A Germany River Cruise takes you across the romantic Middle Rhine Valley. As you cruise down this stretch of the dreamy River Rhine, you will see medieval towns and castles dating back to the late 18th and 19th centuries. You will see the verdant vistas that inspired many writers to wax poetic about the region’s natural magnificence.
A Rhine River Cruise offers a vast landscape of natural beauty. You will see the lush vineyards of the valley, the thick woods of the mountain ridges, the magnificent rocks of the riverbanks, and the side-valleys cutting into the banks of the Rhine River.
A stop on a Middle Rhine cruise might include a tour of Oberwesel in its itinerary.
Oberwesel is a Medieval town that has preserved its medieval silhouette. It takes pride in two Gothic churches – the Church of Our Lady on one end of the town and the Minorite Monastery on the other end.
The Church of Our Lady in Oberwesel is regarded as one of the finest examples of the extraordinary architecture that marked the cathedrals of the Middle Ages.
The church is positioned loftily at the southern part of Oberwesel. It looks very impressive even from a distance, living up to its distinction as one of the most significant high Gothic churches in the Rhineland.
The structure is stark and unadorned. It is defined exclusively by clean and sharp geometric shapes. The interior is impressive. The ceiling looks incredibly high, its heights made more pronounced by the soaring central nave.
The church has a high gothic shrine altar. The triptych altarpiece looks remarkably like the impressive façade of a medieval cathedral. It is intricately ornamented with columns, gables, arcades, and roses amidst a gold background.
The presbytery is spanned by vaults standing on willowy pillars. The rood screen stands at the end of the presbytery. You can imagine the medieval priests of that time reading the gospels from behind this screen.
Paintings which date back to the Middles Ages adorn the walls of the church. These paintings bear the beauty and richness that marked the works of art that flourished during the medieval period.
The Minorite Monastery is another Gothic church in Oberwesel. It is well-known for its beautiful ensemble that includes the sacristy, the church ruins, and the monastery garden.
The sacristy is famous for its unique architectural form. It took extensive reconstruction work during 2006 to restore the 15th century sacristy to its original glory.
Oberwesel has a remarkable townscape that echoes what life was like during the Middle Ages. It still has its medieval town wall. Sixteen of the original defensive towers still run along the stretch of this wall, earning the town its name of “Town of Towers.”
The wall and towers were built to protect the townspeople from attacks. They also provided defense against ice drift and floods. On top of all these, the high wall and towers which could be seen from miles away were important to Oberwesel’s reputation. They marked the town as one with wealth and great power.
You can climb up the peak of the wall and enjoy the view of the quixotic Rhine River.
Europeanbarging can assist with finding the best Rhine River Cruise. For more information: jan@europeanbarging.com 888-869-7907 Barge and river cruise specialist since 1998.