More on Rüdesheim
Rüdesheim wine and Asbach brandy
From the Niederwald monument overlooking Rüdesheim you can enjoy a panoramic view of the Rhine and the vineyards, which have made Rüdesheim a famous wine town with its tavern-lined Drosselgasse lane.
Wine and brandy
Riesling – symbol of the Rheingau region, enjoyed as a fine wine or a sparkling Rieslingsekt. Sample it at one of the many wine tastings hosted in the vintners' own wine cellars. Discover pinot noir and red wine from Assmannshausen or traditional brandy from the Asbach distillery. As well as a visitor centre and shop, tours can be arranged depending on the season.
Places of interestRüdesheim has many attractions, such as the Drosselgasse lined with wine taverns and gardens and the Niederwald monument, depicting the mythical figure of Germania, which can be reached from Rüdesheim and Assmannshausen by foot through the vineyards, or by cable car or chair lift. The ruins of Ehrenfels Castle are in an idyllic location surrounded by vineyards above the Rhine gorge.
Museums
The Medieval Torture Museum illustrates crime and punishment in the Middle Ages. The Brömserburg Wine Museum in Brömserburg Castle features the history of local wine making. Siegfried's Mechanical Music Cabinet is a musical adventure with "antique computers" that play music.
Rheingau Wine Museum
Visitors entering the ancient Brömserburg Castle, an impressive sight in itself, are taken on a journey through 1,000 years of fascinating wine history. Old wooden and iron screw wine presses, a historical tree press dating back to 1594, and wine barrels, barrel carts and wine pumps are all displayed in the castle gardens, and approximately 2,000 wine-related exhibits from antiquity to the present day are on show in the halls and vaults inside. Historical tools indicate how much harder the work of wine-growers, cellar masters and barrel coopers used to be compared to today. Particular highlights of the collection include exquisite glasses representing all of the important stylistic periods in Europe. Open from mid-March to the end of October. Guided tours for groups only - available on request.
"Germania" monument
High up on the ridge of the Niederwald in the Rhenish-Westphalian Slate Mountains the impressive ten-metre-high statue of the mythical figure of “Germania” is visible from miles around. The 38-metre-high monument and its grand statue were built to commemorate the formation of the new German Empire in 1871, and the foundation stone was laid in 1877 in the presence of Kaiser Wilhelm I. The national monument commemorates the re-establishment of the German empire with the figure holding the imperial crown in her proudly raised right hand and the imperial sword in her left hand. It was seen as one of the greatest works of art of its time. Kaiser Wilhelm I and all of the princes attended the ceremony for the inauguration of the monument in 1883. Dates and coats of arms on the base refer back to the time when the German Empire was founded. Today, visitors can take the cable car through the vineyards to “Germania”.