Rhine bend
From the top.
Jörg Braukmann — CC BY-SA 4.0 · jean melis — CC BY 3.0 · Carsten Steger — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Johannes Robalotoff — CC BY-SA 3.0 de · Ralf Houven — CC BY 3.0
The Lorelei is a towering slate rock rising 132 metres on the right bank of the Rhine at Sankt Goarshausen in the Middle Rhine Valley of western Germany, about 26 km south of Koblenz and 68 km west of Frankfurt in a straight line. It is part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. Since the 10th century this spot has been known as a danger to shipping, where the river narrows, bends and runs fast, and many legends grew up to explain the shipwrecks and the loud echo in the passage. The best known is of the maiden Lorelei, who sat on the rock and lured sailors with her singing. The name probably comes from an old word for «murmuring», after the sound of the water. From the top of the rock a wide view opens over the river as it bends sharply between steep hills covered in vines and forest, with cargo and tourist boats passing below. Small castles and villages line the opposite bank, including Burg Katz near Sankt Goarshausen. Visitors drive or walk up to the viewpoint, where there is a visitor centre and an open-air theatre that hosts concerts. The finest way to see the rock is a boat trip along this castle-lined stretch of the Rhine.
From the top.
On the bank.
Among the castles.
Sankt Goarshausen, Middle Rhine Valley, Germany
A boat trip on the Rhine.
Yes, from Frankfurt or Koblenz.