisters House with its Cathedral Treasures dating from the 15th to 19th century. From 1562 to 1792, the elections and coronations took place in St. Bartholomew Cathedral. Mainz and Heidelberg The ship docked in Mainz in the early morning. Mainz is a city of 200,000 inhabitants in which 85% of the city was destroyed in World War II. Nearby was the Roman Ship Museum , with its beautiful stained glass windows painted by Marc Chagall. We boarded a bus to Heidelberg , home to Germany’s oldest University City, founded in 1386. Our first stop was the ruins of a destroyed castle with a variety of architectural styles from gothic to renaissance. From this castle we had an excellent view of the town of Heidelberg and the Neckar River. Arriving in the Heidelberg’s Old Town we wandered through picturesque side streets. Here there were many monuments and architecture to admire. The Zun Ritter Sankt Georg was one of the most impressive monuments – late renaissance period. Today it is an exquisite hotel with the facade’s surface decorated by beautiful ornaments. Koblenz Koblenz is situated at the junction of the Moselle and the Rhine Rivers . These two rivers play a major role: the Rhine symbolizes strength and pride while the Moselle symbolizes nourishment. Koblenz is a 2000 year-old town surrounded by four low mountain ranges. Arriving after dinner in Koblenz , a late evening stroll of the historical buildings, monuments and cozy little lanes and alleyways gave us a glimpse of the past and the present. Along the promenade, we noticed sculpted figures of Father Rhine and Mother Moselle caressing on a bed of grapes. Never far from the banks of the Rhine and Moselle made it easy for us to find our ship on this dark night. The Amadeus stayed overnight in Koblenz before starting an early morning cruise on the Moselle River . The Moselle River The entire length of the Moselle is 341 miles. We sailed down the Moselle River , passing through nine locks from Koblenz to Trier . The Amadagio traveled at an even pace as the locks are quite narrow. When the ship is in the lock, there is only about one foot of clearance on each side of the ship. Going downstream the lock is drained until it reaches the same water level as the lower side of the chamber. The second gate opens and the ship exits at the lower level of the lock. As we sat in the main lounge with its full windowed sitting area we saw vineyards with steep slopes rising into the mountainside. As wine grapes are small and require a lot of sun they are planted vertically on slopes, allowing them maximum sun exposure. The Moselle Valley is known for its wines, especially the Riesling wine grapes. There are approximately 2,600 individual vineyard sites in the Moselle Valley Cochem The village of Cochem is one of the most picturesque villages and the highlight of our tour. To reach the old town we crossed a bridge to the city center. After a 20-minute walk through this small village with its charming lanes and medieval houses we were transported to the top of a steep hill to see the magnificent Reichsburg Castle . The Reichsburg was build around the year 1,000, destroyed in 1689 and rebuilt in the 19th century. It is furnished in a renaissance and baroque style. While being guided through the castle, we learned about each room and its historical changes throughout the centuries. One of the rooms we came upon was a hunting room filled with stuffed birds, bears and other animals. This well-preserved castle gave us a feeling of going back in time. Trier In the early afternoon we docked in Trier . It is Germany’s oldest city which began as a metropolis of the Roman Empire and prospered during the medieval and renaissance eras. Trier is considered to be the cradle of German wine culture, a tradition begun by the Romans when they established the Moselle vineyards. We were introduced to its ancient roman past with its Roman Bridge , the Imperial Baths and the Roman Gates. Of the four Roman gates, the “Porta Nigra” (180AD) is the only remaining gate which still survives. The River Cruise With no traffic hassles, packing or unpacking or finding a hotel, there is no better way to see Europe than by a river cruise. Our floating hotel included shore excursions in each port, entertainment and great dining. It was an excellent relaxing way to watch the river scenery. For more information visit: http://www.amadeuswaterways.com