Wine culture on the Rhine in Rüdesheim

Rüdesheim has a long and storied history dating back to the Romans, who settled this stretch of the Rhine more than 2,000 years ago. It’s the Romans we have to thank for introducing the first wine making grape vines to the hills behind the town. Today, they make some of the finest German wines, particularly Riesling. It is a pretty town of half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. Although, the Second World War left some modern atrocities as well.

On the picturesque hill behind, the giant figure of Germania looks west over the Rhine towards France. This is the Niederwald Monument, built to celebrate Prussia’s victory over France and the unification of Germany in 1871. It is one of the most famous monuments in Germany and is an impressive sight close up. From the monument the views are little less than spectacular.

The trip to get here is just as wonderful. A cable car, that first carried visitors over the vineyards and up the hill in 1954, whisks people from the town to the monument in ten glorious minutes. It’s a peaceful interlude as the cable car silently glides over the rows of vines below. We were here in April and arrived early at the monument, there weren’t too many other people but it got busy by the time we came down.

There is no sugar-coating it, this is not a town off the beaten path. The Drosselgasse, a once attractive narrow lane in the centre of Rüdesheim’s old town known as ‘Germany’s most famous street’, attracts wall-to-wall visitors. Literally. Every building is either a gift shop selling tourist souvenirs, a bar or a restaurant. This isn’t unique to Rüdesheim, and in April it was fairly calm, but in summer it must be unpleasant.

Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

River Rhine, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Niederwald Monument, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Brömserhof, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Drosselgasse, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Marktplatz, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

While that might be true, we had a fabulous time. It’s is a friendly place, the vibe relaxed. The lovely wine stall in the main square was superb for enjoying a chilled glass or two from a local vineyard. We tested the local firewater, Asbach, a brandy mostly drunk in coffee with an alarming amount of whipped cream. Restaurants serve hearty local food and German standards, a reminder of why we ate so much Vietnamese food when living in Berlin.

Despite all the tourist trappings, at heart Rüdesheim remains a small town on the Rhine. Walking the streets in the morning or at night, after the cruise ship and coach parties had left, was lovely, the centuries old buildings projecting the town’s long history. The first written record of Rüdesheim is from the 11th century, and it’s oldest surviving building, the Brömserburg, dates to the same period.

Brömserburg, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Brömserburg, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Cable car and vineyards, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

Niederwald Monument, Rüdesheim am Rhein, Germany

A solid looking stone building, the Brömserburg looks old and sits on the site of a former Roman fort. In Roman times, there was a bridge connecting the fort with the Roman town of Bingium, today’s Bingen. The fort stood on the side of the Rhine where Roman power didn’t really extend and must have felt pretty isolated. The building sits next to a small vineyard, a hint of its current role as the Rheingau Wine Museum.

A short walk away is one of the most lovely buildings in Rüdesheim, the Brömserhof. A substantial building with a red and white timber-framed tower that dates to the early 14th century, it houses Siegfried’s Mechanical Museum. A stroll through the small historic centre of town takes you past more centuries-old half-timbered houses until you arrive on the banks of the Rhine.

Today, there is a road and a train line that separate the town from the river, which takes away some of the charm. Walk along the promenade though, you’ll reach the Adlerturm. This looks a lot like a wedding cake, but is in fact part of the old town fortifications dating to the 15th century. Continue along the river, there’s a pleasant park with a weinstrand with live music. Grab a glass, relax and watch the boats float past.