BOPPARD ON THE RHINE
Loverly Loreley Tourist Town on the Middle-Rhine
The
town of Boppard on the Rhine in the Rhineland Palatine has been a cross
roads for travelers along the great river for 2,000 years. The
Romans built a fort in 360 AD to guard the trade route to their Germania
territories (see Roman
Ships at Mainz). King Richard I of England built
a tower to control his claims to Germany, before finding himself captured
and held for ransom. The
German Electors built a fortress to
collect river tolls. King Richard's tower is gone, but the Roman Fort
remains,
one of Boppard’s most noted sights, one of the best preserved Roman
Forts north of the Alps, located right in the center of town, just next
to the train station. The Elector’s medieval fortress along the
banks of the Rhine was mostly destroyed
but the castle tower remains
as the
city’s museum. The museum is free with exhibits of local history,
a unique
collection of Bentwood furniture by local 18th Century craft master Michael
Thonet, artifacts from graves excavated at the Roman Fort
and a 14th Century mural. Climb up the winding tower stairs to the top
floor of the castle tower and compare pictures by Nikolaus Schlad of
Boppard in the 1800’s to a current fortress-eye view out the narrow
windows to the river where it curves around the Boppard Hamm and Rhine
cruise boats dock at the village’s old town tourist center. Also
notable at the village’s market square is the two-towered 12th
Century church of Saint Severus with Romanesque period wall paintings.
Boppard
is a popular tourism town stop for many of the Rhine cruises and tours.
Located on the west side of the Rhine about 30 kilometers
south of Koblenz, Boppard is just to the north of the Lorelei. The
mighty rock of legend where sailors, drawn by the siren song
of the long-haired mythical beauty would wreck on the shoals where the
river curves around the massive cliff. Local cruise boats depart every
hour
for sightseeing
cruises
past the Lorelei and back, making circle tours taking about 2 hours.
The larger KD Cruise line regularly stops at Boppard on its longer
Rhine cruises up and down the river (see KD
Rhine Cruise Line).
The
quaint old town has many small tourist hotels and restaurants along
the
river front, like the river view Rheinlust
Hotel or the grand 19th Century art nouveau Best Western Bellevue
Rheinhotel For
wine touring, Weinguts and Weinstubs (Wine Sellers and Wine Taverns)
for
tasting
both Rhine
and Mosel Wines are sprinkled all over town, along the narrow streets
lined with beautiful half-timbered buildings. The town lights up
at night in sparkling
reflections on the flowing currents of the river. There
are no bridges across the Rhine between Mainz and Koblenz, so crossing
in this area known as the Middle-Rhine is by ferry. Boppard
like St.
Goar to the south is a ferry crossing, with the ferry
boats droning all day long from one side to the other, with about
20 minutes between each crossing, the cost of the ferry is a few
euros
for a 5 minute ride. Boppard is an easy destination for a Rhine River
trip,
whether by rail, on-off cruise boat or car. The road that follows
the Rhine is a pleasant, easy drive past the many castles, small
villages
and wine
vineyards between Bingen and Koblenz. A winding road out the west
from from Boppard leads to the A61 autobahn, where you can head north
to Cologne
or
south
to
Mannheim,
or if feeling
adventurous you can continue on the narrow road (at points actually
one lane) to the Mosel River for more castles and wine vineyards
(see Cochem
Castle on the Mosel and Castle Thurant).
Cross
the Rhine by ferry at Boppard to the east bank and about 4 kilometers
north to Braubach where you’ll find Marksburg Castle, one of
the best preserved medieval forts on the Rhine (see Castle
Marksburg)
or
if a real aficionado, stop at the Castle Institute library at Phillipsburg
Castle in the Braubach old village directly below Marksburg (see Phillipsburg
Castle Institute). Phillipsburg is a short walk from
the on-off cruise dock at Braubach, just cross under the railroad
track to the old town
street and turn right, follow the signs. Marksburg is a real hike
to the top of the hill, easier to catch a bus in town. © Bargain
Travel Europe
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Boppard City
Museum
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See Also:
SCHONBURG CASTLE HOTEL ON THE RHINE
RÜDESHEIMER
COFFEE ON THE RHINE
STUTTGART
MUSEUMS
WINE AND WURST GERMAN WINE ROAD
