Steve Mueller's Digital Scrapbook

Europe 2002

Friday May 24
Mosel Valley, Germany

A few years ago, when we returned from our first visit to this part of Germany, several of our friends that are experienced European travelers were dismayed that we didn't visit the Mosel Valley. According to them, this was like going to Yellowstone and not bothering to see Old Faithful. We'll, we weren't going to make that mistake twice, so on this day we headed toward the Mosel to find out what we have been missing. We had been inadvertently skirting the course of the Mosel for nearly a week. The river originates in the Vosges Mountains of France, an area that we drove through while traveling from Baccarat to Colmar. Eventually, the Mosel River runs near Luxembourg City, and into Germany near the town of Trier, and joins the mighty Rhine at Koblenz. This is roughly parallel to the route that we took between Luxembourg City and the Rhine Valley, although we used a faster non-scenic road located about 10 km south of the Mosel Valley and did not once glimpse the famed river. With a length of nearly 350 miles, the Mosel is one of the longest tributaries of the Rhine. Even a fairly cursory exploration of this river and its towns would take months. This morning, we began by following the Rhine north to Koblenz, a 2000-year-old town that we have driven past on several occasions but have never visited. Today would be no different. Our objective was the tourist haven of Cochem, located on the northern bank of the river about 50 km upriver from the confluence with the Rhine. As we slowly worked our way up the extremely winding Mosel, it was impossible to avoid the urge to stop briefly in some of the smaller, less touristy towns that we passed along the way. In the tiny town of Alken, about 15 miles from Koblenz, we visited the Müller (Mueller) Inn. The Mosel is a smaller, gentler river than the Rhine. It's slopes are not as steep and the course of the river epitomizes the word meander. The Romans first cultivated vineyards in this valley more than 2000 years ago, and it has been producing high-quality wines ever since. The medieval castles, half-timbered houses, and hillsides carpeted with white-grape vineyards are so quaint and scenic that it is difficult to believe they represent an authentic slice of German culture. Cochem In some sense, Cochem is "just another picture-perfect European town." The place is overrun by tourists, but, interestingly, they tend to be German tourists, rather than the Americans and Brits that are so common in the Rhineland towns. Presumably, the locals know a good thing when they see it. Cochem's most compelling sight is the dramatic castle perched on a prominent hill next to the town. The turreted, fairy tale-like Reichsburg was originally built in the 11^th century, destroyed by the rampaging armies of Louis XIV, and subsequently rebuilt in the neo-Gothic style. The best views of the castle are from the riverfront promenade and the top of the Sesselbahn, a chairlift that, for 5.50 Euros per person, carries visitors to the top of another nearby hill called the Pinnerkreuz. Although we did not visit the castle, we did wander around the town for at least an hour. Cochem has an attractive riverside promenade, which offers a majestic view of the omnipresent castle. Along the Mosel Promenade we had a lunch of bratwurst and cinnamon rolls, and I bought a couple of refrigerator magnets. Burg Eltz The most popular castle in the Mosel Valley region is not located directly along the river, but in a secluded forest just outside the valley. Burg Eltz is one of the most pristine medieval European castles in existence. It was constructed in the 11^th century, remodeled in the 15^th century, and has remained virtually unmodified since that time. This castle offers more than authenticity. Along with Neuschwanstein in the Bavarian Alps, and the island castle of Pfalzgrafenstein in the Rhineland, Burg Eltz completes a trio of what I believe to be the most photogenic castles in Germany. Even with 20^th century modes of transportation, getting to Burg Eltz is a somewhat of an adventure. Leaving the Mosel at Hatzenport, a variety of signs and roads guide visitors to a remote parking area. There is no town. No train station. Only the forest, the cars, and the other travelers. The castle is accessible by an easy twenty-minute walk down a steep winding lane. Initially, the castle is not visible. Only signs offer reassurance and encouragement that the path will eventually lead to the desired goal. Suddenly, there it is! A formidable mass of turrets, sentry walks, and precipitous ivy-encrusted stone walls, set in a dense dark green forest. At first glance, it seems an odd location for a fortified castle. Defensive castles generally occupy the highest ground in an area. Burg Eltz was below us, at what appeared to be the bottom of a valley entirely enclosed by hills. A closer look, however, revealed that the castle was built on a small hill formed by an entrenched meander of the Eltz River. The castle is surrounded on three sides by water, creating a natural defensive position. Also, the remote location and geographically low profile of the castle made it an inconspicuous target. The castle-eradicating hordes of Louis XIV, responsible for the destruction of so many medieval fortifications in this region of Europe, were not even aware of the existence of Burg Eltz. The castle interior contains many original furnishings, including centuries-old paintings of the Eltz family who have owned this complex for more than one thousand years. Access is only permitted as part of a group tour, which lasts about 45 minutes. English-language tours are sporadically available, but German-language tours are the standard. Although the walk down to the castle from the parking area was pleasant, we knew the return would be brutal. Fortunately, a shuttle van is available for 1.50 Euros. We gladly paid the price and were back to the car within five minutes. It was a sad drive back to Rüdesheim because in the morning we would return to Frankfurt and spend our last full day in Germany.
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More Images of The Mosel Valley