Bacharach am Rhein - Upper Middle Rhine Valley
Rheinland-Pfalz und Hessen, Germany
11.03.2024
Bacharach am Rhein - A medieval gem on the banks of the Rhine
Bacharach am Rhein is a small town located in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hessen in Germany. Situated on the banks of the Rhine River, this charming town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its well-preserved medieval architecture and rich history.
The first mention of Bacharach can be found in the 11th century, making it one of the oldest towns in the Rhine Valley. During the Middle Ages, it was an important trading town and a member of the influential Hanseatic League, a powerful alliance of merchant guilds. The town flourished during this time, with the construction of beautiful half-timbered houses, churches, and defensive walls.
One of the most iconic landmarks in Bacharach is the Stahleck Castle, a 12th-century fortress perched on a hill overlooking the town. It served as a toll station for ships passing through the Rhine River, making it a crucial stronghold in the region.
The Wernerkapelle, a small chapel built in the 13th century, is another notable structure in Bacharach. It is known for its beautiful frescoes and its connection to the legend of the town's namesake, the legendary knight Werner of Bacharach.
Today, visitors can explore the narrow streets of Bacharach and admire the well-preserved timber-framed houses that line the town's main street. They can also take a leisurely stroll along the Rhine promenade, which offers stunning views of the river and the surrounding vineyards.
Bacharach is also a popular destination for wine lovers, as it is situated in the heart of the Mittelrhein wine region. The town is surrounded by steep vineyard-covered hills, and visitors can sample the local Riesling and other varieties at the numerous wine taverns and restaurants in town.
Thanks to its rich history and picturesque setting, Bacharach am Rhein is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling through the Rhine Valley. It offers a glimpse into medieval life and is a perfect example of a well-preserved German town from that time period.
Further Reading:
The 65km-stretch of the Middle Rhine Valley, with its castles, historic towns and vineyards, graphically illustrates the long history of human involvement with a dramatic and varied natural landscape. It is intimately associated with history and legend and for centuries has exercised a powerful influence on writers, artists and composers.
Bacharach (, also known as Bacharach am Rhein) is a town in the Mainz-Bingen district in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It belongs to the Verbandsgemeinde of Rhein-Nahe, whose seat is in Bingen am Rhein, although that town is not within its bounds.
The original name Baccaracus suggests a Celtic origin. Above the town stands Stahleck Castle (Burg Stahleck), now a youth hostel.
The Rhine Gorge is a popular name for the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a 65 km section of the Rhine between Koblenz and Rüdesheim in the states of Rhineland-Palatinate and Hesse in Germany. It was added to the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in June 2002 because of its beauty as a cultural landscape, its importance as a route of transport across Europe, and the unique adaptations of the buildings and terraces to the steep slopes of the gorge.
The region's rocks were laid down in the Devonian period and are known as Rhenish Facies. This is a fossil-bearing sedimentary rock type consisting mainly of slate. The rocks underwent considerable folding during the Carboniferous period. The gorge was carved out during a much more recent uplift to leave the river contained within steep walls 200 m high, the most famous feature being the Loreley.
The gorge produces its own microclimate and has acted as a corridor for species not otherwise found in the region. Its slopes have long been terraced for agriculture, in particular viticulture which has good conditions on south-facing slopes. Most of the vineyards belong to the wine region Mittelrhein, but the southernmost parts of the Rhine Gorge fall in Rheingau and Nahe.
The river has been an important trade route into central Europe since prehistoric times and a string of small settlements has grown up along the banks. Constrained in size, many of these old towns retain a historic feel today. With increasing wealth, roughly 40 hilltop castles were built and the valley became a core region of the Holy Roman Empire. It was at the centre of the Thirty Years' War, which left many of the castles in ruins, a particular attraction for today's cruise ships which follow the river. At one time forming a border of France, in the 19th century the valley became part of Prussia and its landscape became the quintessential image of Germany.
This part of the Rhine features strongly in folklore, such as a legendary castle on the Rhine being the setting for the opera Götterdämmerung. The annual Rhine in Flames festivals include spectacular firework displays at Sankt Goar in September and Koblenz in August, the best view being from one of a convoy of boats.
