The 2000 year old city of Koblenz is located at the confluence of the River Rhine and the River Moselle in the Federal State of Rhineland-Palatinate of western Germany. The city of just over 100,000 residents has an abundance of historical buildings and cultural monuments that line narrow lanes, alleyways and romantic squares, which together with its peaceful riverside promenades creates an attractive atmosphere and an appealing destination for visitors. The city stands in the Rhineland, 100 kilometres north-west of Frankfurt, and is surrounded by a picturesque landscape comprised of four low mountain ranges which are covered in vineyards, woodlands and lakes, and dotted with castles and fortresses. Its position in the mid-Rhine region, at the juncture of the rivers Rhine and Moselle, has ensured that the city has remained a vital link in the river trade routes of Europe. The city is the northern limit of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley and the U.N.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site and as such is a major tourist destination for those visiting this area and for those taking cruises along the Rhine.
A varied history has left Koblenz with a truly European cultural heritage having being influenced over the centuries by the different nationalities which have tried to govern this strategic location. Originally settled by the Romans in 9 B.C., Koblenz is today home to fortress walls and towers, castles, noble mansions, medieval burghers houses and beautiful old churches which paint a vivid picture of its eventful past. Its old defensive walls encircled the Old Town, or Altstadt, and consisted of strong forts crowning the hills, while on the opposite, or east bank of the River Rhine, stood the huge Ehenbreitstein Fortress which sprawls along the ridgeline and overlooks the German Corner, or Deutsches Eck. Here stands the massive statue of Emperor William I at the very juncture of the two rivers and from which, no more than four to five hundred metres away, can be found most of the historic buildings and monuments.
The Altstadt of Koblenz is well worth a visit, and apart from its good shopping and plentiful places to eat, has many fine museums and interesting places worth seeing. The Altstadt is a closely built-up area and has only a few fine streets and squares which maintain the oldest historical buildings such as the large and attractive 12th century, four square-towered, Church of St Kastor, and the 13th century Liebfrauenkirche with its lofty Romanesque towers which are topped by onion-domed roofs and spires, the 13th century Church of St Florian and the family house of the Metternichs. Koblenz is a maze of interesting and historic locations and just wandering around will be an exciting experience and you may pass, apart from the restored historic house fronts, the 18th century Rathaus, which was formerly a Jesuit College and the neighboring Jesuit Church, the Old Mint and the Alte Burg Castle. A little further away is the Kurfurstliches Schloss, or Palace of the Prince Electors of Trier which overlooks the River Rhine, and near the railway station can be found the Constantine Fortress. There are many more sights to see and events to experience and for further information visit the tourist information centres at the railway station or the City Hall.
If you happen to want to see more castles, just south of the city stands the magnificent Schloss Stolzenfels which is a neo-Gothic castle and considered to be the most outstanding castle within the U.E.S.C.O. World Heritage Site of the Romantic Rhine!!
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