Top 20 Natural Monuments around Gensingen

​👑 Rheingrafenstein Castle Ruins – The Rock Boss on the Cycle Path ​Tip: Stop here! The Rheingrafenstein ruins sit dramatically perched on a 136-meter-high porphyry cliff above the Nahe River – one of the most impressive sights of the entire tour. The castle was the ancestral seat of the famous Wildgraves and Rhinegraves (until it was blown up in 1689). ​The view from the cycle path is phenomenal! If you really want to go up (and have enough energy), you can take the small hand-pulled ferry across and take the steep hiking trail to the ruins. It's worth it for the view over the Nahe Valley, but honestly: My legs were already tired enough from cycling. The panoramic view from below is worth its weight in gold! A must-have for your photo collection!

Rheingrafenstein Castle sits enthroned on a steep porphyry cliff (245 meters high) directly above the Nahe River near Bad Münster am Stein-Ebernburg. Legend has it that the devil himself built the castle—a reference to its dramatic location and mystical aura. In fact, it likely dates back to the 11th century and was the ancestral seat of the Lords of Stein, later the Wildgraves and Rhinegraves. In 1689, it was blown up by French troops under Louis XIV, and since then it has been a ruin—but an extremely impressive one.

Ancient pillared temple with a wonderfully open view

Beautiful rock with the Rheingrafenstein castle ruins. It is said that the devil is said to have built the castle. In any case, the castle was blown up by the French troops under Louis XIV.

The Goethe Temple built by Count von Ostein in 1790, which was completely destroyed in a bomb attack in November 1944 and rebuilt by the Niederwald Landscape Park Association. The Romantics called it "Monopteros", its rotunda resting on eight Roman columns made of red sandstone, today the columns are white. On September 3, 1814, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was struck by the extremely magnificent beauty of the Rheingau, stood in it.

The view is really very nice, but the Mouse Tower and the Binger Loch cannot be seen from here.

The temple itself is a bit bare but a great view.

"From the Monopteros in the Niederwald, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe admired the "extremely magnificent beauty of the Rheingau" - that was in the late summer of 1814. At that time, the Greek round temple stood in the middle of a landscape park that Count von Ostein had created. The original was destroyed in 1944 and at the beginning of the Rebuilt in the 21st century, so that visitors can now enjoy the view over the Middle Rhine Valley from the Monopteros again. The region has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2002. The unique combination of nature and culture is considered particularly worthy of protection. Not far from the Monopteros, the huge Germania looks towards France. It rises twelve and a half meters from the top base of the Niederwald Monument and weighs 32 tons. Clara, the daughter of the sculptor Johannes Schilling, was the model for the imposing figure, which is intended to commemorate the Franco-Prussian War and the unification of the empire. The bronze statue holds an imperial crown in its right hand, while the left rests on the pommel of a resting sword, which is entwined with laurel as a sign of victory. The dress of Germania is also rich in symbols: eagles, deer, ravens and dragons are reminiscent of old legends, the imperial eagle is considered a symbol of the German Empire. At Germania's feet you can read: "In memory of the unanimous, victorious uprising of the German people and the re-establishment of the German Empire 1870-87". The idea of erecting a monument to the merger of the previously loose alliance of independent principalities had already emerged in 1870. It was quickly agreed that it had to be on the Rhine because the river plays a central role in German history and culture - not least as a border with France, which had ruled on the opposite bank of the Rhine. The location was chosen in the Niederwald near Rüdesheim, located around 80 meters above the river." https://www.kultur-in-hessen.de/projekte/totalkunstwerk-am-rhein-niederwalddenkmal-ruedesheim-teil-1