Koblenz

The junction of the Rhine and Moselle rivers has to be a place of importance. Empires and kingdoms desired it as a strategic point and as a symbol. The spot was occupied by the Romans and fought over by the Germans and the French. The result is a landscape marked by fortifications, palaces, a long stone bridge and churches from all periods.

The spit at the river junction known as Deutsches Eck is the site of the triumphal Prussian monument Kaiser-Wilhelm-Denkmal, an equestrian monument 14 metres high. Dominating the site from across the Rhine is Festung Ehrenbreitstein, one of Europe's mightiest fortifications and housing a regional museum. By the 19th century, a ring of fortifications surrounded the city, many remains of which survive.

Koblenz is an excellent base for exploring the middle Rhine UNESCO world- heritage area with its castles.