Moselle River Valley, Germany
After spending the past three days along the Rhine, we decided to cut over the hill and head up the Moselle valley. This river is smaller and quieter with less commercial shipping than the mighty Rhine. Strict codes keep the historic look and feel of the towns along the river intact.
Our road followed tight against the curve of the river and, unlike the Rhine, there were several bridges that provided opportunities to visit towns on both sides. We pulled off the road at our first stop in Kobern-Gondorf and walked through stone gates to inspect Schloss Liebieg.
As we were admiring the stately castle built in the 1100s, my eyes drifted toward a more modern glass-sheathed building toward the back of the grounds. I think my heart skipped a beat as we walked closer.
After talking with the owner, we gained permission to walk through a jaw-dropping collection of vintage Mercedes-Benz 300 SL roadsters, Gullwings and Porsche Speedsters. I was in heaven. After some research, I learned this company focused on restoring German classics from the 1950s.
Sadly, I was not able to work out a deal to trade our rented Opel Corsa for one of the convertibles. We soldiered on along the river and next came across the impressive Burg Thurant towering over the small town of Alken.
We found a single-lane road that meandered through the extensive vineyards above town toward the castle. Tours ended in October but we were able to soak in the views and inspect the intimidating entry.
We detoured slightly off the river road and climbed the forested hill just south of the village of Brodenbach. We found Ehrenburg castle hidden away behind several Christmas tree farms.
It wasn’t officially open but the gates were up. I managed to hike a dark stone tunnel up toward the main tower while a black cat kept an eye on Mom.
Back along the river, we stopped to investigate the church of Saint Castor in the town of Karden. In the 300s, Castor settled here as a hermit with various companions, where they dedicated themselves to an ascetic life and established a small religious community.
After his death, Castor was venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. An impressive reliquary surrounded by dedicated followers held his remains.
A small sign at the entrance asked visitors not to treat the church as a museum but to respect it as a house of God. It was amazing to think Castor’s work still reverberates here 1700 years later.
We finally arrived at the end of our journey late in the afternoon. Cochem centered itself on the left bank of the Moselle, at the apex of a picturesque U-bend in the river.
A small Weihnachtsmarkt was in full swing. We were impressed with the town’s enclosed hall, just like a traditional beer tent but re-purposed for the holidays. It was warm inside and we sampled apple strudel while children gathered in one corner for a puppet show. It must have been entertaining because they howled with laughter at every word.
After our break, we hiked back through the town square and crossed its bridge for a look back at Reichsburg Cochem.
Why were there so many castles built along the rivers? These medieval fortresses exacted tolls on river traffic for the benefit of the lords and ladies of the day. Heavy chains were raised as ships approached and lowered after they paid their duty. The modern Germany we know today was once comprised of hundreds of these fiefdoms.
I was puzzled by this signage along the bridge in Cochem. It provided speed limits for truck traffic and below that sign, …for tanks?
It was an interesting day exploring the Moselle river valley. We didn’t have a set itinerary. We just pulled over whenever we saw something that piqued our curiosity. Isn’t that the best way to travel?
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