Bonn - Destination to Rhine River

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Bonn – the Destination to the Rhine River

The Bonn city in Germany has very ancient background dated from 13 th -19 th centuries BC and started by Romans who built a bridge across the Rhine River. Bonn is known all over the word for three reasons:

it was the Germany capital till 1990 – the year of Germany re-unification
it is the birthplace of Ludwig van Beethoven
the University of Bonn has gained world-famous reputation due to outstanding persons having studied and taught at it (including Karl Marx)

The city name was derived from the local tribe small villa called ‘Bonna’. The settlement gained the title ‘city’ due to the Germany Cologne Elector Clemens August who started Baroque construction in Bonn. Now walking around the city one must admit that Clemens’ Baroque tradition gave the city its original face of the lively museum of the Baroque art.

To start sightseeing tour around Bonn the best advice is to reach Markt (market place square with fruit and vegetable market) which simultaneously can be the center and the start of the tour. Around Markt there are six main streets leading to Poppelsdorf Alley with its Palace and Garden, University, Academic Art Museum, Old Town Hall, Beethoven house, Siebengebirge with its seven hills and Alter Zoll (Roman fortresses and castles ruins) on them, and modern and elegant Bad Godesberg district.

History and architecture admirers should be better start their tour from the ancient Romanesque Minster Basilica - the remnant of the German Roman Empire time. Then visit medieval churches of Jesuit and St. Remigius presented both Gothic and Baroque styles. Here, the Old Town Hall is also enriched with the Baroque Beethoven House presenting its great inhabitant’s personal things, papers, letters, music instruments and the exhibition of the Beethoven’s portraits. However, do you know Beethoven left Bonn at 22 and never came back to his native town? Bonn does not have his grave as well.

Poppelsdorf Palace with its Botanic Garden is may be one of most significant place to visit. First, this building impresses by its size and Baroque luxury. Second, it is joined with the amazing University of Bonn founded in 1818. Before a few hours- walking around the Botanic Garden one should refresh oneself at one of the Bonn traditional restaurants, some of them date back to the 13 th century!