The Historic German Corner in Koblenz, Germany

On September 21, 2020September 21, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany3 Comments

The location where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers merge is known as the German Corner. It is also the location of the town of Koblenz, which is over two thousand years old with beautiful scenery, vineyards, churches, and castles. Across the Rhine River from the German Corner is Ehrenbreitstein, which is the second-largest preserved fortress in Europe. A cable car will take you from the town of Koblenz over the river to the top of the hill where the fortress resides. It is also a great place to get incredible views of the German Corner and the boats traversing the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.

The site was first named by Knights of the Teutonic Order and declared is considered a historic landmark. In 1891, Kaiser Wilhelm II dedicated a statue to his grandfather, Wilhelm I at the site. Although it was destroyed during World War II, a replica of the statue was erected in 1993 and dominates the park area. Seeing it from the hill across the river gives you some perspective on the size of the statue.

Many people come through the area on river boat cruises, but we took a train from Frankfurt to Koblenz and since it was autumn, the leaves were vibrant and colorful. Although there are plenty of reasons to visit Koblenz, including the Stolzenfels Castle as well as the fortress. We found the town to be very relaxing and we enjoyed strolling along the banks of the river and all around the German Corner.

Unique Places to Visit – Chocolate Museum in Köln (Cologne), Germany

On August 18, 2020August 18, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany4 Comments

When we visited Köln during our time in Germany, we decided to take a tour of the Schokoladen Museum (Chocolate Museum). The museum is situated right on the Rhine river in the Rheinau Harbour next to old town and not far from the cathedral. The three story building is shaped like a large ship with floor to ceiling windows providing wonderful views of the river and city. Lindt is the official chocolatier of the museum and the highlight of the tour is tasting and buying the freshly made chocolate. There is even an opportunity to create a personalized chocolate bar with nut and candy toppings and fillings chosen by you.

Candy Bar Tree and View of the Rhine River

The self-guided tour takes you through the history of chocolate making with displays that contain the machines and molds that were used in the 1800’s to the modern era. The museum itself is a working chocolate factory where you can watch the process from beginning to end. There are a variety of spectacular chocolate creations to admire throughout the museum.

Obviously, it is great place to visit with children with all of the moving objects, chocolate displays, and sweets to eat, but it is fun for adults as well. A small botanical garden with cocoa trees and a replica of an old-time chocolate store add to the museum’s charm. There is also a restaurant on-site where you can sit and enjoy a nice meal while watching the boats that make their way along the river.

All of the information provided in the museum is in both English as well as German, making it friendly for tourists as well as locals. If you have a couple of hours and want to do something indoors, the Chocolate Museum is certainly a worthwhile destination. You may just have to keep your sweet-tooth in check, otherwise you might end up leaving with a month’s supply of chocolate delights.

Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz, Germany

On March 16, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Germany2 Comments

Castles are certainly one of the most interesting sights to see while visiting Germany and there are literally hundreds of ruins along the coasts of the Rhine River. Sometimes, though, a simple military fortress without the opulence of the wealthy ruling class can be as fascinating to view. When we visited Koblenz, one of the most striking sights was the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress that sits on the top of the mountain across the Rhine River from the town itself.

The fortress is definitely worth visiting for several reasons. First of all are the views from the cable car that traverses the river up the side of the mountain to the summit where the fortress overlooks the region. Obviously, the fortress itself is worth seeing, walking along the walls that once housed hundreds of soldiers poised to protect the town from the advances of the French or other invading armies. With that said, the highlight of visiting the fortress are the spectacular views of the town below and the cathedral and the statue at the German Corner.

The German Corner is where the Rhine and Moselle Rivers meet, making for stunning scenery. We were fortunate to have wonderful weather that particular day and the hills were full of color from the changing leaves. We wish we could have captured some images from our train ride to Koblenz along the Rhine River as it was probably one of the most amazing hours of scenery that we have ever seen. After about thirty minutes, we were already teasing with each other, “there is another castle” or “there is another church”. We were too enthralled with all of the sights to stop and take any pictures or take a video, so we will have to hold on to those memories in our minds.

Statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I at the German Corner

We feel very fortunate for the opportunity to see the things that we have seen. Seeing the Ehrenbreitstein Fortress has definitely been one of those experiences that we will cherish. If you are in Germany and near Koblenz, we would highly recommend taking the time to go to the fortress and look down upon this fairy tale town and enjoy the views of the rivers as they merge together. If you really want it to be special, get there around sunset and see the town cast in a lovely orange hue with the sky reflecting off of the rivers.