Germania route

From the Ringmauer car park, follow the street "Am Eibinger Tor" up to the Adolf Störzel winery and into the vineyards. On a partly asphalted, partly gravel path, you will soon reach the track of the historic cog railway. The line was put into operation in spring 1884, half a year after the inauguration of the Niederwalddenkmal (Sept 23, 1883). At that time (after the cog railway on the Drachenfels in the Siebengebirge near Bonn), it was the second tourist cog railway in Germany. Until 1939 it brought visitors up to the monument. After its destruction in the war, it was not repaired. Since 1954, the cable car has been running up to the Niederwalddenkmal.

After about one kilometer from the start, you meet the Rheinsteig (marked with a white R on blue background), which the Germania route now follows to the monument. It goes first about 50 meters left on the concrete service road before the route turns slightly right into the vineyard slope. On the ascent, you have the statue of Germania directly in front of you. At the edge of the forest, the route initially turns right again and, after a short bend, leads left back into the Niederwald.

On the forest path, after a few meters, you pass under the cable car and reach the Niederwald temple in the Osteinschen landscape park. After the climb, it invites you to a first rest. Poets and thinkers have often praised the magnificent panoramic view from here, which is one of the most beautiful on the Rhine.

The Germania route now leads you to the Niederwalddenkmal with the statue of Germania. The monument was inaugurated in September 1883 and commemorates the German victory over the French in the war of 1870/71 and the associated founding of the German Empire in 1871. On the way to the monument, several picture and text panels offer interesting information.

The view from here is world-famous. It stretches along the Rhine upstream to the Rhine-Main area and the hills of the Odenwald. On the opposite bank of the river lie Bingen and Bingerbrück, separated by the mouth of the Nahe. In present-day Bingerbrück, Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) took up her first own monastery at Rupertsberg in 1150. Behind the ridge of the Rochusberg with the chapel of the same name lies the Rheinhessen hill country, the largest wine-growing area in Germany. On the horizon, on a clear day, the Donnersberg rises into the sky, the highest mountain of the Palatinate.

To continue the route, go back to the Niederwald temple and descend the stairs first to the Rebenhaus. The Germania route here runs parallel to the Große Rüdesheimer Runde. After walking down the 326 steps, the route turns left onto the asphalted vineyard path. Shortly afterwards it goes right into the famous "Rüdesheimer Rottland" vineyard. Before Sieder Weg leads left again toward Rüdesheim, a short break at the Ramstein viewpoint with views of the Mäuseturm is worthwhile.

Soon you reach the Panoramaweg above Rüdesheim, which you follow in the direction of the starting point at the Ringmauer. Above the town, you can see the St. Hildegard monastery in the vineyards above Eibingen from here.

You can also continue the descent towards the old town and use one of the places to eat before heading to the car park or the station, which is located right next to the former Asbach distillery site.

If you arrive by train, you can turn left at the railway crossing into Oberstraße and at the junction "Am Feldtor" climb about 150 meters steeply toward the Panoramaweg, where you meet the Germania route.