Ehrenbreitstein Fortress at the Deutsches Eck in Koblenz

Culture, history and time out at Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

High above the point where the Rhine and the Moselle meet in Koblenz, the imposing Ehrenbreitstein Fortress rises 118 m above sea level.

The former 16th-century fortification is part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and today houses the Landesmuseum Koblenz, the state museum.

The picturesque fortress in the Upper Middle Rhine Valley stands beside the unique Geo-Naturpark in the Eifel and makes an ideal starting point for walks, on the Traumpfade trails for instance, and for days out across the region. It is the second largest surviving fortress in Europe. What you see today was built between 1817 and 1828, but its origins go back more than 1,000 years.

We now know that the hill on which the fortress stands was settled by people more than 3,000 years ago. Numerous finds in the surrounding area, Celtic and Germanic in origin, bear this out. There is evidence of a first crossing of the Rhine at this point as early as the 1st century AD.

The Prince-Electors of Trier were fond of the spot too, and for a time it served as their residence. The Prussian army also used the fortress as a base until 1918, to protect the Middle Rhine Valley from attack.

The state of Rhineland-Palatinate is the current owner of this mighty complex. Alongside several other administrative offices, it houses the authority responsible for every palace, castle and ancient monument in the state. Its task is to care for and maintain the state’s important cultural buildings and so preserve them for future generations. There is also a youth hostel inside the fortress.

The fortress is a sprawling place, and once you reach the top you are rewarded with a fantastic view over Koblenz. In the inner courtyard you will find, among other things, a restaurant with a beer garden and a glorious view of the Deutsches Eck. You can get up to the fortress by the cable car, which was built for the Federal Garden Show in 2011, but you can also walk or drive.

Discover Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz at the Deutsches Eck and take the cable car up, to see the sight at close quarters and enjoy a breathtaking view of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Oberes Mittelrheintal”, the Upper Middle Rhine Valley. The cable car has 16 roomy panoramic cabins and carries up to 7,600 people an hour. That gives it the highest capacity of any cable car in Germany.

Plenty to see in and around Ehrenbreitstein Fortress

Discover the beautiful countryside of the Eifel around the fortress and set off on long trips along the Moselle or the Rhine. Among the most popular destinations are the Laacher See with nearby Maria Laach Abbey, the famous Nürburgring and the many picturesque villages with their half-timbered houses, Monreal for example, which is considered the prettiest half-timbered village in the Eifel, along with the romantic castles and convivial wine festivals.

A visit to the Moselle, to Bernkastel-Kues or Cochem, makes a lovely day out too. These places are known for their narrow lanes lined with restaurants and cafés. Soak up the atmosphere of the Moselle on a stroll along the promenade and perhaps treat yourself to a small “Moselschoppen”, a glass of local wine.

If you prefer beer, the Vulkan Brauerei in Mendig is the place to go: you can tour the deepest beer cellar in the world and round off the day comfortably over a beer tasting in the brewery restaurant. The Bitburger brewery, probably one of the best-known private breweries in the world, is not far away either, and there too you can taste the beer freshly brewed.

You can of course also admire the landscape from the water, on a boat trip. There are many more sights in the immediate area of the fortress: the fairy-tale Bürresheim Castle, the shopping town of Mayen with the “Tollipark Mayen” adventure park for children, the old Roman city of Trier, and the popular holiday park at the Waldsee Rieden. Here you can spend an eventful and restful holiday, and you are sure to find something to suit every taste.

Just 15 minutes from the fortress lies the Waldsee Rieden. Here you can choose from 3 wonderful places to stay in a superb setting, for an unforgettable break in the heart of the Eifel. The 3 holiday homes “Dream Holiday Home Annika”, “Dream Holiday Home Susi” and “Dream Holiday Home Tommy” have been inspected by the German Tourist Association and each holds 5 stars for its facilities, in an excellent position on the Sonnenterrasse.

The comfortable homes have fast Wi-Fi and are suitable for dog owners too. That makes them a perfect base for visiting the most popular sights in the area, such as the fairy-tale Bürresheim Castle, Cochem Castle or Eltz Castle.

If you rent a house by the lake, the Waldsee Rieden puts you within easy reach of the tallest cold-water geyser on earth, the “Geysir Andernach”, the maars of the Eifel, its volcanic crater lakes, and the Hohe Acht, the highest mountain in the Eifel.

Your children will have plenty of fun at the Eifel holiday park near Koblenz as well. Renting one of the holiday homes with a sauna in the Eifel puts you in genuinely luxurious surroundings, and within easy reach of Tollipark Mayen, say, or Klotten Wildlife and Adventure Park. Daun Wildlife Park invites you on a car safari that will make for an unforgettable day. Neuwied Zoo, too, is only a few minutes from Koblenz and from the holiday park at Waldsee Rieden.

You can reach the fortress by the Koblenz cable car or by the fortress lift. If you are driving, enter the address “Greiffenklaustraße, 56077 Koblenz” into your sat nav. The fortress can also be reached by public transport, by bus and by train

Every year the fortress draws more than 500,000 visitors to Koblenz and the Eifel. The Koblenz cable car is just as popular, and it takes you up to the site in comfort.

The Koblenz cable car carries up to 7,600 people an hour. From the cabin you can enjoy the ride up to the fortress in comfort and with a wonderful view.