Page 156 - (DK Eyewitness) Back Roads Travel Guide - Germany

154 BACK ROADS GERMANY

w Eltville
Hesse; 65343
The oldest town in the region, Eltville
is gathered around a cosy nest of
lanes, but it is best known for its many
rose beds, whose perfume thickens
the summer air. Many rose bushes line
the Rhine promenade and grow in the
moat of the adjacent 14th-century
castle, the Burg (gardens and courtyard:
open daily), which was laid to waste
by fierce Swedes during the Thirty
Years’ War (1618–48). Stirred up by
the Counter-Reformation, this war
Above Pretty rose garden in the town between the Protestant Union and
of Eltville Below left Café in the grounds q Kloster Eberbach Catholic League raged across Europe.
of Kloster Eberbach Below right Hesse; 65346 Only the four-storey residen tial
Gutenberg-Museum, a tribute to Mainz’s The monastery of Kloster Eberbach tower of the Burg survived and
most famous resident, Johannes Gutenberg (open daily) is best known as the climbing it (Apr–mid-Oct: open Fri–Sun)
Romanesque setting for the medie- provides a glimpse of a stained-glass
val murder mystery film The Name window celebrating Johannes
of the Rose (1986). Its most impressive Gutenberg, as well as fine views of
WHERE TO STAY feature is its austere basilica. Here, the town’s waterfront.
a steep staircase in the north ª Turn right out of the car park,
KLOSTER EBERBACH transept climbs to the dormitory following Wallufer Strasse, turn right
Gästehaus Kloster Eberbach where monks slept on pallet- again at the next junction. Head south
moderate
This hotel offers simple rooms in one like beds. The walk around the to Mainz-Amöneburg. Take the B40,
of the outlying monastery buildings. cloisters to the lay refectory passes then the Theodor-Heuss-Brücke bridge
It is set in peaceful wooded massive wine presses built of over the Rhine into Mainz, then take the
surroundings and serves a sumptuous timbers sturdy enough for galleons; first left to a handy riverside car park.
buffet breakfast. its shop has excellent wines.
Eltville, 65346; 06723 99 30;
www.klostereberbach.com ª From the car park, head e Mainz
south to the T-junction, turn left Rhineland-Palatinate; 55001
MAINZ towards Erbach and follow signs As capital of Rhineland-Palatinate, and
Hotel Schwan moderate to Eltville. On arriving in the town, with good transport links to Frankfurt,
The elegant Hotel Schwan, housed turn right and park at the large and cosmopolitan Mainz (see
in a 16th-century town building, has Schwimmbad, then walk down p165) has none of the sleepy atmos-
spacious rooms with Baroque touches.
Liebfrauenstrasse 7, 55116; 06131 14 to the riverfront and turn left phere of the rest of the Rhineland.
49 20; www.mainz-hotel-schwan.de toward the town centre. Originally a strategic settlement at
the confluence of the Main and
Rhine, by the 8th cen tury it was the
main religious centre north of the
Alps. Its impor tance was enhanced
by Johannes Gutenberg (c. 1400–68),
who invented the printing press here
in the 15th century.
Like Koblenz, Mainz suffered massive
bombardment during World War II,
though a large section of its half-
timbered old town including the
cathedral, survived or was rebuilt to
create an attractive town with many
tempting traditional wine bars.
Mainz’s majestic six-towered late-
Romanesque Kaiserdom (open daily)
is of 12th-century origin and unusual
for sharing its exterior walls with
adjoin ing houses. Inside, the high-
light of the spartan cathedral is the
Dommuseum and the adjacent
Where to Stay: inexpensive, under €70; moderate, €70–€150; expensive, over €150

154-155_175705_BR_GER.indd 154 25/07/16 2:08 pm
Back Roads LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue Spread template “UK” LAYER
(OpenType)
Date 24th March 2009
Size 145mm x 217mm
Fonts Bulletfont, Clearbullet,
Frutiger Pro, Myriad Pro, Travelfont