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Artistic inspiration

Through the eyes of a painter

Man hiking on the new Turner Route on the banks of the Rhine Photo: Anne Termeche / DW

William Turner's paintings are some of the most important among Rhine Romanticists. Since 2014 a route link the places where the artist produced his famous works. DW's Anne Termeche learns more. 

  • Fischer Jens Schmidt holt bei Sonnenaufgang am 21.06.2005 sein Netz aus dem Bodensee (Bayern) in den Kahn. Foto: dpa

    Taste of the Rhine

    Catch of the day

    About 100 fishermen are responsible for wrangling whitefish - a specialty from Lake Constance. The lake has become cleaner, with fewer phosphates and less algae. As a result, the whitefish don't mature as quickly, but the fishermen earn stabile prices for their tasty catch.

  • Gemüsestand auf dem Freiburger Wochenmarkt. Foto: dpa

    Taste of the Rhine

    Vegetable gardens

    In addition to fishing, the Upper Rhine region is also prime for growing vegetables. From Lake Constance to Bingen, a mild climate, lots of sunshine and fertile soil allow fruit and vegetables to thrive. The area around Karlsruhe is especially known for asparagus, as well as orchards and wine.

  • Dunkle Trauben hängn am Weinstock.

    Taste of the Rhine

    Top-shelf wines

    Sun-kissed grapes give the wine in Baden its character. In the warmest part of Germany, and the vines grow on volcanic soil. At around 4,250 hectacres (10, 500 acres) the "Emperor's Chair" near Breisach am Rhein is the largest of nine wine growing regions on the Upper Rhine.

  • Bildergalerie Essen Gerichte Elsässer Flammkuchen

    Taste of the Rhine

    Living like the gods in Alsace

    Alsace lies west of the Upper Rhine in France. It's known for a pizza-like dish called Tarte Flambee, bundt cakes and Gewürztraminer wine. French cuisine also influences dishes on the eastern side of the Rhine in Baden: Onion cake is reminiscent of Tarte Flambee, and sauerkraut und porkshoulder are enjoyed on both sides of the border.

  • Drei-Sterne-Koch Harald Wohlfahrt posiert mit einem Tablett in der Küche des Restaurants Schwarzwaldstube des Hotels Traube Tonbach in Baiersbronn-Tonbach. Foto: dpa

    Taste of the Rhine

    Where seven stars align

    The Upper Rhine is home to numerous star-rated restaurants. Baiersbronn is one of the best-known spots. The Black Forest village combines three gourmet restaurants that, together, boast a total of seven Michelin stars. Local ingredients and culinary creativity are the foundation of this fine cuisine.

  • Ein als Strauß dekorierter Besen signalisiert am Mittwoch (13.10.2010) an der Dorfstraße im schwarzwälder Glottertal, dass die Straußwirtschaft geöffnet hat. Foto: dpa

    Taste of the Rhine

    Bouquet business

    Many wine-growers open restaurants in the summer, serving up their own wines and simple food. As soon as they see a broom with a bouquet appear above the restaurant's entrance, locals know they're invited to stop by - hence the name, "bouquet business." These type of seasonal taverns are dotted along the Middle Rhine.

  • Pfälzer Schlachtplatte mit Pfälzer Saumagen auf einem Teller angerichtet

    Taste of the Rhine

    Hearty morsels

    Menus on the Middle Rhine often feature home cooking - like the Palatine "slaughter plate," a meal of boiled pork belly and blood sausages. The most famous dish from the German Palatinate region is pig's stomach. Chefs and butchers alike participate in competitions centered on the preparation of this pork specialty.

  • Am Rheinsteig zwischen Kaub und St.Goarshausen steht ein Marterl, in dem ein Winzer den Wanderern Wein zum Kauf anbietet. Foto: Frank Kleefeldt

    Taste of the Rhine

    Scaling steep slopes

    Hikers can weave between the vines on the Rheinsteig, the famous trail that snakes along steep vineyard slopes for 320 kilometers (200 miles). The hanging slate on the Middle Rhine tinges the wine with a unique flavor. Young vintners seek to preserve the region's cultural landscape and help the steep vineyards achieve new renown.

  • japanisches Sushi

    Taste of the Rhine

    Sushi on the Lower Rhine

    In Dusseldorf, known as "Little Tokyo on the Rhine," you can enjoy special cuisine from the Far East. Since the 1950s, many Japanese have settled here with their families, who have brought their food culture with them. Thanks to its location on the Rhine, the city enjoys a favorable connection to the sea port of Rotterdam.

  • Bolten Brauerei in Korschenbroich

    Taste of the Rhine

    Altbier on the Lower Rhine

    The Lower Rhine cultivates with a particularly highly fermented barley juice: Altbier. The dark brew is served in Dusseldorf at the longest Altbier bar in the world, as well as the oldest Altbier brewery in the town of Korschenbroich. They've been practicing the art of brewing there since the 13th century.

  • Eine Frau in Trachtenkleidung hält den Matjes mit den Zähnen fest und zieht ihn mit den Fingern am Schwanz hoch. Foto: dpa

    Taste of the Rhine

    Herring and mussels

    Near the city of Kleve, the Rhine passes through the Netherlands on its journey to the North Sea. Typical specialities there include tangy cheese and, most notably, herring and mussels, which taste of salt and sea.

    Author: Vera Kern / Andreas Kirchhoff / lbh

Watch video 05:22

Upper Middle Rhine Valley

Since the early 19th century, travelers have come for the romantic ambience of the Rhine. 

Legend

Under the spell of the Lorelei

Statue of Loreley

Men are said to succumb to her spell, just by casting a glance her way. But Lorelei is more than an enchanted mermaid: she's a legendary beauty, tourist magnet and employer. 

Upper Middle Rhine Valley - a UNESCO World Heritage Site  

Bike path along the Rhine River

Cycling the Rheinauen route

Two countries, three regions and lots of nature along the Rhine. 

Watch video 04:58

Upper Rhine

The Rhine is more than just a busy waterway. Visitors come for the proverbial Rhine romanticism. 

History

The mystical pull of the Rhine

Georg Schneider's painting 'View from Niederwald of Bingen,' 1800

In 2002 the Upper Middle Rhine Valley was named a World Heritage site. The Rhine's real heydey, however, was 200 years ago when the Romanticists first discovered the river and made it their muse. 

Watch video 05:16

Lower Rhine

The northernmost stretch of the Rhine takes the river through Germany's largest state. 

Industry meets culture

Aerial take on Germany's industrial Ruhr region

In Germany, you don't have to head to the Alps to go climbing. You can also visit coal and steel plants in the country's industrial Ruhr region. DW reporter Christopher Ricking put on his harness and tried it out. 

  • Crane houses along the Rhine at night time.

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Living on a crane

    One hundred years ago goods were loaded onto barges here, but now the Rheinauhafen has become one of Cologne’s showcase projects of urban development. The crane houses are reminiscent of the old grain cranes that used to dominate the landscape of the harbor. Homes, offices, restaurants and clubs are now located high above the Rhine.

  • An audience watching a film at the Open Air Cinema at Cologne's Rheinauhafen.

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Cinema on the Rhine

    The Rheinauhafen also hosts a small marina, and in summer there’s a large Open Air Cinema set up right on the waterfront. Film buffs can enjoy snacks and drinks from the boat during the showing. The cinema's motto: Use your imagination to sail into the distance.

  • A tower at the Museum Island Hombroich in Neuss

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Art instead of rockets

    Art and nature come together at the site of this former NATO missile station. The Museum Island Hombroich in Neuss is an art museum with free-standing exhibition pavilions and restored buildings, surrounded by renaturalized parks and wetlands.

  • Building complex designed by Frank Gehry in Düsseldorf's media harbor.

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Showcase for architecture

    Diverse architecture is what Dusseldorf's media harbor is all about. This exceptional building complex was designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. Rail tracks, wharf walls and cranes remain from the ancient trading port. Today it is a protected monument.

  • A pipe and the old ironworks complex at the Landschaftspark in Duisburg-Nord

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Adventures in an industrial wasteland

    Duisburg's Landschaftspark lies on the site of a former ironworks just north of the city. Today it is a public park that feels like a museum. Here visitors can go climbing on the blast furnace, or taking diving courses in the Gasometer.

  • The large rollercoaster sculpture, “Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain” just south of Duisburg

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Rollercoaster ride

    The former mining waste tips are particularly suitable for art installations. One of the latest exhibits is "Tiger & Turtle - Magic Mountain" just south of Duisburg. The Hamburg-based artist duo Heike Mutter and Ulrich Genth created a unique rollercoaster that visitors can actually walk on.

  • Camping spots along the banks of the Rhine at Grav Island, Wesel

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Camping on the Lower Rhine

    Down the Rhine at Wesel, you'll find Grav Island which is surrounded by water, floodplains and meadows. Carthusian monks lived here in the 15th and 16th centuries, and today the island offers campers a retreat right on the river. It is open from April to October.

  • The remains of the Roman Harbor Temple at the archaeological park in Xanten

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Romans on the Lower Rhine

    The Romans also had their harbors along the Rhine, leaving behind numerous imposing structures like these. The reconstructed Roman Harbor Temple can be seen in Xanten, one of the largest archaeological open air museums in the world. The public have been able to follow in the footsteps of the Romans here since the park was created in 1988.

  • The chair swing ride inside the cooling tower at Wunderland Kalkar.

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Carousel in the cooling tower

    The nuclear power plant in Kalkar never went online. In 1995 the site was instead converted into an amusement park, Wunderland Kalkar. Among the highlights is Adventure Plaza, where visitors can drive go-carts. There’s also a rollercoaster, ferris wheel and a spectacular swing ride in the cooling tower.

  • A red rowboat attached to a crane outside the Emmerich Rhine Museum.

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Understanding ships

    The Rhine Museum in Emmerich is the largest maritime museum on the Lower Rhine. It features exhibits on life, work, and, most significantly, electricity in Germany. It also has more than 150 model ships on display, ranging from a dugout to a pushed convoy.

  • People strolling along the Rhine promenade in Emmerich

    Industry and leisure on the Lower Rhine

    Strolling along the river bank

    Like many towns on the Rhine, Emmerich has rediscovered and redesigned the banks of the river. The Rhine promenade was completed in 2007 and is the perfect place for a stroll. It has a beautiful view of the longest suspension bridge in Germany, and up to 500 ships travel past every day.

    Author: Frederike Müller, Andreas Kirchhoff / nm

Myth or truth?

Treasure hunt on the Rhine

1859 painting of Hagen von Tronje sinking the Nibelungs' treasure in the Rhine, Copyright: Wikipedia/gemeinfrei

According to legend, the Nibelungs' treasure is buried somewhere on the Rhine. The tale has inspired artists and treasure hunters alike for hundreds of years. Could there be some truth to it? 

Bildergalerie Rheinromantik

Art meets nature on the Rhine

Artists and natural scientists in the 18th and 19th centuries were inspired by the Rhine River. 

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