Bingen am Rhein Germany Baden-Wurttemberg
Germany

A solitary tower planted on an islet, in the middle of the river: it is often the first thing passengers notice approaching Bingen am Rhein. The Mäuseturm, the "mouse tower," owes its name to an unflattering legend. Archbishop Hatton II, a starver of his people, is said to have taken refuge there to escape a horde of vengeful mice… who ended by devouring him. True or not, the story sets the tone: here begins the valley of the Middle Upper Rhine, a gorge of castles, rocks and tales inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list.

A Strategic Position Since Antiquity

Bingen occupies the confluence of the Rhine and the Nahe, exactly where the river leaves the plain to plunge into the gorges. The Romans already had a bridge and military post there; in the Middle Ages, the tower on the islet and the castle of Ehrenfels, whose ruin still clings to the opposite slope, collected tolls from ships. Today, river traffic passes freely, and it is a spectacle in itself: container ships, barges and white cruise boats cross without ceasing beneath the vines.

From the Dock to the Old Town

Ships dock along the Kulturufer, the "cultural bank," a remodelled promenade that borders the centre at the water's edge, dotted with gardens and works of art. Everything is accessible on foot: the shopping lanes are within minutes, the castle of Klopp dominates the roofs atop a hill that takes a quarter-hour to climb, and its esplanade offers an extended view over the confluence, the gorges and the slopes of Rüdesheim opposite. A ferry indeed regularly links the two banks for those wishing to wander the opposite side.

Hildegard: The Great Figure of the Place

Impossible to mention the city without speaking of Hildegard of Bingen, an abbess, composer, naturalist and mystic of the twelfth century, canonised and elevated doctor of the Church in 2012. The Museum am Strom, installed in a former power plant at the water's edge, devotes a permanent exhibition to her and also presents a collection of Roman surgical instruments found here, an astonishing witness to ancient medicine. The visit fits easily into a port-call, the museum being directly on the promenade.

What Offers Itself Along the Promenade

  • The Kulturufer and its riverside gardens, perfect for a walk without specific purpose.
  • The hill of Klopp Castle and its panorama over the confluence.
  • The Museum am Strom, between Hildegard and Roman medicine.
  • The view of the Mäuseturm and the ruin of Ehrenfels, downstream.
  • The ferry toward Rüdesheim, across the river.

The Wine of the Slate Slopes

The hillsides that frame the city have produced Riesling for centuries, and the wine shops of the centre allow you to taste it without ceremony. In clear weather, climb rather toward the heights of Rochusberg, the wooded hill that borders the south: shaded paths, a pilgrimage chapel and vistas over the valley compose a peaceful pause, barely thirty minutes' walk from the dock.

When the Ship Engages in the Gorges

Bingen is savoured too as a threshold. Leaving the dock, the ship passes the islet's tower, greets the ruin of Ehrenfels and sinks into the gorge where castles will succeed one another for hours. Stay on deck at that moment: few river stretches in Europe offer an entrance this theatrical, and it begins here, exactly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Along the Kulturufer, the culture bank, a redesigned waterfront promenade running past the centre, dotted with gardens and artworks. Everything is walkable from the gangway: the shopping lanes are a few minutes away.
The Mouse Tower, standing on an islet in the middle of the river. Legend has it that Archbishop Hatto II, who starved his people, took refuge there to escape a horde of vengeful mice that finally devoured him. In the Middle Ages the tower more prosaically collected tolls from passing ships, along with Ehrenfels Castle, whose ruin still clings to the slope opposite.
Yes. The castle crowns a knoll above the rooftops, about fifteen minutes' climb from the quay. Its terrace gives a wide view over the confluence of the Rhine and the Nahe, the gorge, and the vineyards of Rüdesheim opposite.
A museum housed in a former power station at the water's edge, right on the promenade. It has a permanent exhibition on Hildegard of Bingen and displays a set of Roman surgical instruments found locally, a striking record of ancient medicine. The visit fits easily into a port call.
A 12th-century abbess, composer, naturalist and mystic, canonised and named a Doctor of the Church in 2012. She is the great figure of the town, and the Museum am Strom devotes a permanent exhibition to her.
Because it sits at the confluence of the Rhine and the Nahe, exactly where the river leaves the plain and plunges into the gorge. The Romans already had a bridge and a garrison here. This is where the Upper Middle Rhine Valley begins, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Yes, a ferry runs regularly between Bingen and Rüdesheim on the opposite bank, for anyone who wants to wander the other side of the river.
Head up the Rochusberg, the wooded hill bordering the town to the south, barely thirty minutes' walk from the quay. Shaded paths, a pilgrimage chapel and glimpses over the valley make a peaceful interlude, best in clear weather.
The euro and German. Cards work in shops and wine bars in the centre, but keep a few euros in cash for ferries, small terraces and ticket desks. English is understood along the promenade and at the museum.
Yes, it is genuinely worth it. Pulling away from the quay, the ship passes the island tower, salutes the Ehrenfels ruin and enters the gorge where castles will follow one another for hours. Few stretches of river in Europe open as theatrically, and this is exactly where it starts.