Petra Willnecker, Author at Rhine Dragon

View from Drachenfels upon Drachenburg Castle and the Rhine Valley

Trailhead Königswinter

Königswinter is a good trailhead if you go out to discover the Siebengebirge, the hiking trails take you to Mount Drachenfels and beyond. Since the first days of Rhine romanticism and Rhine tourism, Königswinter and Mount Drachenfels was a must on the agenda.

Early history

Very early on, in the Upper Paleolithic, there were human beings in our region. The first finds date back to the early history of the Siebengebirge. In Oberkassel, the bones of a man, a woman, and a dog were found who must have lived around 13,000 BC. You can see them in the museum Rheinisches Landesmuseum in Bonn.

Nature Reserve

The Siebengebirge has been a nature reserve for a long time. Today, many endangered plants and animals have found a home here, and there are strict rules to ensure that they can live in peace.

Medieval Castle Drachenfels

The ruin of the medieval donjon of Drachenfels Castle is a landmark of Königswinter and the Siebengebirge. You can go up there, and enjoy the breathtaking view across the Rhine valley. Today we only have the donjon and some inner walls left, and it is a bit difficult to imagine how it was like back then in the Middle Ages. […]

Siebengebirge trees

If the Siebengebirge was untouched nature, most likely the beeches would be predominant in the woods. This post shows some native trees from our region. Where what kind of tree grows best depends on several factors. Is it an upland or lowland area, is it warm or cool there, is the soil rather moist or dry, and what is its […]

Drachenfels

Mount Drachenfels (321 m) certainly is the most famous hill in the Siebengebirge. It has inspired poets such as Lord Byron and Heinrich Heine, and today it attracts countless visitors every year. The view across the Rhine Valley is spectacular.

At the border of the Roman Empire

In the Roman era, the Siebengebirge was a military area at the border of the Roman Empire, province Germania Inferior. Roman quarries at Drachenfels supplied stones for Bonn, Cologne, Xanten and Nijmegen. For about 500 years, the events within the Empire and its long defense fight determined life on both sides of the frontier.

Medieval Castle Löwenburg

From up here at Löwenburg Castle, you have a wonderful view across the Rhine Valley and the other hills. You almost feel like the lord or the lady of the castle. Thanks to conservation and restoration work, we can visit the castle ruin.

Wolkenburg

The mountains Drachenfels and Wolkenburg, connected by a lower-lying mountain ridge, characterize the image of the Siebengebirge.

Articles by Petra Willnecker

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