66 castle and the neighbouring convent furnished the subject of Schiller's touching ballad, the 'Knight of Toggenburg. The tradition is that he chose this spot for the site of his castle, because it commanded a view of the convent of Nonnenwerth, in which his affianced bride, the beautiful Hildegarde, had taken the veil after having heard the false report of his death at the battle of Roncevaux. Below Rolandseck is Mehlem, and a little further on, upon the right bank, is KOENIGSWINTER (Hotels: de Berlin, de l'Europe). This village is at the foot of the DRACHENFELS, which may be ascended from this point in about half an hour. This is the usual starting point for excursions to the Seven Mountains. The most interesting of this group is the Drachenfels, or the Dragon's rock, which rises abruptly from the river, and is crowned with the ruins of a castle. The view from the summit is the most picturesque on the Rhine. On the way thither the traveller is shown the quarry (Dombruch) from which the stones were taken to build the cathedral of Cologne, and the Cave of the Dragon which is said to have been killed by the horned Siegfried, the hero of the Niebelungen Lay. Opposite Drachenfels, upon the left bank, rises Roderberg, an extinct volcano, the crater of which, now covered with fields, is 1000 ft. in circumference and 100 ft. in depth. Leaving Koenigswinter we pass, upon the left bank, Rungsdorf; afterwards, upon the same bank, GODESBERG (Hotel: Blinzler), one half mile from which, upon a hill, is the imposing tower of the castle of GODESBERG. The castle was built in the thirteenth century by the Archbishops of Cologne; it was destroyed in 1538 by the Bava rians, who left nothing standing save the tower. The ruin is now the property of the Queen of Prussia. We now pass, on the right, Niederdollendorf, and Oberdollendorf, and upon the left bank Plittersdorf, the most convenient station for persons desiring to visit Godesberg. Further on, upon the right, is OBERCASTLE, beyond which there is nothing of interest until we reach BONN, before reaching which place the beauties of the Rhine may be said to end (Hotels: GD. HOTEL ROYAL* (on the Rhine), Golden Star (on the Market Place). It was the Castra Bonnensia of the Romans. Drusus built here one of the first forts erected on the Rhine. Under Constantine it was a flourishing city, and the mother of that emperor founded a cathedral here. In the middle of the fourth century it was destroyed by the Allemanni, and afterwards rebuilt by Julien. In the 13th century it was an important city. In 1268 it was the seat of the temporal government of the Archbishop Engelberg of Cologne. German emperors were crowned in its cathedral-Frederick and Charles IV. It was frequently besieged and taken in the wars of the middle ages. Under the French domination, from 1795 to 1814, its population diminished by 2000. Bonn owes much of its present prosperity to its University, founded in 1786. occupies the palace of the Electors of Cologne. Among its professors are some of the most eminent scholars of Europe. The number of students is about 900. The library contains 200,000 volumes. The principal church at Bonn is the CATHEDRAL, a beautiful edifice in the transition style, built in 1270, and restored in 1845. The most remarkable parts of the building are the Two It windows of the nave, the crypt, and the cloisters, which date from 1157. In the Cathedralplace is the bronze monument of Beethoven, who was a native of Bonn. The house in which he was born is still standing in the Rheingasse. The other churches are without interest. A favourite promenade of the inhabitants is the Hofgarten. The vicinity of the city abounds in pleasant excursions and promenades. The time occupied by the steamers in going from Bonn to Cologne is about 1 hour. The banks of the river between the two cities are flat and uninteresting, and the villages passed on the way are without interest. COLOGNE (For description of the city, see page 350.) ROUTE 140. MAYENCE TO FRANKFORT ON-THE-MAIN AND 21 miles. 1st class, 2.95; 2d, N leaving Mayence we cross the Rhine to CASTEL, and keep along the right bank of the Main to HOCHHEIM (4 miles). The village stands on the summit of a hill covered with vineyards down to the Main. The celebrated Hock wine is produced here. The vineyards are the property of the Duke of Nassau. HATTERSHEIM (6 miles). Hochst (15 miles), situated on the Nidda. The palace of the Elector of Mayence is now a private residence. The Church is of great antiquity. (From this place there is a branch to Soden (3 miles), at the foot of the Taunus Mountains. From thence there are diligences to Konigstein. We see from this point the Felberg, and the Castle of Falkenstein below it. FRANKFORT-ON-THE-MAIN (21 miles). (For description see Route 136.) [From Castel, opposite Mayence, WIESBADEN (5 miles) may be reached by railway through Mosbach (3 miles). Close to this place is Biebrich, situated on the Rhine (Hotel: Rheinischer Hof), (see Route 139). The small castle of Mossbach, on an artificial piece of water, contains some Roman antiquities. see WIESBADEN (5 miles), (Hotels: "HOTEL LIST.") Cabs from the station to the town, 1 or 2 persons, 80 pf.; 3 or 4 persons, 1 m. Since the suppression of gambling persons visiting the Kurhaus pay a tax. Tickets for one day are issued at 50 pf. each; a yearly ticket costs 18 to 36 m.; one for six weeks, 6 to 18 m. Concerts 3 times a day. ENGLISH CHURCH every Sunday. Service It This is a beautiful town, celebrated for its baths, which attract a great concourse of visitors in the season (from June to September). The Kursaal is the chief centre of attraction. has fine saloons. Music in the grounds near the Kursaal several times a day. The gambling rooms on the right of the grand saloon were closed by law at the end of 1872. There are also spacious reading and refreshment rooms. Wiesbaden has fourteen hot springs, of which the principal is the Kochbrunnen (boiling spring), with a temperature of 156° Fahr. It is at the end of the arcade called the Trinkhalle. The Romans called these springs Fontes Mattiaci. The Romerberg is a Roman fort on the north-west of the town. At the end of the Heidenberg Strasse is a fragment of a Roman wall 650 ft. in length, 10 ft. high, and 9 thick, called the Heidenmauer(Heathen's Wall). Charlemagne used to visit the baths, and built a palace here. The Sclosschen, in the Wilhelm's Strasse, contains a library of 60,000 volumes and some valuable manuscripts; also a Museum of Antiquities, including some Roman remains; and a small collection of paintings. There is a spacious Theatre, at which the performances begin at 6.30 p.m. On a hill called the Neroberg, a few miles from the town, is a beautiful Russian chapel, built by the Duke of Nassau. It contains the tomb of his first wife, who was a Russian princess. Wiesbaden was the capital of the Duchy of Nassau before 1866. It now belongs to Prussia. |