The Mouse Tower, on an island near the confluence of the Nahe and Rhine, is where – according to legend – Hatto II, the 10th-century archbishop of Mainz, was devoured alive by mice as punishment for his oppressive rule. In fact, the name is probably a mutation of Mautturm (toll tower), which reflects the building’s medieval function.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.08 MILES
At the head of the beautiful Moselle side-valley the Eltz, Burg Eltz is one of Germany's most romantic medieval castles. Never destroyed, this fairy-tale…
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17.71 MILES
A heady experience for book lovers, the Gutenberg Museum commemorates native son Johannes Gutenberg, who in the 15th century ushered in the information…
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29.61 MILES
On the right bank of the Rhine, 118m above the river, this fortress proved indestructible to all but Napoleonic troops, who levelled it in 1801. To prove…
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Heiligtum der Isis und Mater Magna
17.39 MILES
In a darkened, dungeon-like space, a glass walkway leads you around this extraordinary Roman archaeological site, which was discovered in 1999 during the…
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17.62 MILES
Topped by an octagonal tower, Mainz’ immense cathedral, built from deep red sandstone in the 12th century, is quintessentially Romanesque. Its predecessor…
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17.41 MILES
Highlights of this well laid-out state museum include an ensemble of exquisite Jugendstil pieces, outstanding collections of Renaissance and 20th-century…
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1.56 MILES
In the 1820s, privately owned Rheinstein, 6km downriver from Bingen, became the first Rhine castle to be converted – by Prussian royalty (a branch of the…
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9.23 MILES
Across the river from the village of Kaub, the boat-shaped toll castle Pfalzgrafstein, built in 1326, perches on an island in the middle of the Rhine. A…
Nearby Rhine Valley attractions
0.66 MILES
On Bingen's riverside promenade, this one-time power station now displays exhibits on Rhine romanticism, both engraved and painted. Other highlights…
1.56 MILES
In the 1820s, privately owned Rheinstein, 6km downriver from Bingen, became the first Rhine castle to be converted – by Prussian royalty (a branch of the…
1.71 MILES
The 1000-year-old Brömserburg castle near the Bingen car-ferry dock now houses this museum, filled with winemaking and wine-drinking paraphernalia from…
4. Siegfried’s Mechanisches Musikkabinett
1.83 MILES
Situated 50m to the left from the top of Drosselgasse, this fun museum has a collection of 350 18th- and 19th-century mechanical musical instruments that…
2.56 MILES
Looming above the village of Trechtingshausen, 8km downriver from Bingen, mighty Burg Reichenstein harbours a lavish collection of furnishings, armour,…
7.87 MILES
This late-Romanesque-style Protestant church, completed in 1269, has some columns with vivid capitals – look for the naked woman with snakes sucking her…
7.88 MILES
Built from red sandstone between 1289 and 1430 in the shape of a clover leaf, the Gothic Wernerkapelle was partially destroyed in 1689 during the Palatine…
8 MILES
Once part of the city's 14th-century fortifications and now surrounded by vineyards, this tower on the upper section of the wall affords panoramic views…