Niederwald-Denkmal (Niederwald Monument)

Niederwald-Denkmal (Niederwald Monument) Review

High above Rüdesheim and visible for miles stands Germania, a colossal female statue crowning the Niederwald-Denkmal. This tribute to German nationalism, which will be under renovation for part of 2012, was built between 1877 and 1883 to commemorate the rebirth of the German Empire after the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71). Germania faces across the Rhine toward the eternal enemy, France. At her base are the words to a stirring patriotic song: "Dear Fatherland rest peacefully! Fast and true stands the watch, the watch on the Rhine!" There are splendid panoramic views from the monument and from other vantage points on the edge of the forested plateau. You can reach the monument on foot, by car (via Grabenstrasse), or over the vineyards in the Seilbahn (cable car). There's also a Sessellift (chairlift) to and from Assmannshausen, a red-wine enclave, on the other side of the hill.