Koblenz

Just a quick stroll around the town will highlight the appeal of Koblenz – its romantic narrow streets and historical squares, the picturesque alleyways in the old quarter with the Romanesque Basilica of St. Kastor and the 12th century churches of St. Florin and Our Lady. The //Deutsches Eck// surmounted by its statue of Kaiser Wilhelm I presents a lesson in recent German history. Ehrenbreitstein fortress set high above the baroque town, a former seat of German Electors, is one of the largest castles in Europe.

The //Deutsches Eck// (German Corner) got its name in the 13th century after the Teutonic Order of Knights settled here at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle. The Kaiser Wilhelm monument stands here, serving as a memorial to German Unity from 1953 until the reunification in 1990. Consecrated in 836, this Romanesque church is where the sons of Ludwig the Pious negotiated the division of the Franconian Empire in 842, which led to the Treaty of Verdun (843). Most of the current building dates from the end of the 12th century. It was awarded the status of basilica minor by Pope John Paul II. Other points of interest include the fountain on Kirchplatz, whose strange inscription recalls the end of the French occupation of Koblenz.
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 * Deutsches Eck (German Corner)**
 * Deutsches Eck (German Corner)**
 * Basilica of St. Kastor**

Ehrenbreitstein fortress stands 118 metres high, overlooking the Rhine opposite //Deutsches Eck// (German Corner). It began with a small castle being built here around the year 1000. This was then gradually expanded into a fortress over the centuries by the Electors of Trier. After being destroyed by the French, Ehrenbreitstein was rebuilt and fortified by the Prussians. It became one of the strongest fortresses built in Europe after 1815 that is still completely preserved today.
 * Ehrenbreitstein fortress**

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