Sightseeing
in the area
Nature and culture at
the Siebengebirge – the perfect combination
The densely wooded Siebengebirge is dominated by the
legendary Drachenfels mountain, even though the
Drachenfels does not form the top of the total of 40 hills with its height of
just 321 metres. However, its romantic ruin of a fortress and the Castle
Drachenburg, which is a jewel of the High Romanticism definitely worth seeing,
always attract lots of tourists.
The Petersberg mountain, which is quite close to the Drachenfels mountain, is crowned by the imposing guest house of the
Federal government, which does not only serve for the accommodation for state
guests, but also as a first-class hotel for demanding travellers.
Right at the Rhine in the little village of Rhöndorf belonging to Bad Honnef,
there is another relict from the history of the Federal Republic of Germany:
The atmospheric Adenauer House with its well-cared for garden displays the
first federal chancellor's affection for his roses, whereas the exhibition
building demonstrates the interesting facts of life and work of the famous
statesman.
For further infromation: www.siebengebirge.de or www.siebengebirge.com
Königswinter
with Petersberg
At the foot of the Drachenfels mountain
you
will find the often-visited city of
which is also a winegrower’s village.
Like hardly any other city in the region,
it attracts due to its picturesque atmosphere
displaying the harmony between
This traditional tourist centre is located right at
the Romantic Rhine in the Siebengebirge. The city welcomes you with its
pulsating life in the old town and one of the most beautiful promenades of the
Drachenfels
(Drachenfels mountain)
Where Siegfried fought with the dragon
With
a height of 321 metres the Drachenfels mountain
is not the highest one, but it is definitely the most
famous mountain of the Siebengebirge. According to
Karl Simrock, an expert regarding the Nibelungs
legend, it is right here where Siegfried’s fight with the dragon took place.
In 1140, Arnold I, the Cologne Arch Bishop, began to erect the fortress at the
Drachenfels mountain as a border fortification. In
1634, another arch bishop of
The legendary ruin of a fortress is located on top of the Drachenfels, which
has a height of 321 metres. According to the legend, it is right here where
Siegfried’s fight with the dragon took place. You can reach the top of the
Drachenfels mountain either on foot, with a hackney or
– just half way – on the back of a donkey. A little more comfortable though is
a ride with
Our tip: with the Bonn
Regio WelcomeCard you get a 20 % reduction on your ride with the Drachenfelsbahn!
Drachenfelsbahn (Drachenfels rack
railway)
Right at the foot of the Drachenfels mountain there is the valley station of
The ride with
The Drachenfelsbahn has been operated since 1883 now. With the help of a
monumental locomotive, which is displayed quite close to the valley
station, one can imagine how a steam locomotive was operated in former
times.
On its track of about 1.5 kilometres the Drachenfelsbahn gets over a difference
in altitude of 220 metres. In its 100-years-old history it transported more
than 30 million people. It is also possible to get up the mountain on the back
of little monkeys, with a hackney or on foot.
Our tip: with the Bonn
Regio WelcomeCard you get a 20 % reduction on your ride with the
Drachenfelsbahn!
info@drachenfelsbahn-koenigswinter.de
/ www.drachenfelsbahn-koenigswinter.de
Schloss Drachenburg (Castle Drachenburg)
The
Castle Drachenburg is a romantic work of art from the period of
promoterism
surrounded by the wonderful nature of the Siebengebirge,
which is definitely worth seeing. In the fore-fortress the
only
“Museum
for the History of Preservation of
Nature” found a suitable place.
Opening hours:
April 1 – November 1:
Tu.
– Su.
Stephan
Sarter, son of a Bonn-based restaurant owner, who became wealthy as a stock
broker and was therefore known as the “Baron of Sarter”, purchased a piece of
land right underneath the ruin of a fortress at the Drachenfels, in order to
fulfil his living dream. Between 1882 and 1884 an imposing work of art from the
period of promoterism was erected here, the architecture and design of which
puts visitors into times long past.
The
castle was heavily damaged during the 2nd World War and in the post-war period,
so that in the 1960s it was empty and about to fall into decay. It was Paul
Spinat, who saved it from its destiny as he purchased the castle and opened it
for the public in 1973. Up until his death in 1989, the lord of the castle
resided in the Castle Drachenburg. Since 1989, the “Nordrhein-Westfalen
Stiftung Naturschutz, Heimat- und Kulturpflege” (Northrhine-Westfalia
Institution for the Maintenance of Nature Protection, Homeland and Culture) has
been renovating the castle, which is classified as a historical monument. Due
to renovations still taking place, visits are only possible partly.
A
visit to Castle Drachenburg connects the cultural incentives of castle and
park, museum and history with the intensive experience of free nature.
mail@schloss-drachenburg.de / www.schloss-drachenburg.de
The
"Nibelungenhalle" with its reptile zoo
The ”Nibelungenhalle”, which is
located in Königswinter at the world-famous Drachenfels, was opened in 1913 as
a picture gallery and memory hall on the occasion of Richard Wagner’s 100th
birthday.
After the “Nibelungenhalle” was dedicated to his big musical drama “Der Ring
der Nibelungen”, it was almost obvious to establish a dragon cave here. This
dragon cave was supposed to demonstrate the story of the dragon Fafnir and
Siegfried’s victory over this monster for the young and the old, but especially
for the little ones.
The reptile zoo at the “Nibelungenhalle” shows the descendants of the saurians.
Next to alligators, saurians, snakes and geckos you will find tarantulas and
scorpions here. The reptile zoo presents one of
Opening hours: March 15 – November 15, from 10:00 AM – 18:00 PM, November 16 –
March 14, Sat., Sun., and on holidays 10:30 AM – 16:00 PM www.reptilien-zoo-koenigswinter.de
The Adenauer
House Rhöndorf
At
Christmas 1937 Konrad Adenauer’s family moved to their new home Zennigsweg 8a
in Rhöndorf. It was to remain Adenauer’s home for more than three decades. He
died there – aged 91 – on
The
heirs of the first German chancellor, his seven sons and daughters, donated the
estate to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1967. The government then created
the foundation Stiftung Bundeskanzelr-Adenauer-Haus in Rhöndorf, the first
memorial to a politician.
The
private living quarters of the first German chancellor are open to the public.
Generous but modest, they present the unpretentious lifestyle of the Adenauer
family.
A
modern permanent exhibition takes the visitors on a tour of Konrad Adenauer’s
life and work during four periods of German history.
Many
documents, souvenirs and photos from his personal estate, films and images
bring Adenauer’s long political career to life.
Alongside
the politician and statesman, you can also discover the private Konrad
Adenauer: the husband and family man, the gardening and rose enthusiast, the
do-it-yourself and inventor, the art and classical music lover, the passionate
thriller reader and boccia fan – and a lot more…
The
path up to Adenauer’s home leads through a lush garden planted on the steep
slopes of a former vineyard. Visitors will pass by a rich variety of treed,
bushes, flowers ad roses, roses, and more roses, which Adenauer loved
particularly but did not cultivate as popular legend would erroneously have it.
Statures,
fountains and then the pavilion and boccia alley add Mediterranean flair to
this paradise of flowers on the summy slopes of the
From
the house and garden you can enjoy magnificient views of the
Montessori
Europe will
offer 2 guides on Friday morning, 01. October 2010 at
