Top Rated Attractions in Andernach

A beautiful representation of German Romanesque architecture, the Maria Laach Abbey is a Benedictine abbey that was established in the year 1093. Located on the shores of the picturesque Laacher Lake, its serene lakeside setting coupled with the various towers and turrets of the Abbey, lend it a fairy-tale fortress appeal. Several embellishments have been added over the years such as 16th-century murals, mosaics dating back to 1910 and stained glass windows from the 1950s.

The Ehrenbreitstein Fortress sits atop a mountain with the same name. The fortress was built on the mountain top between the years of 1817 and 1828 by Prussian forces, though another fortress had stood on this same spot until 1801 when it was destroyed by the French. Of course, early people had also seen the benefits of building on top of the impressive Ehrenbreitstein mountain; some archaeologists believe that structures may have been built on this same site as early as the 9th-Century BC. The fortress that visitors can see today was never attacked while the Prussian military owned it. It was, however, occupied by U.S. troops during the Occupation of the Rhineland. Having escaped destruction in World War II, the fortress served as a variety of establishments before being made into a museum in 1956. Visitors can take a cable car up to the fortress where they can wander around the grounds and explore the many rooms on docent-led tours.

Traced back to the medieval era, Burg Thurant is surrounded by vineyards and overlooks nearby towns. Archbishop battles, medieval torture devices and finally a peace treaty are some of its true stories that bring people to explore its once glorious past.

Botanische Garten der Universität Bonn is an oasis of peace and quiet in the middle of the city. The original gardens were re-landscaped in 1819 and still bear the typical English elements that were the flavor of the day in the early 19th Century. Visitors can admire a host of exotic plants ranging from Amazonian water lilies to orchids from the tropical rain forests. The giant North American trees are particularly striking.

Rising 100 meters (330 foot) above the scenic Moselle River, Reichsburg Cochem is a towering medieval period castle perched atop a hill. Originally, its purpose was to collect a toll from each passing shop, now it's serves as a popular tourist destination in the area. Its unique combination of neo-gothic architecture with remnants of Romanesque design stands testament to the many hands it changed over the centuries. Reichsburg Cochem also provides interesting tours for the whole family. Check out the tour timings on the website.

The Arithmeum pays tribute to the rise and development of mechanical machinery that existed before the technological age. This mathematics museum in the heart of Bonn exhibits a unique collection of calculators and mathematical machinery. Bernhard Korte, the founder of Arithmeum included pieces of his own private collection to those at the museum bringing in a total of 1200 pieces that were used extensively before the age of computers. The calculators here include some of the biggest and most complex thus drawing a vast number of students and enthusiasts of mathematics to the museum.