Mittelrhein: All about Wine and History
The entire journey of the river Rhine can be divided into four sections, namely – High Rhine, Upper Rhine, Middle Rhine, and Lower Rhine. The middle section of the river Rhine or as it is known in German, the Mittelrhein, it falls between Bonn and Bingen.
The upper half section or the Upper Middle Rhine was inducted in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site, 2002. This particular region has over 40 castles and fortresses which date back to the Middle Ages and also of times before that. It is also renowned world over for its wines. The Lower Middle Rhine region, located between the towns of Koblenzz and Bonn specifically is famous for its landscapes and the dormant volcanic mountains. Both these sections together form the – romantic Rhine.
Mittelrhein since the 19th century has been a major tourist destination along with being home to over half a million people. This section of the valley has a distinct appearance wherein natural elements fuse together with human alterations and together, this confluence forms something mystical.
Additionally, the Middle Rhine region has played a significant role historically. There were numerous interactions between the Mediterranean region and the northern Europe areas which were mediated by Mittelrhein.
The sheer personality of the valley has inspired poets, composers, artists and writers from all over the world.
Modes of transport
Railways along with roadways are the major mediums which connect both sides of the river banks with rest of Germany. For instance, the Linke Rheinstrecke is on the left side of the bank and on the right side you can take the Rechte Rheinstrecke.
The roads that you can take are B 9 and B 42 of the federal road network to reach here. Along with these modes the Rhine itself serves as a crucial mode of transportation. There are numerous options available in that respect.
The important towns that are situated on the left bank can be listed as follows:
- Bingen,
- Bacharach,
- Oberwesel,
- Goar,
- Boppard,
- Koblenz
- Andernach,
- Bad Breisig,
- Sinzig, Remagen and
Whereas, on the right side of the Rhine you can find the following cities:
- Rüdesheim,
- Assmannshausen,
- Lorch,
- Kaub,
- Goarshausen,
- Braubach,
- Lahnstein,
- Vallendar,
- Bendorf,
- Neuwied,
- Bad Hönningen,
- Linz am Rhein,
- Bad Honnef and
- Königswinter.
The castles and fortresses that found in the Middle Rhine region are:
The Left Bank area:
- Burg Klopp
- Trutzbingen
- Burg Rheinstein
- Burg Reichenstein
- Burg Sooneck
- Heimburg in Niederheimbach
- Burg Fürstenberg
- Burg Stahlberg
- Stahleck Castle
- Schönburg
- Burg Rheinfels
- Alte Burg (Boppard)
- Stolzenfels Castle
- Fort Großfürst Konstantin
- Alte Burg (Koblenz)
- Electoral Palace (Koblenz)
- Feste Kaiser Franz
- Stadtburg Andernach
- Burg Namedy [1]
- Schloss Brohleck
- Burg Rheineck
- Sinzig Castle
- Schloss Marienfels
- Burg Rolandseck
- Godesburg
- Poppelsdorfer Schloss
- Kurfürstliches Schloss Bonn
The Right Bank area:
- Boosenburg
- Brömserburg
- Vorderburg
- Burg Ehrenfels
- Ruine Nollig
- Burg Pfalzgrafenstein
- Burg Gutenfels
- Burg Katz
- Burg Reichenberg
- Burg Maus
- Burg Liebenstein
- Burg Sterrenberg
- Schloss Liebeneck
- Burg Osterspai
- Schloss Philippsburg (Braubach)
- Marksburg
- Martinsburg
- Lahneck Castle
- Fort Asterstein
- Schloss Philippsburg (Koblenz)
- Festung Ehrenbreitstein
- Schloss Sayn
- Burg Sayn
- Schloss Engers
- Schloss Neuwied
- Burg Altwied
- Marienburg
- Burg Hammerstein
- Schloss Arenfels
- Burg Dattenberg
- Burg Linz
- Burg Ockenfels
- Burg Vilzelt
- Löwenburg
- Wolkenburg
- Burg Drachenfels
- Drachenburg Palace
- Burg Lede.
History of the Valley
Archaeological records have suggested that the human settlement in the Middle Rhine Valley dates back to the time of the early Iron Age. Most of the supplementing evidences were found in the barrow fields in the forest of Brey. Furthermore, Celtic settlements were found on the western border of the Middle Rhine region where the surveyors also found the grave pillars of Pfalzfeld along with the Waldalgesheim chariot burial. Further evidences have suggested that sometime around the 4th century BC Mediterranean influences started becoming stark.
The Roman civilization settled here during the mid-1st century period and lasted for about 400 years. It was able to last for such a long time because of the construction of the Roman Rhine Valley Road which linked Mainz with Cologne and ran alongside the left bank of the river Rhine. Numerous evidences have also suggested shipping establishments on the Rhine dating back to this period. These factors further corroborate the exponential rise in the wealth of the Roman Empire.
When the empire reached 5th century CE its presence in the region began to get deteriorated because of the influences from the Alamanni and Franks. In the due course both these empires forced the Romans to withdraw from the region. The new Franconian towns which came up were liberated from the old archaic practices. As a result agriculture and livestock farming thus began to take place within the boundaries of the city.
During the Middle Ages all the fortified Roman cities and settlements came under the rule of the various Franconian Kings. The entire region between Bingen and Remagen was brought under the Crown possession. Later on when Charlemagne came to power he bifurcated his empire basing on the Treaty of Verdun of A.D. 843.
Further into the late Middle Ages, this time is marked by territorial fragmentation of the Middle Rhine region. This was also the time of immense conflict but most of the surviving 40 castles and fortifications in the region in-fact date back to this time period. These constructions were a result of a competitive spirit.
The designs and architectural styles of these castles is one of the best examples which illustrate the late medieval military architecture. Most of these castles and fortifications had been designed carrying influences from the technical developments in France, Italy and the Crusader states. The castles of Marksburg, Burg Rheinfels, Burg Reichenberg and Burg Katz are known to have been constructed by the Counts of Katzenelnbogen. They were especially known for their exceptional skill in castle building.
Moreover, the Middle Rhine region and its cities and towns simply because of their central location have witnessed many historically events throughout time. Arguably the most important event in this regard was the Declaration of Rhense in 1338.
The modern period
When the Thirty Years War erupted in 1618 the fight between the Protestants and Catholics further intensified along with mutating political tensions in the empires of Germany, France, Spain and Sweden. When the war ended, the region was brought down to its knees to an economically ruinous state. As a result more than half of the then population died because of first, the war and the diseases and famine that followed.
The conflict was carry-forwarded to the end of the century. This conflict was followed by War of the Palatinate Succession which brought more destruction between 1688 and 1692. Many of the castles and fortifications were destroyed during this time. From here on till the time just before the French Revolutionary wars were somewhat peaceful in relative terms.
These were some of the most conflict oriented and confusing times in history. In the year 1815, just after the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the Watch on the Rhine was received by the Prussian empire on the left bank of the Rhine. On the other hand, the right bank was left under the control of the Hesse-Nassau.
Moreover, Prussians were not known to sit quietly and be undermined. They therefore in 1817 went on to construct the Fortress Koblenz and Ehrenbreitstein and regained their supremacy in the region. As the 19th century was approaching its culmination, the region further witnessed the Austro-Prussian Wars in 1866 and thus most of the Rhine went under the Prussian control. During the last decade of this century steamships began running on the Rhine and by the turn of the century viticulture began to dominate the economic profile of the region.
In the first half of the 20th century the left bank of the Rhein was brought under a demilitarized zone which was first administered by the American troops then after 1923 the French took charge of the region till 1929. Went the Second World War ended the French again took control of the region. They then went on and founded the Rhineland-Palatinate.
Viticulture in the region
The climate and the soil of this region are the two most important factors which have facilitated the production of some of most well-known varieties of wines. Wine production in this region goes back to the Roman times. They had first introduced viticulture in the Moselle valley and from thereon it spread to the Middle Rhine Valley during the middle ages.
Historical development of viticulture in this region can be divided into four distinct phases beginning from 11th century and ending sometime later in the 14th century. Most of the techniques were developed during these times. By the latter parts of the 16th century the wine industry began to boom. Due to the numerous wars and conflicts production and storage of wine became nearly impossible and thus the industry began to go down. Then they were revived again in the 1900s.
Following is a list which represents wines in terms of their popularity and area under production:
- Riesling: It is a variety of white wine and is grown on 68.4 % of the total area. This makes it the most popular variety of wine in the region.
- The Pinot Noir: A variety of red wine which is the second most favourite of the region. It is grown on 9 % of the total area under production.
- Müller-Thurgau: It is also otherwise known as Rivaner and is a variety of white wine. It is grown on 5.5 % of the total area.
- Dornfelder: A popular variety of red wine grown on 3.1 % of the area.
- Kerner: Grown on 2.0 % of the area, it is a kind of white wine.
- White Burgundy: Also otherwise known as Klevner and Pinot Blanc. It is a variety of white wine and grown on 2.7 % of the total area.
- Pinot Gris: A kind of white wine which is popularly known as the Ruländer. It is grown on 2.1 % of the total area.
- Kékoportó: A variety of red wine grown on 3 % of the total area.
- Scheurebe: White wine grown on 1.0 % of the area.
- Regent: Red wine which is cultivated on 0.8 % of the area.
- Bacchus: A kind of White wine grown on about 0.4 % of the area.
- Dunkelfelder: Red wine which is grown on 4% of the area.
- Silvaner: A variety of White wine grown on 0.3 % of the total area under production.
- Chardonnay: Variety of white wine and is grown on 0.3 % of the total area.
- Müllerrebe: Otherwise popularly known as the Meunier, it is a kind of red wine which is grown on 0.3 % of the area.
- Huxelrebe: Variety of white wine grown on 2 % of the area.
- Gewürztraminer: A kind of white wine grown on 0.2 % of the land under cultivation.
- Ehrenfelser: White wine grown on 0.2 % of the area.
- Faber: This white wine is also known as Faberrebe and is cultivated on 0.2 % of the land.
- Reichensteiner: Variety of white wine and is grown on 0.1 % of the area.
- Cabernet Dorsa: A variety of red wine which is grown on 0.1 % of the total area.
- Würzer: White wine grown on 0.1 % of the land under cultivation.
- Frühburgunder: Grown on less than 0.1 % of the total land, it is a variety of red wine.
The other varieties of white wine that are cultivated in this region are:
- Albalonga
- Arnsburger
- Auxerrois
- Bacchus
- Bronner
- Chardonnay
- Ehrenbreitsteiner
- Ehrenfelser
- Elbling
- Faberrebe
- foundling
- Freisamer
- malingre précoce
- Muscat
- Gewürztraminer
- Goldriesling
- Pinot Gris
- Chasselas
- hibernal
- Holder
- Huxelrebe
- Johanniter
- jewel
- chancellor
- Kerner
- Kernling
- Marie Steiner
- Merzling
- Morio Muscat
- Müller-Thurgau(Rivaner)
- Muscat Ottonel
- Nobling
- Optima
- Orion
- Ortega
- Osteiner
- pearl
- Phoenix
- principal
- Regner
- Reichensteiner
- Rieslaner
- Riesling
- Sauvignon Blanc
- Scheurebe
- Schönburger
- Septimer
- Siegerrebe
- Silcher
- Silvaner
- Sirius
- Staufer
- White Burgundy
- Würzer
Furthermore, the other varieties of red wine produced in this region are:
- Acolon
- Blauburger
- Cabernet Mitos
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- Dakapo
- Deckrot
- Domina
- Dornfelder
- Dark fields
- Frühburgunder
- Hegel
- Helfensteiner
- Heroldrebe
- Lemberger
- Merlot
- Palas
- Portuguese
- regent
- rondo
- Rotberg
- Meunier
- Pinot Noir
- Laurent
- Tauberschwarz
- Trollinger
- Zweigelt
Some of the popular annual events of the region are:
- Rhine in Flames: One can witness fireworks in several cities across the Rhine Valley. This festival takes place in the months of May, July, August and September.
- In the month of August the Mittelrhein hosts culinary summer nights.
- Beginner Wine Festival: It is one of the more recent additions and is hosted in the month of October in Posthof Bacharach.
- Middle Rhine Marathon: The marathon is an annual affair and takes place between Oberwesel and the German Corner in Koblenz.
- Rhine on Skates: This festival takes place in August each year